Expert issues urgent warning over carnivore diet after influencer shares the impact it had on her after six years

A diet which allows you to cut out eating fruit and vegetables in favour of meat and dairy may sound like fiction dreamed up by a stubborn teenager; however, it is in-fact a very real health trend being adopted by a growing number of adults.

But just how safe is the carnivore diet?

One person who's built a huge following out of only consuming the two food groups is Bella, a former vegan who goes by the username @steakandbuttergal on social media.

In recent videos, Bella has credited her diet for regulating her menstrual cycle and improving her mental health.

"I haven't eaten a single carb, piece of fruit or vegetable in six years and I'm not dying of low energy, nor have," she tells her 421,000 Instagram followers in the clip.

Bella isn't the only person to implement such a drastic diet, with several women interviewed by US magazine Women's World also claiming to have lost as much as 145 pounds from eating only animal products.

Phrases such as '#carnivorediet' or 'meatfluencers' on social media platforms are also filled with people claiming the lifestyle has improved their physical and mental health, with media personalities such as Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson and others all championing meat filled plates.

However, it's important to note there is currently very little clinical evidence - with a survey being conducted via social media on 2029 participants in 2020 - or supporting arguments in favour of a carnivore diet, despite individuals supposedly seeing short term improvements.

And several dieticians and nutritionists have even spoken out against eating such a restrictive diets, citing concerns about vitamin deficiencies and increased cholesterol.

"Instead of completely restricting yourself to a carnivore diet or a vegan diet, I would recommend concentrating on diversity and variety," Reema Pillai, private nutritionist at Dietitian Fit, told LADbible.

Pillai went on to explain that eating only animal product 'is not a healthy diet to maintain long term for the general population' due to the exclusion of key nutrients.

One of these key nutrients is fibre, which Pillai explains can only be found in plant foods.

"There are numerous health benefits linked to the regular consumption of fibre including regular bowel health, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, improved cardiovascular health and reduced risk of some types of cancers." she said.

"Therefore, removing fibre from the diet is dangerous and will increase the risk of a multitude of health conditions, including heart and liver disease."

The nutritionist went on to explain that complications from following restrictive diets may take years to show up, which could explain why promoters of the diet haven't reported experiencing any adverse health impacts.

"Many of those who follow a carnivore diet are oblivious to health issues for a long time," she said.

"For someone who is young and maintains a healthy body weight, cholesterol levels may not seem elevated until years into the future, where the extra consumption of saturated and trans fats has lead to a build up of plaque in the arteries, causing severe increases in cholesterol."

Pillai continued: "Unless you have been advised to follow a certain restrictive diet by a qualified health professional, consider the overall diversity and quality of your diet before deciding to severely restrict food intake."

Looks like the best - albeit the most boring - piece of diet advice you can do is play it safe and follow the food pyramid blu-tacked to the wall of our school classrooms.

What does the NHS say?

Guidance from the NHS, a healthy and balanced adult diet should consist of at least five portions of fruit and vegetables, high fibre foods such as potatoes, rice or bread, dairy (or dairy alternatives), a source of protein and unsaturated oils.

Consumption of eating red or processed should be limited to 70g of either per day, with Cancer Research UK warning that processed and red meats are carcinogens which have been linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer.

LADbible Group has reached out to steakandbuttergal for comment.