Lion Diet vs. Carnivore Diet: Which One Is Better?

What Is the Carnivore Diet?

The Carnivore Diet is a lifestyle that excludes carbohydrates and focuses on increasing fat and protein intake from animal-based foods to induce and maintain a fat-burning state called ketosis.

The main reason for avoiding plant-based foods on the Carnivore Diet is that they’re high in carbohydrates, contain compounds like fiber that cause digestive issues, such as bloating and abdominal discomfort, and can disrupt ketosis [1].

To achieve ketosis, you need to provide about 70% to 85% of your daily calories from fat sources, 20% to 35% from protein sources, and 0 to 5% from carbohydrates.

Ketosis induced on a Carnivore Diet can provide many health benefits, such as managing inflammation, autoimmune conditions, and digestive issues by following these rules.

Rules

• Minimize carbohydrate intake.
• Consume high-fat, high-protein animal-based products, like meat and dairy.
• Avoid plant-based food like vegetables and fruits.

Goals

The Carnivore Diet aims to help you:

• Lose weight,
• Reduce inflammation,
• Simplify eating habits,
• Improve digestion, and
• Enhance mental clarity.

Another low-carb diet that can help you lose weight is the Lion Diet, which is similar to Carnivore in the basic rules but is more strict and suitable for specific groups of individuals.

What Is the Lion Diet?

The Lion Diet is a more restrictive version of the Carnivore Diet, which is more suitable for experienced dieters and those who aim to lose weight more quickly. 

The Lion Diet can help you lose weight in a short time because it excludes most food groups, including high-calorie foods with added sugar, and processed foods, and only allows ruminant products with water and salt.

However, it may be challenging to follow it for a long period because of potential health concerns and a lack of variety in essential vitamins and minerals.

The Lion Diet focuses on eating only meat from ruminant animals like cows, sheep, and deer with the following rules and goals.

Rules

• Focus on animal-based foods rich in protein, healthy fats, and key nutrients like vitamins B12 and D.
• Eliminate all plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts, due to their high levels of carbohydrates.
• Avoid processed meats like hot dogs and bacon.
• Include nutrient-rich organ meats like liver and kidney for vitamins and minerals not found in regular meat.
• Drink water as the main beverage, with coffee and tea in moderation.
• Start with 2-4 pounds of meat per day, depending on your age, gender, activity level, diet goals, and health conditions.

Goals

The Lion Diet aims to

• Provide simpler diet choices,
• Include healthier foods in your daily meal plan,
• Help chronic conditions like autoimmune disorders and digestive problems, and
• Ensure absorption of only essential nutrients.

The Lion and Carnivore Diets share similar goals and rules, but each one comes with certain goals and limitations that make them suitable for specific groups of individuals. So, let’s compare and contrast them to see which one best fits your health and fitness goals.

Learn More: Carnivore Diet vs Paleo Diet: What Are The Differences?

Lion Diet vs. Carnivore Diet

Comparing the Carnivore vs. Lion Diet, we see that both focus on providing nutrients from animal-based foods, but their main differences are related to their 

• Food List,
• Nutrients,
• Health Benefits, and
• Potential Side Effects.

Food List

The Carnivore Diet includes a wide range of animal-based foods like beef, pork, poultry, fish, organ meats, eggs, and dairy, which offer different flavors and textures that make it flexible and adaptable to different tastes.

However, the Lion Diet is more restrictive as it focuses only on ruminant meats, such as beef, lamb, goat, and organ meats as they provide essential nutrition for human health due to their fatty acid composition and nutrient density.

To help you easily compare the Lion Diet vs. Carnivore Diet regarding foods, you can check the following table that shows the allowed foods in each diet.

Nutritional Differences

The Carnivore Diet includes a wide variety of meats and animal products, which provide essential nutrients. For example, fish is full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for heart health and are known for reducing inflammation [2].

Poultry and eggs offer different types of fats and nutrients compared to red meats, which help you have a balanced intake of proteins, fats, vitamins (like D and B vitamins), and minerals (like iron and zinc) [3].

The Lion Diet focuses on nutrient-dense parts of animals, such as the liver and heart. These organ meats contain high levels of important vitamins like A, D, E, and K, which are essential for vision, immune support, and bone health [4].

They also provide high amounts of minerals like iron which is essential for oxygen transport in the blood, and zinc, important for immune function and wound healing [5].

So, all in all, the Carnivore Diet offers more nutrients than the Lion Diet because it includes a wider range of foods, that provide the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Health Benefits

The high protein and minimum carbohydrate content in the Carnivore Diet foods have positive effects on digestive health and metabolism.

By removing carbohydrates, which can cause bloating and gut inflammation in sensitive individuals, many dieters report better digestion and improved symptoms of conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [6] [7].

Also, the Carnivore Diet helps the body switch from using glucose as the energy source to burning fats for energy (ketosis) and can boost fat burning, help weight loss, and improve energy levels [8].

On the other hand, the Lion Diet focuses more on ruminant meats and organ meats. Ruminant meats like beef and lamb provide heme iron and B vitamins, which help with better digestion and overall health [9].

Organ meats, such as liver and kidney, are rich in nutrients like vitamins A, D, K, and Coenzyme Q10, providing better eye health, immune function, bone health, and heart health [10].

Like the Carnivore Diet, the Lion Diet induces ketosis due to its low carbohydrate content. Ruminant meats also contain conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a type of fat connected to potential metabolic benefits such as improved fat metabolism and anti-inflammatory effects [11].

Potential Side Effects

To compare the side effects of the Lion Diet vs. Carnivore Diet, we can say both can cause:

• Keto Flu: During the initial phase, both diets can induce symptoms like fatigue, headaches, irritability, and brain fog, commonly known as the keto flu, which can fade away in a few days. It’s caused by the transition from carbohydrate metabolism to ketosis [12].
• Digestive Issues: Those new to high-fat diets, can experience digestive discomforts, such as constipation, diarrhea, nausea, or abdominal pain in the starting phase [13].
• Kidney stones and gout: High protein intake can increase the risk of developing kidney stones and gout, especially in people who are prone to these diseases or those with impaired kidney function [14].

But the Lion Die can also lead to:

• Potential Iron Overload: The Lion Diet, which emphasizes red meat and organ meats, can result in consuming too much iron. This could be a problem for people with genetic conditions like hemochromatosis or those who are prone to iron overload [15].
• Limited Food Choices: The Lion Diet can lead to a lack of variety and difficulty getting all the necessary nutrients over time. Since the variety of food in this diet is very limited, it can be repetitive and boring in the long term.

Take a look at the table below to see a summary of the main features of the Carnivore Diet vs. Lion Diet:

As you see, each diet has its pros and cons, so you can’t label a diet as a “better diet” as each body is unique, with its own needs and conditions. However, there are some tips to help you choose wisely.

Learn More: How to Start a Carnivore Diet? When Should I Start? [Expert Guide]

Which One Is Better, the Lion Diet or the Carnivore Diet?

Choosing between the Lion Diet vs. Carnivore depends on your health goals and preferences.

If your goal is to treat a specific health condition like autoimmune issues or digestive problems, the Lion Diet's extreme elimination of all plant foods can be more effective in the short term.

However, more research needs to be conducted on the long-term effects of the Lion Diet.

However, the Carnivore Diet is a safer choice for general health and wellness as it allows for more variety with the inclusion of eggs, dairy, and a wider range of meats, which makes it easier to meet nutrient needs with many low-carb and high-fat recipes. It's also easier for beginners who are not used to a low-carb lifestyle.

Ultimately, the best diet is one that fits your lifestyle, nutritional needs, and health goals and that you can maintain long-term for optimal well-being.

Learn More: Carnivore vs. Atkins Diet: Which One Boosts Weight Loss?

Conclusion

When comparing the Lion Diet vs. Carnivore Diet, we see they have many aspects in common because the Lion Diet is a limited version of the Carnivore Diet.

Also, consulting your healthcare professional is crucial to make sure which option is best for you to avoid any potential risks and side effects.