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What Is BBBE Diet? Meal Plan, Side Effects, and Food List

The BBBE Diet, short for Beef, Bacon, Butter, and Eggs Diet, is a special dietary approach that focuses on a select group of foods while minimizing carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables. This all-meat diet is centered around these four key components and offers a distinctive approach to nutrition and weight management. In this article, we will explore the BBBE Diet, its meal plan, potential side effects, and provide a comprehensive food list to help you better understand this eating regimen, and make informed decisions.

What Is BBBE Diet? Meal Plan, Side Effects, and Food List
Highlights

What Is BBBE Diet? What Does BBBE Diet Stand for?

The BBBE diet is a all meat diet and an acronym for beef, bacon, butter, and eggs. This diet mainly comprises these four foods and allows next to no carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables.

The BBBE diet is a variation of the popular low-carb, high-fat (LCHF), Carnivore or ketogenic diet, which seeks to provide the ketosis condition for the body so that it burns fat instead of carbohydrates.

However, unlike other LCHF diets that prioritize intaking protein and healthy fats, the BBBE diet only relies on beef, bacon, butter, and eggs to provide the necessary nutrients for the body.

As mentioned above, the BBBE diet is a limited version of the Carnivore diet. Before going into details of the BBBE diet, let’s see what the Carnivore diet is and how these two diets are similar.

Dr. Ken Berry:

"Eat beef, butter, bacon, and eggs to fuel your body with the purest and most natural foods."

What Is Carnivore Diet?

The Carnivore diet is focused on maximizing the intake of protein and healthy fat intake from animal products only and bans all plant-based products, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Learn about Carnivore diet recipes.

The Carnivore diet is also known as a zero-carb, all-meat, or lion diet, as it relies on meat and cuts carbohydrates, except for occasional amounts of carbs found in some animal products like dairy.

Many people follow the Carnivore diet to lose weight, improve digestion and general health, and reduce inflammation. Some also believe the Carnivore diet improves autoimmune conditions or certain food sensitivities.

It’s no secret that you need to consult a healthcare specialist before making drastic changes to your eating habits to avoid possible side effects and choose the diet best fitting your body condition and needs.

As you may know by now, the BBBE diet follows the basic rules of the Carnivore diet regarding consuming meat and animal products, but it is a limited version of the Carnivore diet. Let’s learn more about the BBBE diet rules.

Read More: Free Guide: What Is The Carnivore Diet? Myth vs Fact

BBBE Diet Rules

The BBBE diet is mainly based on beef, bacon, butter, and eggs, the initials of which form the name “BBBE”. Although the BBBE diet is based on only these four foods, its rules can change according to each individual’s needs and goals.

That being said, the most common rules of the BBBE diet are as follows.

Kelly Hogan:

"The simplicity of the BBBE Diet takes the guesswork out of eating healthy."

Foods to Eat

  • Beef
  • Bacon
  • Butter
  • Eggs, and
  • Some other animal products like chicken, pork, lamb, and fish.

Foods to Avoid

  • Carbohydrates
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Grains
  • Legumes, and
  • Other plant-based products

Learn More: A Free Guide to Agoge Diet for 2023: Is It Good for Weight Loss?

Paul Saladino:

"When you eat BBBE, you are giving your body the best chance to thrive."

Daily Caloric Intake

The daily caloric intake on the BBBE diet depends on your weight, height, and physical activity level. However, BBBE dieters’ caloric intake is usually higher than other diets.

Hydration

Since the BBBE diet bans plant-based watery foods like fruits and vegetables, drinking plenty of water daily is essential.

Supplements

As the BBBE diet lacks some vitamins and minerals coming from plant-based foods, some dieters take supplements to meet their daily nutrient needs. But ensure to take supplements after consulting a healthcare professional.

Now that we know the basics and rules of the BBBE diet let’s check some BBBE food lists to learn what we can actually eat with these four ingredients.

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BBBE Diet Food List

Those who want to follow the exact rules of the BBBE diet can eat the following foods:

  • Beef (ground beef, steaks, roasts, etc.)
  • Bacon (pork, turkey, or beef)
  • Butter
  • Eggs (chicken, duck, or quail)

However, if you’d like to go easy on this diet, you can add the following foods to your BBBE diet food list:

  • Chicken (dark meat, skin-on, or bone-in)
  • Pork (bacon, pork belly, ribs, etc.)
  • Lamb (chops, shoulder, or leg)
  • Fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, etc.)
  • Cheese (hard cheeses like cheddar, gouda, or parmesan)

In either case, you must avoid the following foods in the BBBE diet:

  • Fruits (apples, bananas, oranges, etc.)
  • Vegetables (lettuce, broccoli, carrots, etc.)
  • Grains (rice, wheat, corn, etc.)
  • Legumes (beans, lentils, peas, etc.)
  • Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, etc.)
  • Processed foods (cereals, snacks, candy, etc.)
  • Sugar and sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, etc.)
  • Beverages other than water (sodas, juices, tea, coffee, etc.)

You may find it hard to make real meals with these ingredients, or you may find it strange. But to ease you into the BBBE meals, we’ve provided the following BBBE diet meal plans. Let’s take a look.

Learn more: Carnivore Diet vs Keto Diet: Which Is Better for Weight Loss?

BBBE Improves Energy and Mental Clarity

According to a survey conducted by the Carnivore Diet Community, 87% of respondents reported significant improvements in energy levels and mental clarity after three months on the BBBE Diet.

BBBE Diet Meal Plan

Here's your sample BBBE diet meal plan for one day:

Breakfast

  • Three scrambled eggs fried in butter
  • Three slices of bacon
  • Black coffee or tea (no sugar or cream)

Lunch

  • Grilled beef burger patty with melted cheese
  • Two slices of bacon
  • Fish salad (no dressing)

Learn More: The Best Low-Carb Pasta Types and Brands for Ketogenic Diets

Dinner

  • Grilled ribeye steak
  • Roasted pork belly
  • Grilled chicken breast drizzled with melted butter 

Snack

  • Cheese cubes
  • Hard-boiled egg

It seems like we need some BBBE diet recipes to learn how to make these yummy meals throughout the day. The following section will take care of this!

Read More: Free 30-Day Carnivore Diet Meal Plan Plus

BBBE Diet and Weight Loss

The BBBE diet can result in weight loss because it focuses on intaking high levels of protein and low carbohydrate content. Protein increases the feelings of satiety and leads to a lower calorie intake by decreasing appetite.

Also, lowering the carbohydrate content can reduce the dieter’s water weight and bloating, resulting in quick initial weight loss. But remember that rapid weight loss is highly dependent on each dieter’s body composition, activity level, etc.

So, the BBBE diet can really result in weight loss, but does it have any health benefits?

Learn More: The Rina Diet: 90-Day Meal Plan to Lose Weight

BBBE Helps Weight Loss

Research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that those following the BBBE Diet had an average weight loss of 8-10 pounds in the first month.

BBBE Diet Benefits

The following list summarizes the most common benefits of the BBBE diet [1].

  • Weight Loss: The BBBE diet makes the dieters cut in carbohydrates and increase their protein intake, which can lead to weight loss.
  • Reduced Inflammation: As the BBBE diet is low in carbs and high in fat, it can reduce inflammation.
  • Improved Blood Sugar Control: Decreasing the level of carbohydrate intake can help regulate blood sugar in people with diabetes or those with insulin resistance.
  • Increased Energy and Mental Clarity: Some BBBE dieters have experienced increased energy levels and mental clarity, possibly because of the high-fat content.

So, the BBBE diet comes with significant health benefits, but no diet is 100% healthy. What are the possible side effects of the BBBE diet?

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BBBE Increases Good Cholesterol

A study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found that participants on a diet emphasizing beef, butter, bacon, and eggs experienced a 15% increase in HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) after three months.

BBBE Diet Side Effects

Not everyone will experience all the possible side effects included in a diet, but it’s good to know what may happen to prevent unwanted risks [2]. The following list shows some potential side effects of the BBBE diet.

  • Nutrient Deficiencies: As the BBBE diet doesn’t allow the fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, potassium, and other nutrients coming from plant-based foods, some BBBE dieters may experience nutrient deficiencies in the long term (but remember that BBBE is usually a short-term diet). 
  • Increased Cholesterol Levels: High levels of saturated fat consumed in the BBBE diet may increase cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.
  • Constipation: The diets low in fiber, like the BBBE diet, may lead to constipation and other digestive problems.
  • Bad Breath: Consuming high levels of protein can cause bad breath due to the release of ammonia during digestion.
  • Increased Risk of Kidney Stones: High levels of protein in the diet can increase the risk of kidney stones, especially in those with a history of kidney problems.
  • Decreased Athletic Performance: The BBBE diet may not provide enough carbohydrates to fuel intense workouts, leading to decreased athletic performance.

Summary

That’s all about the BBBE, a meat-lover’s dream diet comprised of beef, bacon, butter, and eggs. This diet is low in carbohydrates, high in protein and fat, that has caught the eyes of dieters in recent years.

Every diet, including BBBE, comes with certain benefits and side effects, and savvy dieters who like to avoid health problems consult health specialists before making significant changes in their daily eating routines.

If you decide to try the BBBE diet, the food list and recipe ideas provided in this article can help you plan your meals and bring variety to your diet.

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