Carnivore Diet for Women Over 40 - What to Eat & Avoid

Has the extreme nature of the carnivore diet caught your attention? It's a wild take, right? All meat, no plant-based foods sound like a college kid's unfounded high-protein diet.

Strangely, it's not just a fad diet that influencers are jumping on, real-world health professionals are promoting it because it appears to be getting them results.

This leads many to ask — does this work and what are the risks?

In this article, we explore the carnivore diet for women over 40. We discuss the benefits, potential risks, how to start, and practical tips to help you achieve excellent results.

What is The Carnivore Diet?

The carnivore diet is a meat-only diet with a focus on eliminating most or all planted-based foods. It aims to eliminate plant-based compounds to capitalize on the immunological and inflammatory benefits of the ketogenic diet.

It focuses on consuming foods such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, fish, dairy, and water while excluding fruits, vegetables, grains, and seeds. This reduction of carbohydrate intake which evidence shows has benefits for metabolic health, with further studies indicating its ability to decrease body mass, and waist circumference while improving fat and carbohydrate metabolism.

Carnivore Diet Macronutrient Ratio:

Here are the evidence-based recommended macronutrient ratios for the carnivore diet:

• Carbohydrates — 0–5% of total calorie intake
• Protein — 20–40% of total calorie intake
• Fats — 60–80% of total calorie intake

Food To Eat

Below is a list of foods you can eat during the carnivore diet

• Meat: Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, turkey
• Fish: Tuna, salmon, mackerel, shellfish
• Organ Meat: Kidney, liver, heart, brain
• Other: Egg, bone broth, bone marrow
• Dairy: Full-fat cream, cheese, butter
• Some seasonings: One without sugar, additives, or fillers

Food To Avoid

The following are the foods that are not to be consumed on the carnivore diet.

• Grain: Wheat, bread, quinoa, pasta, rice
• Fruit: Bananas, apples, berries, oranges
• Vegetables: Carrot, potato, peppers, onion, broccoli
• Sugars: Syrup, brown sugar, table sugar, chocolate
• Nuts and Seeds: Walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, pecans, pistachios
• Legumes: lentils, beans
• Alcohol: Beer, wine, spirits
• Beverages: Soda, juices, tea

Specific Benefits of a Carnivore Diet for Women Over 40

While the elimination of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds may seem ludicrous, directly going against everything we have been taught about consuming a balanced diet, several benefits may just sway you to give the carnivore diet a go. Below, we highlight the benefits to show you the positive effects and reasons you may want to give it a try.

Decrease Belly Fat

One of the major benefits of the carnivore diet is its ability to burn fat. Research shows that excess belly fat from being overweight and obese is associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, high blood pressure, inflammation, and depression.

The elimination of carbohydrates from the diet decreases muscle energy stores known as glycogen, leading the body to burn fat for energy. This can be used to significantly reduce weight, reducing the occurrence of the above condition.

Weight Loss

The carnivore diet can be great for weight loss. Limiting carbohydrate intake means that protein and fat become the major sources of fuel, both of which are great for improving satiety. This improves satiety and reduces snacking between meals which often leads to excessive calorie intake.

Studies also show that protein increases thermogenesis, where the body burns energy to create heat. This combined with added satiety provides to be favorable for weight loss.

Additionally, limiting carbohydrate intake leads to the depletion of glycogen stored in our muscles. Sources show that each gram of glycogen is stored in muscle with 3 grams of water. Furthermore, the reduction of muscle’s stored energy leads to fat oxidation, burning fat as a fuel source. While this loss of water may be temporary, it can help reduce total weight significantly.

Reduce Insulin Resistance

The carnivore diet may be beneficial for alleviating insulin resistance. One of the major causes of insulin resistance is the consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Ultra-processed are typically calorie-dense, offering little nutritional value. Sources show they can increase fasting blood glucose (blood sugar) and insulin resistance, and increase the development of metabolic syndromes by 28%.

The carnivore diet while prioritizing meat-only products eliminates processed and ultra-processed foods from our diet. Removing these types of foods in favor of nutrient-dense foods. Similar to ketogenic-style diets it can burn body fat and reduce weight, which evidence indicates can improve insulin resistance.

Decreases Inflammation

The carnivore diet can be used to decrease systemic inflammation. As mentioned, obesity is associated with increased inflammation, which research suggests increases the risk of developing chronic diseases.  A 2025 meta-analysis examined forty-four studies and found that people undergoing a ketogenic diet improved markers associated with inflammation.

The carnivore diet's close resemblance to the ketogenic diet highlights the possible impact it can have on inflammation.

Furthermore, the carnivore diet's ability to burn stored fat and reduce body weight can decrease inflammation. Inflammation in the body can be identified with C-reactive protein levels (CRP). Sources reveal that weight loss of 10% decreased CRP value by 26%, with a 15–16% weight loss resulting in a further decrease of 32–34%. This illustrates the powerful effects of weight loss on reducing inflammation.

Improve Gastrointestinal Conditions

The carnivore diet has the potential to improve gastrointestinal conditions. A 2024 study explored the effects of the carnivore and ketogenic diets on inflammatory bowel disease. 10 patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, consume diets consisting of meat, eggs, and animal fats. following the trial, all 10 patients reached clinical remission from inflammatory bowel disease.

While this study is small, it shows the benefits of the carnivore diet that may lead to more in-depth research in the future.

Resolved Skin Conditions

Ketogenic diets such as the carnivore diet have been linked to improvements in skin conditions. Chronic inflammation can lead to inflammatory skin conditions including psoriasis and dermatitis.

A 2021 study examined the effect of a ketogenic diet on psoriasis patients. 30 patients undertook a ketogenic diet for four weeks, and reported improved psoriasis-related dysmetabolism.

This is likely due to the effect ketogenic diets have on reducing inflammatory markers. This combined with their ability to reduce body fat may help reduce the severity of inflammatory skin conditions.

How to Start a Carnivore Diet at 40

Starting the carnivore diet may require the removal of carbohydrates and plant-based foods from your diet. This appears simple, however, several pitfalls can make this challenging.

Below, we discuss how to start the carnivore diet at 40, including common pitfalls and nuances to help you make a smooth transition.

Begin Gradually to Transition Your Body

Limiting and eliminating carbohydrates sounds easy, however, there is one catch. When carbohydrate intake is extremely low, your body is forced to burn ketones for energy. This is called ketosis.

A traditional balanced diet relies heavily on carbohydrates for fuel, making up 45–65% of total calorie intake. However, ketogenic diets drop this significantly to 5–10% or 50 grams, which leads to the ‘keto flu’, which is characterized by symptoms including fatigue, nausea, headaches, brain fog, constipation, and difficulty sleeping, which can last between two to seven days.

The carnivore diet goes even further, eliminating the carbohydrates, which makes for a jarring experience that can often lead people to give up on the carnivore diet before it even begins.

Because of this, we recommend performing a gradual reduction of carbohydrates over the weeks leading up to the carnivore diet. Below we present a gradual carbohydrate reduction to help ease you into the carnivore diet. While this won’t stop the keto flu, it will soften the blow that typically comes from going cold turkey.

The recommended calorie intake for a woman is 2,000 kcal per day. This combined with a balanced diet macronutrient ratio:

• Carbohydrates — 50% of total calorie intake (250 grams)
• Protein — 20% of total calorie intake (125 grams)
• Fats — 30% of total calorie intake (56 grams)

Carbohydrate intake listed at 50% of 2,000 kcal/day is 250 grams/day. Here you can see how much of a reduction must be made. Below is an example of carnivore diet macros:

• Carbohydrates — 0% of total calorie intake (0 grams)
• Protein — 20% of total calorie intake (100 grams)
• Fats — 80% of total calorie intake (178 grams)

To simplify this here is below we share a sample of a recommended carbohydrate decrease over a month, alongside the foods recommended eliminating.

• Week 1 — 175 grams — Eliminate sugar treats, soda, and juices
• Week 2 — 100 grams — Eliminate white bread, pasta, cereal, pastries
• Week 3 — 50 grams — Eliminate whole grains
• Week 4 — 0 grams — Eliminate fruits, vegetables, remaining whole grains

During the carbohydrate reduction process, we recommend eliminating refined carbohydrates such as sugar snacks, soda, juice, bread, pasta, and cereals. These are typically high-GI foods that provide a spike in energy and tend to offer little nutritional value. This leaves you with nutrient-dense, complex carbohydrates to maintain energy levels while you continue to eliminate carbohydrates from your diet.

Monitor Your Hormonal Changes and Energy Levels

When transitioning and undertaking the carnivore diet you must monitor hormonal changes and energy levels. As you enter ketosis and the week that follows you should be through the worst of the keto flu and will start to feel good.

Once entering ketosis, blood sugar levels tend to stabilize, providing consistent energy. However, there may still be fluctuations during ketosis. Here you must still aim to maintain your recommended food and fat intake, maintaining hydration with electrolytes.

During carnivore diet monitoring of hormone levels is also essential. Evidence highlights that reducing carbohydrate diet can lower insulin requirements and support insulin sensitivity. During this time it is important to monitor energy levels and hunger.

Carnivore Diet Meal Plan and Recipes for Women Over 40

The carnivore diet is exactly what it sounds like — all meat, no plants. This can be challenging in the beginning, not only due to the shift of not eating plant-based foods but come up with new ideas for each meal to keep things interesting.

Below we provide carnivore meal ideas and diet meal plans for women over 40. Many of the meals below share similar ingredients which not only makes the weekly shop easier but also means you can interchange meals at different times of the day.

Breakfast

• Carnivore Breakfast Sandwich
  • 2x sausage patties, 1 egg, slice of cheddar cheese
• Carnivore Breakfast Pizza
  • Base: Sour cream, heavy cream, shredded cheese,
  • Topping: Bacon, deli meat, sausage, cheese
• Carnovire Creamy Scrambled Eggs
  • 3x eggs, butter, Himalayan pink salt
• Egg Muffins
  • Diced ham, cheddar cheese

Lunch

• Carnivore Quiche
  • Egg, heavy whipped cream, cheddar cheese, bacon, ground pork, pork rinds, butter
• Carnivore Salmon Patties with Bacon Mayo
  • Patties: Canned Salmon, pork rinds, bacon mayo, 1 egg, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt.
  • Bacon Mayo: Bacon grease, egg, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt
• Crispy Chicken Wings
  • Chicken wings, butter, salt, black pepper, parsley
• Pork Rind Nachos
  • Cream cheese, shredded brisket, cheddar cheese, pork rinds

Dinner

• Carnivore Tacos
  • Bacon tortillas: woven air-fried bacon
  • Filling: eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, salt, black pepper
• Carnivore Pizza
  • Crust: Eggs, pork rind, butter, sea salt, Italian seasoning
  • Topping: Cheese, bacon, ground pork, pepperoni, Italian seasoning, sea salt
• Carnivore Fried Chicken Strip
  • Chicken Thighs, pork rinds, egg, sea salt
• Carnivore Meat Balls
  • Beef, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt
• Carnivore Beef Stroganoff
  • Ground beef, bone broth, cream cheese, salt
• Taco Pie
  • Ground beef, taco seasoning, heavy cream, shredded cheese
• Beef Tallow Fried Eggs
  • Ground beef, 2 x eggs, cheddar cheese

Snacks

• Air Fried Pork Bites Bites
  • Pork belly, salt
• Grilled Liver and Bacon
  • Streaky bacon, calf liver
• Carnivore Delivered Eggs
  • Eggs, bacon, ground beef, bacon mayo, fish sauce, smoked salt
• Carnivore Crunchy Beef Bars
  • Ground beef, salt

Sample 7-Day Carnivore Diet Plan

Here is a 7-day sample carnivore diet plan using the meals listed above. Many meals contain similar ingredients and can be for different meals. This means you can cook extra each night and use it for meals the following day.

We will also add some breakfast meals to dinner to show you meals how different meals can be moved to different times of the day.

‍

‍

Understanding Risks and Ensuring Safety

The carnivore diet has many positives, however, we want to highlight the potential risks to help you decide if this is the correct diet for you.

Nutrient Deficiencies

The carnivore diet's elimination of entire food groups can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Foods such as whole grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds are nutrient-dense. When they are eliminated from our diet it can deprive our body of nutrients that are essential to our body’s function.

Studies reveal that consuming a strictly animal-based diet was associated with significant deficiencies, leading to poor gut health, and adverse cardiovascular risk patterns. Additional research highlights that while it can meet some nutritional, it falls short of recommended thiamin, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C, iron, folate, iodine, and potassium. This can lead to concerns including:

• Magnesium — fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, cramps, muscle spasms
• Thiamin —
• Calcium — Bone Health
• Vitamin C — Poor wound healing, dry skin, poor immune system
• Potassium — Muscle weakness, abnormal heart rhythm
• Folate — decreased appetite, pale skin, fatigue
• Iodine — Dry skin, thinning hair, weight gain, fatigue

High Saturated Fat

The sole consumption of animal-based products leads to high saturated fat intake. Animal products such as meat, fish, dairy, and eggs are rich in saturated fats. During a traditional balanced diet, this does not impact our health as it makes up a portion of our daily food intake.

However, the carnivore diet's sole focus on consuming animal-based products leads to elevated saturated fat intake, which evidence illustrates increases in pathological drivers for cardiovascular disease.

High saturated fats have been linked to the build-up of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) also known as bad cholesterol and cancer.  When LDLs build up in the artery wall, leading to plaque building, which can result in heart attack, stroke, aneurysms, or blood clots.

Does Not Provide Fiber

The carnivore diet’s lack of plant-based foods means no dietary fiber.  The recommended daily intake of fiber is approximately 25g/day for women and is associated with several health benefits including:

• Regularity
• Gut Health
• Lower Cholesterol
• Reduces Cancer Risk
• Reduces Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Eliminating dietary fiber can negatively impact the above areas, leading to constipation, impaired gut health, cancer, and gut inflammation.

Comparisons with Other Diets for Women Over 40

From what we have seen the carnivore diet’s meat-only approach is one of the more extreme diets, but how does it stack up against others such as the keto diet, Mediterranean diet, and low-carb diet? Below, we compare the carnivore diet and highlight key differences.

Carnivore Diet vs. Keto

The carnivore and ketogenic diets are closely related as they both severely limit carbohydrate intake, forcing the body into ketosis.

While the carnivore diet aims to eliminate carbohydrates, the ketogenic diet allows between 5–10% of the total calorie expenditure to carbohydrates. This allows participants to consume nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables which help daily nutrient and fiber intakes.

Carnivore Diet vs. Mediterranean Diet

The carnivore diet and the Mediterranean diet are complete opposites. While the carnivore diet focuses on meat, fruits, vegetables, or grains, the Mediterranean diet encourages a balanced diet.

It focuses on nutrient-dense, whole food, recommending that 40–65% of total calorie intake form complex carbohydrates, 10–35% protein, and 28–40% healthy fats, which is consumed in the form of whole-grain bread, chicken, beef, fish, fruit, and vegetables. This ensures that all areas of nutrition are met for better health and well-being.

Carnivore Diet vs. Low-Carb Diets

The carnivore diet and low-carb diet while sounding similar are still very different. While the carnivore diet eliminates carbohydrates, low-carb simply limits them, allowing it to be consumed in moderation.

For example, sources explain that low-carbohydrate diets can come in many configurations, including:

• Very low-carbohydrate — less than 10% (keto) or 20–50g/day
• Low-carbohydrate — less than 26% or less than 130g/day
• Moderate-carbohydrate — 26–44%

Low-carb diets do encourage the reduction of grains, and simple carbohydrates while promoting nutrient-dense whole foods.

Carnivore Diet Transformations After 40

The carnivore diet can have some major benefits which can be beneficial for women over 40. Below, we discuss how it can be used for transformation after 40.

Hormonal Balance on the Carnivore Diet

For women in their 40s fluctuations and decreases in reproductive hormones can lead to many menopause symptoms. Below we highlight how the carnivore diet can help manage these changes.

Managing Menopause Symptoms

The decline of reproductive hormones can lead to increased appetite and obesity, and a shift in the distribution of abdominal fat. As mentioned this can lead to low-grade inflammation, increasing chronic illness, and insulin resistance.

Sources indicate that ketogenic diets such as the carnivore diet’s use of fat for fuel can help reduce body fat, helping to reduce low-grade inflammation, and the risk of chronic illness, while improving insulin sensitivity.

Boosting Energy and Mood

During menopause, symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, increased appetite, and sleep disruptions can negatively impact mood.

Ketogenic diets such as the carnivore diet use fat instead of carbohydrates means fewer blood sugar fluctuations. Evidence shows that low-carb diets removal of high-GI food provides sustainable energy levels and helps to improve mood.

The carnivore diet removal of carbohydrates therefore should stabilize energy levels, and improve mood.

Recap: Is the Carnivore Diet Right for Women Over 40?

The carnivore diet meat-only approach has risen to popularity for its fat burning potential, and its ability to improve metabolic health.However, before you jump head first in to the carb cutting lifestyle, understand this diet’s elimination of entire food groups is challenging.

While research surrounding the carnivore diet are limited research, similarities of the ketogenic diet highlight the positive impacts it can have on our health.

Benefits vs. Risks

The carnivore diet comes with significant benefits and risk which must both be considered before engaging in this style of eating plan.

To recap, it comes with benefits including:

• Decreased belly fat
• Weight loss
• Decreased Insulin resistance
• Improve gastrointestinal conditions
• Resovled skin cconditons

And risks including:

• Nutrient deficiency
• High saturated fet
• Does not provide fiber

How to Make an Informed Decision

Before you begin, consider if the carnivore diet matches your goals, and if eating only animal products is for you. While the idea of eating animal-product each meal seems like a dream for some, the lack of variety can make it challenging.

If you aere curious but aren’t ready just yet, we recommend trying low-carb diets and gradually lowering your intake over two to three weeks while trying some carnivore meals. This will allow you to sample a fraction of the carnivore diet, helping you make an informed decision before committing long-term.

‍

References

1. Kelly, T., Unwin, D. and Finucane, F., 2020. Low-Carbohydrate Diets in the Management of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: A Review from Clinicians Using the Approach in Practice. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17(7), p.2557. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072557
2. Macedo, R.C.O., Santos, H.O., Tinsley, G.M. and Reischak-Oliveira, A., 2020. Low-carbohydrate diets: Effects on metabolism and exercise – A comprehensive literature review. Clin. Nutr. ESPEN, 35, pp. 53-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.07.022
3. Goedeke, S., Murphy, T., Rush, A. and Zinn, C., 2025. Assessing the Nutrient Composition of a Carnivore Diet: A Case Study Model. Nutrients, 17(1), p.140. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17010140
4. Chatterjee, A., Gerdes, M.W., and Martinez, S.G., 2020. Identification of Risk Factors Associated with Obesity and Overweight—A Machine Learning Overview. Sensors (Basel), 20(9), p.2734. https://doi.org/10.3390/s20092734
5. Fernández-Elías, V.E., Ortega, J.F., Nelson, R.K. and Mora-Rodriguez, R., 2015. Relationship between muscle water and glycogen recovery after prolonged exercise in the heat in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol, 115(9), pp.1919-1926. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3175-z
6. Halton, T.L. and Hu, F.B., 2004. The effects of high protein diets on thermogenesis, satiety and weight loss: a critical review. J Am Coll Nutr, 23(5), pp.373-385. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2004.10719381
7. Fernández-Elías, V.E., Ortega, J.F., Nelson, R.K. and Mora-Rodriguez, R., 2015. Relationship between muscle water and glycogen recovery after prolonged exercise in the heat in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol, 115(9), pp.1919-1926. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3175-z
8. Mason, C., Foster-Schubert, K.E., Imayama, I., Kong, A., Xiao, L., Bain, C., Campbell, K.L., Wang, C.Y., Duggan, C.R., Ulrich, C.M., Alfano, C.M., Blackburn, G.L., McTiernan, A., 2011. Dietary Weight-Loss and Exercise Effects on Insulin Resistance in Postmenopausal Women. Am J Prev Med, 41(4), pp.366–375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2011.06.042
9. Furman, D., Campisi, J., Verdin, E., Carrera-Bastos, P., Targ, S., Franceschi, C., Ferrucci, L., Gilroy, D.W., Fasano, A., Miller, G.W., Miller, A.H., Mantovani, A., Weyand, C.M., Barzilai, N., Goronzy, J.J., Rando, T.A., Effros, R.B., Lucia, A., Kleinstreuer, N., Slavich, G.M., 2020. Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nat Med.
10. Ji, J., Fotros, D., Sohouli, M.H., Velu, P., Fatahi, S., Liu, Y., 2025. The effect of a ketogenic diet on inflammation-related markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr Rev, 83(1), pp.40-58. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuad175
11. Nicklas, B.J., You, T., Pahor, M., 2005. Behavioural treatments for chronic systemic inflammation: effects of dietary weight loss and exercise training. CMAJ, 172(9), pp.1199–1209. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.1040769
12. Castaldo, G., Pagano, I., Grimaldi, M., Marino, C., Molettieri, P., Santoro, A., Stillitano, I., Romano, R., Montoro, P., D’Ursi, A.M., Rastrelli, L., 2020. Effect of Very-Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet on Psoriasis Patients: A Nuclear Magnetic Resonance-Based Metabolomic Study. J Proteome Res, 20(3), pp.1509-1521. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00646
13. Lennerz, B.S., Mey, J.T., Henn, O.H., Ludwig, D.S., 2021. Behavioral Characteristics and Self-Reported Health Status among 2029 Adults Consuming a “Carnivore Diet”. Curr Dev Nutr, 5(12), p.nzab133. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab133
14. Goedeke, S., Murphy, T., Rush, A., Zinn, C., 2024. Assessing the Nutrient Composition of a Carnivore Diet: A Case Study Model. Nutrients, 17(1), p.140. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17010140
15. Najjar, R.S., 2023. The Impacts of Animal-Based Diets in Cardiovascular Disease Development: A Cellular and Physiological Overview. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis, 10(7), p.282. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd10070282
16. Oh, R., Gilani, B., Uppaluri, K.R., 2025. Low-Carbohydrate Diet. StatPearls Publishing.
17. Camajani, E., Feraco, A., Verde, L., Moriconi, E., Marchetti, M., Colao, A., Caprio, M., Muscogiuri, G., Barrea, L., 2023. Ketogenic Diet as a Possible Non-pharmacological Therapy in Main Endocrine Diseases of the Female Reproductive System: A Practical Guide for Nutritionists. Curr Obes Rep, 12(3), pp.231–249. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-023-00516-1
18. Wang, L.-L., Wang, Q., Hong, Y., Ojo, O., Jiang, Q., Hou, Y.-Y., Huang, Y.-H., Wang, X.-H., 2018. The Effect of Low-Carbohydrate Diet on Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Nutrients, 10(6), p.661. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10060661

‍