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The Ketovore Diet

Mostly animal foods, a handful of keto-friendly plants, very low carb.

By Camille McLaughlin, RDN, LD, registered dietitian nutritionist

Ketovore sits right between carnivore and keto. It’s built primarily on animal foods (meat, fish, eggs, and some dairy), but unlike strict carnivore, it leaves room for a small amount of low-carb plants like leafy greens, avocado, and non-starchy vegetables. The result is a very-low-carb, high-fat, high-protein way of eating that keeps you in the same ballpark as keto while leaning heavily animal-based.

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How it works

You center meals on animal protein and fat, then add a modest amount of low-carb plants for variety, fiber, and micronutrients: a handful of greens, half an avocado, some roasted low-starch vegetables. Carbs stay very low, which for many people means staying in ketosis while eating more simply than a full keto plan.

✓ What you'll eat

  • Meat, poultry, and fatty fish
  • Eggs and, if tolerated, some dairy like cheese and butter
  • Low-carb plants: leafy greens, avocado, non-starchy vegetables
  • Animal fats and olive oil

✕ What you'll limit

  • Grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables
  • Sugar and most fruit (a few berries at most)
  • Processed carbs of any kind

Who it's a good fit for

People who do well on carnivore or keto but want a little more flexibility than pure carnivore (some greens and vegetables) while keeping carbs very low.

A dietitian's note

Very-low-carb, animal-heavy eating makes hydration and electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) matter more, and fiber comes only from the plants you do include. It’s worth a conversation with your provider if you have kidney concerns, are pregnant, or take blood-sugar or blood-pressure medication.

Common questions

How is ketovore different from keto?
Keto is very-low-carb from any source: lots of plants, oils, and dairy included. Ketovore keeps carbs just as low but sources most food from animals, with plants playing a small supporting role.
How is it different from carnivore?
Carnivore is animal foods only. Ketovore keeps the animal-forward base but adds back a modest amount of low-carb plants, which many people find more sustainable.
Is all that meat and fat going to wreck my cholesterol?
It might, and you won't know without looking. Very-low-carb, animal-heavy eating pushes LDL cholesterol up in a real share of people, sometimes sharply, while others see little change and an improvement in triglycerides and HDL, and there's no way to tell in advance which one you are. The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology both still treat saturated fat as something to keep down for heart risk, so this is a pattern to watch rather than assume. Get a lipid panel before you start and another a few months in, and let your doctor read the results.
What should I expect in the first couple of weeks?
Usually a rough patch, then a noticeably steadier one. As carbs drop your body lets go of water and sodium along with them, and that is most of what people are describing when they talk about the keto flu: headache, flat energy, leg cramps. It generally passes inside a week or two, and salting your food, drinking enough, and getting magnesium and potassium from the greens and avocado on your plate shorten it. Bowel habits shift too, since your fiber now comes only from the plants you keep, which is a good reason not to treat them as optional.

Ready for a Ketovore plan built for you?

Answer a few quick questions and we'll build four weeks of Ketovore meals, with recipes customized to you and a smart grocery list.

Start your Ketovore plan →

Answer the same questions and take the personalized guide on its own for $19. It's written to your answers, it waits in your portal, and it's yours to keep. Start a plan later and the $19 comes off your first four weeks.

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