Jordan Peterson's All Beef Diet (Benefits, Results & How It Works)

Let's talk about Jordan Peterson's All Beef Diet.

Is it really beneficial for promoting weight loss?

Well – in this article, we're going to dig really deep into this controversial diet:

how it works
the potential benefits and results
its possible dangers

So if you're planning to try it, I encourage you to read this article first.

It's not the safest (or easiest) diet out there, so it's better to be fully prepared.

Note: This article includes references and studies related to Jordan Peterson All Beef Diet.

Table Of Contents show

Jordan Peterson's All Beef Diet (In A Nutshell)

First of all – the All Beef Diet is a type of Carnivore Diet.

It's been popularized by Jordan Peterson and his daughter Mikhaila.

According to them, this diet significantly improved their physical and mental health.

So to be exact, here are the results this dietary approach claims to provide:

weight management
high energy levels
mental clarity
normalized blood sugar
decreased inflammation
better digestive health
controlling autoimmune conditions

Now – what does it take to get those benefits?

Well, you only have to consume beef, water and salt on a daily basis.

This means you will have to remove any other food groups from your diet.

Honestly, this approach can result in different health problems.

In fact, there are studies about its negative reactions (instead of benefits).

Again – it's not considered a sustainable diet in the long run.

The best it can do is to help you burn excess fats (if you follow it for the short term only).

But other than that, a lot of medical professionals are strongly against it.

So if you want to try it, you should absolutely ask for a doctor's consent first.

Even so, I don't think it's the best way to lose weight whether you have serious health problems or not.

What Is All Beef Diet?

So what is an all-beef diet?

Well – let me give you a quick overview of this dietary approach [1]:

introduced by Jordan Peterson and his daughter, Mikhaila Peterson
involves eating only ruminant meats, especially beef
the rest of the food groups are eliminated in this diet
it's a form of carnivore diet but with a more restrictive approach

Now – the father and daughter tandem called this dietary pattern “The Lion Diet.” [2]

That's because it mimics the way a lion would eat on a daily basis.

In addition – they believe that beef is a nutrient-dense food.

Consequently, it can provide all the necessary nutrients needed by the body.

Also, they claim that it helped them lose weight and reduce their inflammation (after following it religiously).

However – it's best to ask a specialist if it's the right diet for you.

My personal guess would be that it's not, simply because it's not suitable for most people.

Despite its benefits (that are mostly on paper), it poses a lot of major health risks.

So that's why it's not really worth it, if you ask me.

How It's Supposed To Work

The theory behind the All Beef Diet is that carbs and plant-based foods can cause inflammation.

So in order to live a healthy life, a person must focus on consuming animal products.

Basically – it's a diet that promotes zero carbohydrates in your daily meals.

With that being said, here are the main guidelines for following the diet [3]:

at the start, eliminate other food groups like vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains (plant-based)
you should only eat beef, water and salt for around 6 weeks
fatty cuts of meat (brisket or rib eye) are preferable, since they have more nutrients
you can eat as much as you want (but stick to only beef, salt and water)
it's advised to follow the diet for at least 6 months and then check for any improvements
if you're asymptomatic, you can then begin reintroducing other types of meats, fruits and vegetables
you can then check whether your symptoms worsen or not
so if you're still experiencing symptoms, it's best to continue with the diet

Now – Mikhaila Peterson mentioned that her health has improved after 2 years of following this diet.

In addition, it's suggested that taking supplements is necessary to ensure you're getting enough nutrients.

So if you're thinking about how it works, just remember to consume eat beef, salt and water.

The duration will depend on how your body responds.

But it's most likely not for a short period of time.

Now – here's how this diet works in terms of mechanism of action:

it triggers ketosis (burns body fats instead of carbs to produce energy) [4]
this triggers weight loss, promotes insulin sensitivity and increases mental clarity [5]
beef is a rich source of protein that supports muscle growth and satiety [6] [7]

As you can see, one of the main benefits you get from this type of diet is losing weight.

However – in some studies, inflammation is not always caused by being overweight or obese.

So if you want to lose excess weight, you can try it.

I personally would not – simply because there are safer ways to shed off pounds.

Potential Benefits & Results

Usually – Carnivore Diet is helpful for weight loss.

That's mostly because it promotes a low (or almost zero) carbohydrates intake.

Since Jordan Peterson's All Beef Diet is a stricter version of the Carnivore Diet, how can it help you?

Well – here are some of its potential benefits and results, according to its claims [8]:

supports weight loss
improves blood sugar control
increases energy and mental clarity
reduces inflammation
decreases digestive symptoms (IBD, constipation, bloating and more)
treats autoimmune disorders

Again – most types of carnivore diets (like the All Beef Diet) can cause ketosis [9].

It's a process where your body breaks down fats into ketones.

These ketones will then be used by your body for energy.

Since there are no carbs in this diet, you don't have sources of glucose (the typical source of energy) [10].

For this reason, your body is forced to use your fat stores in order to get energy.

Like I said before, this triggers the process of fat burning.

In return, you lose weight and avoid health issues related to obesity (like diabetes and chronic diseases).

Overall – the main highlight of the Jordan Peterson All Beef Diet is to help you lose weight.

But again, there's a high chance that your experience more side effects instead.

It's not a safe diet to follow at all.

Even though its benefits look great on paper, the reality is pretty different.

Dangers & Side Effects

First of all, Jordan Peterson All Beef Diet is in no way considered a balanced diet.

Again – a healthy diet should consist of the following nutrients [11]:

carbohydrates
proteins and fats
vitamins and minerals
water

But in the case of the All Beef Diet, you only get proteins, fats and water (mostly).

Now, the diet is also controversial because it lacks many essential nutrients your body needs.

In reality – most specialists do not recommend this type of dietary regimen.

It's not only that – they are actually very much against it.

So here are the possible dangers you can get from this diet:

nutrient deficiencies, due to the lack of other sources of vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates [12]
gastrointestinal and digestion issues, since there's a lack of fiber in the diet [13]
increased risk of stroke and heart disease, because of excessive consumption of red meat [14] [15]
kidney damage, because beef is high in protein and can stress out kidneys [16]
a feeling of deprivation and social isolation, since the diet is very restrictive [17]
red meat has potential risks of causing cancer, especially colorectal cancer [18]
meat diets are linked to a higher risk of mortality [19]

Also – since ketosis is involved in this type of diet, it can be dangerous to some extent [20].

That especially for people with liver disease, diabetes and pancreatic problems [21].

In addition, Jordan Peterson has been following the diet for extended periods of time.

But it won't always turn out successful, since one condition is different from others.

Again – the diet is not a sustainable one and you might end up feeling worse than ever.

So if you want to lose weight safely, you can always try other safer alternatives.

You can opt for a balanced diet, proper exercise and a safe weight loss supplement [22].

In terms of autoimmune conditions and inflammation, you can also find better treatments.

Overall, the All Beef Diet is not a sustainable solution for most people [23].

Again – it's not a balanced diet if you look at it closely.

So if you want to live a healthy life, it's best to include all food groups in your diet.

In that way, your body can get all the essential nutrients for it to function properly.

All Beef Diet & Research

As of the moment, there are very few reliable studies about Jordan Peterson's All Beef Diet.

So it's pretty hard to tell whether this dietary approach can be trusted or not.

I'm mostly talking about its safety and efficacy.

With that, let me share some topics I found about the All Beef Diet:

some studies have shown short-term benefits (weight loss and improved blood sugar) [24]
a long-term diet of high protein and low carbs has a higher risk of heart diseases [25]
other studies mentioned that a high intake of red meats is associated with an increased cancer risk [26]
Jordan Peterson claimed that it helped alleviate his depression or anxiety
there were also some studies about the connection between an all-meat diet and kidney damage or chronic diseases [27]