Search

Up until about 15 years ago lectins were thought of as laboratory tools, useful for histochemistry and blood transfusion work. The fact that many common foods are rich sources of lectin was not considered by most biomedical scientists. In the last decade, however, there has been a flowering of knowledge about the interactions of lectins with body organs and tissues, and it has become clear that many lectins are resistant to cooking and digestion and are distributed to distant parts of the body after ingestion. There is now abundant evidence that dietary lectins can cause disease in Man and animals. This review will adduce evidence that such hitherto mysterious diseases as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, glomerulonephri-tis, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, retinitis and cataracts in the eye, are all explicable in terms of a lectin aetiology, as are congenital malformations, infertility, IgE-mediated allergies and autoimmune states. Complete proof is s

Background/Objectives: The rise in chronic metabolic diseases has led to the exploration of alternative diets. The carnivore diet, consisting exclusively of animal products, has gained attention, anecdotally, for imparting benefit for inflammatory conditions beyond that possible by other restrictive dietary approaches. The aim was to assess the micronutrient adequacy of four versions of the carnivore diet against national nutrient reference values (NRVs). Methods: This study assessed the nutrient adequacy of the carnivore diet against national NRVs from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and New Zealand Ministry of Health. Four meal plans for hypothetical average Australian adults were developed and analysed using Foodworks.online (Version 1, Xyris Pty Ltd., Brisbane, Australia, 2024), dietary software. Two female and two male plans were included; one set including dairy products and the other set including offal. Results: The carnivore diet met severa

TLDR - There is far from consensus in the vilification of red meat in dietary guidelines. This article dives into the details of the ongoing schism.

Mainstream dietary recommendations now commonly advise people to minimize the intake of red meat for health and environmental reasons. Most recently, a major report issued by the EAT-Lancet Commission recommended a planetary reference diet mostly based on plants and with no or very low (14 g/d) consumption of red meat. We argue that claims about the health dangers of red meat are not only improbable in the light of our evolutionary history, they are far from being supported by robust scientific evidence.

Full paper at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31486336/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38354868/

TLDR - Meat has been unfairly blamed by bad (possibly biased) statistical analysis.

some investigators may test many alternative analytic specifications and selectively report results for the analysis that yields the most interesting findings.

when investigators analyze data from observational studies, there are often hundreds of equally justifiable ways of analyzing the data, each of which may produce results that vary in direction, magnitude, and statistical significance

Evidence shows that investigators’ prior beliefs and expectations influence their results [5]. In the presence of strong opinions, investigators’ beliefs and expectations may shape the literature to the detriment of empirical evidence

Basically given a all the possible variable permutations they took a very large sampling of inputs to outcomes and looked at the resultant hazard ratio, demonstrating that you can cherry pick to get the results you want (good or bad).

TLDR : Weak Science, Low Relationship, Healthy User Confounders - Nothing burger.

Results: The dementia analysis included 133,771 participants (65.4% female) with a mean baseline age of 48.9 years, the objective cognitive function analysis included 17,458 female participants with a mean baseline age of 74.3 years, and SCD analysis included 43,966 participants (77.1% female) with a mean baseline age of 77.9 years. Participants with processed red meat intake ≥0.25 serving per day, compared with <0.10 serving per day, had a 13% higher risk of dementia (hazard ratio [HR] 1.13; 95% CI 1.08-1.19; plinearity < 0.001) and a 14% higher risk of SCD (relative risk [RR] 1.14; 95% CI 1.04-1.25; plinearity = 0.004). Higher processed red meat intake was associated with accelerated aging in global cognition (1.61 years per 1 serving per day increment [95% CI 0.20-3.03]) and in verbal memory (1.69 years per 1 serving per day increment [95% CI 0.13-3.25], both plinearity = 0.03). Unprocessed red mea

Our large brain, long life span and high fertility are key elements of human evolutionary success and are often thought to have evolved in interplay with tool use, carnivory and hunting. However, the specific impact of carnivory on human evolution, life history and development remains controversial. Here we show in quantitative terms that dietary profile is a key factor influencing time to weaning across a wide taxonomic range of mammals, including humans. In a model encompassing a total of 67 species and genera from 12 mammalian orders, adult brain mass and two dichotomous variables reflecting species differences regarding limb biomechanics and dietary profile, accounted for 75.5%, 10.3% and 3.4% of variance in time to weaning, respectively, together capturing 89.2% of total variance. Crucially, carnivory predicted the time point of early weaning in humans with remarkable precision, yielding a prediction error of less than 5% with a sample of forty-six human natural fertility societi

TLDR: Nothing burger junk science paper we see pumped out every 3 months from the same observational food frequency questionnaires.

Findings In this cohort study of 221 054 adults from 3 large cohorts, higher butter intake was associated with increased total and cancer mortality, while higher intake of plant-based oils was associated with lower total, cancer, and cardiovascular disease mortality.

Meaning Substituting butter with plant-based oils, particularly olive, soybean, and canola oils, may confer substantial benefits for preventing premature deaths.

Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, higher intake of butter was associated with increased mortality, while higher plant-based oils intake was associated with lower mortality. Substituting butter with plant-based oils may confer substantial benefits for preventing premature deaths.

Full paper: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0205

We use the methodology of anthropometric history to investigate the nutritional status of equestrian nomads who lived on the Great Plains during the middle of the nineteenth century, a group for whom traditional measures of economic performance are unavailable. Historians have frequently portrayed Native Americans as merely unfortunate victims of European disease and aggression, with lives in disarray following the arrival of Columbus and other explorers, conquerors, and settlers. While much decimation occurred (Russell Thornton, 1987, 1997), the data we analyze show that some Native Americans were remarkably ingenious, adaptive, and successful in the face of exceptional demographic stress. Using height data originally collected by Franz Boas, we show that the Plains nomads were tallest in the world during the mid-nineteenth century, a result confirmed in travelers’ accounts and by the skeletal record. The analysis provides a useful mirror for understanding determinants of health in g

Background: Animal-based, or so-called carnivore, diets largely exclude all plant-based foods and are gaining increasing popularity, mainly among individuals suffering from chronic diseases. This study aimed to explore subjective experiences and blood parameter changes of German followers of a carnivore diet.

Methodology: We conducted a statistical survey using a self-designed questionnaire and requesting blood panels. Inclusion criteria were: (i) following a carnivore-type diet for at least one month; (ii) completing the self-designed study questionnaire; and (iii) providing two sets of metabolic blood parameters from the period before and after adopting the carnivore diet. The survey was complemented by qualitative interviews with four subjects on a carnivore diet.

Results: Twenty-four individuals participated in the survey. Fifteen participants (62.5%) were male, and the median age was 46 (range 26-62) years. The majority (n = 16, 67%) reported at least one clinical diagnosis, and

The gut microbiome of the carnivore was dominated by the phylum Firmicutes and the genera Faecalibacterium, Blautia, unspecific Lachnospiraceae, Bacteroides, and Roseburia—bacteria known for fiber degradation. Furthermore, neither alpha- nor beta-diversity, nor the functional capacity of the gut microbiome, showed differences when compared to the control groups. Additionally, the gut microbiome of the carnivore showed the least similarities with the microbiome of the cohort consuming meat on a daily basis.

In our study, we showcase the compositional and functional characteristics of the gut microbiome in an individual on a carnivorous diet, finding no differences in comparison to a control cohort. Further research is needed to investigate the short- and long-term impacts of a carnivorous diet on gut health through cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.

Full Paper - https://doi.org/10.1530/MAH-24-0006

We reviewed data on the American diet from 1800 to 2019. Methods: We examined food availability and estimated consumption data from 1800 to 2019 using historical sources from the federal government and additional public data sources. Results: Processed and ultra-processed foods increased from <5 to >60% of foods. Large increases occurred for sugar, white and whole wheat flour, rice, poultry, eggs, vegetable oils, dairy products, and fresh vegetables. Saturated fats from animal sources declined while polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils rose. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) rose over the twentieth century in parallel with increased consumption of processed foods, including sugar, refined flour and rice, and vegetable oils. Saturated fats from animal sources were inversely correlated with the prevalence of NCDs. Conclusions: **As observed from the food availability data, processed and ultra-processed foods dramatically increased over the past two centuries, especially sugar, white

Characterizing the potential health effects of exposure to risk factors such as red meat consumption is essential to inform health policy and practice. Previous meta-analyses evaluating the effects of red meat intake have generated mixed findings and do not formally assess evidence strength. Here, we conducted a systematic review and implemented a meta-regression— relaxing conventional log-linearity assumptions and incorporating between-study heterogeneity—to evaluate the relation-ships between unprocessed red meat consumption and six potential health outcomes. We found weak evidence of association between unprocessed red meat consumption and colorectal cancer, breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and ischemic heart disease. Moreover, we found no evidence of an association between unprocessed red meat and ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke. We also found that while risk for the six outcomes in our analysis combined was minimized at 0 g unprocessed red meat intake per day, the 95% uncerta

This is a interesting study of two geographically near tribes of people eating a plant based diet vs a animal based diet.

This type of reporting is rare, since the western diet has changed every group of humans it has contacted.

https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1931.02730200061030

Full text: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003510108

This is a contribution to knowledge concerning the relation of diet to physique and to health. The two tribes selected for this investigation were chosen because of the fact that, although their territories were adjoining, their dietary customs were different, "the Akikuyu being almost exclusively vegetarian and the Masai chiefly carnivorous." The field work in this investigation covered such categories as chemical analysis of all foods in common use, articles of diet in the raw state, cooked foods, edible earths, physical examination of both adults and children, and clinical observations. Additional features of this study pertain to lab

Originally published in 1930 - The journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

https://archive.org/details/sim_journal-of-the-academy-of-nutrition-and-dietetics_1930-12_6_3/page/216/mode/2up (It's so old, I don't have a direct doi link)

Based on Vilhjalmur Stefansson's reporting of Inuit diets (the wiki is a great read) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilhjalmur_Stefansson ; People were incredulous (much like today actually) - So Vilhjalmur and his partner agreed to be kept for a YEAR in medical supervision in a hospital on staten island. This is the study/publication of the results.

TLDR - The pure meat diet worked for a year, under total medical supervision, without any issues, including vitamin levels. Just like it worked for the native Inuit people.

This is a seminal paper, it's about 85 pages, so it's going to take a minute to read. I'll post notes as I get through it.

Meat intake has been linked to increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and mortality. However, diet composition may affect the risks. We aimed to estimate associations between red and processed meat and poultry intake and risk of CRC and all-cause mortality and if they are modified by dietary quality using Cox regression analyses. Baseline dietary data were obtained from three survey rounds of the Danish National Survey on Diet and Physical Activity. Data on CRC and all-cause mortality were extracted from national registers. The cohort was followed from date of survey interview—or for CRC, from age 50 years, whichever came last, until 31 December 2017. Meat intake was analysed categorically and continuously, and stratified by dietary quality for 15–75-year-old Danes at baseline, n 6282 for CRC and n 9848 for mortality analyses. We found no significant association between red and processed meat intake and CRC risk. For poultry, increased CRC risk for high versus low intake (HR 1.6

https://doi.org/10.1097/med.0000000000000576

A survey of literature and review of the knowledge on nutritional adequacy of the "carnivore" diet.

Purpose of review: The aim of this study was to summarize current contributions affecting knowledge and predictions about the nutritional adequacy of plant-free diets, contextualized by historical accounts.

Recent findings: As demonstrated in recent experiments, nutrient interactions and metabolic effects of ketogenic diets can impact nutritional needs, sometimes resulting in nutrient-sparing effects. Other studies highlight conflicting hypotheses about the expected effect on metabolic acidosis, and therefore mineral status, of adding alkaline mineral-rich vegetables.

Summary: A carnivore diet is a newly popular, but as yet sparsely studied form of ketogenic diet in which plant foods are eliminated such that all, or almost all, nutrition derives from animal sourced foods. Ketogenic diets are already nutritionally controversial due to t

TLDR: Eggs are good for you, in a study of 9000 70+ adults in AU over a 6 year follow-up study on egg consumption we see a benefit in all cause mortality. 30% less CV risk, 20% less all cause mortality.

Background/Objectives: Egg consumption in adults has been linked with a modestly increased risk of all-cause and CVD mortality. However, evidence on adults aged 65 y+ is limited. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between egg intake and mortality in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 8756 adults aged 70+ years, participants in the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) Longitudinal Study of Older Persons, self-reported the frequency of their total egg intake: never/infrequently (rarely/never, 1–2 times/month), weekly (1–6 times/week), and daily (daily/several times per day). All-cause and cause-specific (cardiovascular disease [CVD] and cancer) mortality was established from at least two sources: medica

TLDR - Contrary to common expectations, adults consuming a carnivore diet experienced few adverse effects and instead reported health benefits and high satisfaction. Cardiovascular disease risk factors were variably affected. The generalizability of these findings and the long-term effects of this dietary pattern require further study.

Background: The “carnivore diet,” based on animal foods and excluding most or all plant foods, has attracted recent popular attention. However, little is known about the health effects and tolerability of this diet, and concerns for nutrient deficiencies and cardiovascular disease risk have been raised.

Objectives: We obtained descriptive data on the nutritional practices and health status of a large group of carnivore diet consumers.

Methods: A social media survey was conducted 30 March–24 June, 2020 among adults self-identifying as consuming a carnivore diet for ≥6 mo. Survey questions interrogated motivation, dietary intake patterns, symptoms s

TLDR - Meat is good for you

The association between a plant-based diet (vegetarianism) and extended life span is increasingly criticised since it may be based on the lack of representative data and insufficient removal of confounders such as lifestyles.

We examined the association between meat intake and life expectancy at a population level based on ecological data published by the United Nations agencies.

Population-specific data were obtained from 175 countries/territories. Scatter plots, bivariate, partial correlation and linear regression models were used with SPSS 25 to explore and compare the correlations between newborn life expectancy (e(0)), life expectancy at 5 years of life (e(5)) and intakes of meat, and carbohydrate crops, respectively. The established risk factors to life expectancy – caloric intake, urbanization, obesity and education levels – were included as the potential confounders.

Worldwide, bivariate correlation analyses revealed that **meat intake is po

https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/137.4.1119

A randomized, controlled school feeding study was conducted in rural Embu District, Kenya to test for a causal link between animal-source food intake and changes in micronutrient nutrition and growth, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes. Twelve primary schools were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups. Children in Standard I classes received the local plant-based dish githeri as a midmorning school snack supplemented with meat, milk, or fat added to equalize energy content in all feedings. The Control children received no feedings but participated in data collection. Main outcome measures assessed at baseline and longitudinally were 24-h food intake recall, anthropometry, cognitive function, physical activity, and behaviors during school free play. For cognitive function, the Meat group showed the steepest rate of increase on Raven's Progressive Matrices scores and in zone-wide school end-term total and arithmetic test scores. The Plain githeri and