Not the best idea
The Lion Diet is a restrictive diet of only ruminant meat, salt, and water. Ruminant meat comes from animals that chew their own cud (partially digested food), like buffaloes, sheep, cows, deer, and goats. The diet is marketed as a 30-day “Healing Elimination Diet” to heal your gut, brain, and body. According to the website, most people who try the diet lose weight.
While this diet might work for lions, it’s not recommended for humans. Eating only ruminant meat increases how much saturated fat you consume, and limits your calcium, vitamin D, and fiber.
“Fiber helps improve our gut health, while certain proteins — especially red meats — are inflammatory and lead to chronic diseases later on,” explains Chester County Hospital nutritionist Maureen Boccella.
Another problem is that the Lion Diet is severely restrictive. Even if you make it the whole 30 days and you lose weight, you may gain it right back — and maybe even more — once you get off the diet.
Be careful about the slightly less-restrictive “carnivore diet,” which allows you to eat meat, fish, and eggs.
Carnivore diets (including the Lion Diet) can cause health problems like:
- Constipation (from the lack of fiber)
- High LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Kidney problems and high blood pressure (from high sodium levels)