An expert has issued a warning after an influencer spoke out about the effect that eating no carbs, fruit, or vegetables for six years had on her body.
Bella, who goes by @steakandbuttergal on Instagram, used to be a vegan but has racked up a huge following online after switching up to an unconventional diet, consisting of mainly meat and butter.
She claims to have stopped eating carbs, fruit, and vegetables six years ago, opting for her unconventional diet instead.
She told her 421,000 followers on Instagram: “I hate to break it to you, but you do not need to eat carbs.
“I have not eaten a single carb, piece of fruit, or vegetable in six years and I’m not dying of low energy, nor have I wrecked my hormones.”
Bella even claimed that despite eating a whole block of butter a day, her carnivore diet has led to her losing 25 lbs, made her grow taller, and even made her periods less painful.
She also alleges that her body now burns fat for fuel as a result of her bizarre diet.
However, an expert has now weighed in on Bella’s extreme eating regime, issuing a warning of the long-term effects it could have on the body.
Angel Wallace Miles, who is a PhD pharmacy student and fitness coach, took to Instagram to warn others off copying the diet.
She explained: “You can believe some random influencer, we can believe the entire science community.
“Carnivore diet might put you in a calorie deficit, so you might lose weight. Cool.
“You could also just be in a regular calorie deficit, flexible dieting, eating chocolate, eating pasta and still having some balance there.”
Revealing the scary side-effects that could happen over a longer term, Angel explained: “The issue is that over the long term, you might have a low fiber intake that will affect your gut. That is not good for you.
“You’ll also get less vitamins and minerals, for example vitamin C. So it might be well and good that you’re getting lots of iron from these meats, but if you don’t have any vitamin C to help you with absorption, you’re actually not going to be getting the benefits you think you are.”
Angel also warned that the diet could mean a person is consuming too many saturated fats, which could then lead to high cholesterol and all the negative health implications that come with that, such as increasing the likelihood of heart problems or a stroke.
Needless to say, such extreme diets are not recommended, and most people require a balanced diet including protein, fat, carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals each day.
While this ensures that the body gets all the vital nutrients it needs to function at its best, it is also easier to stick to a meal plan that is not too restrictive.
And, of course, as with any nutrition plan, you’re far more likely to stick to it if you’re allowed the odd cheat day to satisfy your cravings too – because life just wouldn’t be as enjoyable without a slice of cake or piece of chocolate every now and again.
