22/06/2026
Keto, Carnivore & Gut Health — A More Balanced Conversation 🌿
There’s a lot of strong messaging around keto and carnivore diets right now — and like most things in nutrition, the truth sits somewhere in the middle.
Do I recommend high protein to certain clients?
Yes! I myself recommend high protein diets (around 1.2 gm per kg of weight) for female clients who are in perimenopause or chronically anxious & stressed.
Why? Because it works. Weight can reduce, brain fog clears, energy rises & balances through the day, hormones balance & sleep improves. But they’re also eating a diverse range of plant foods!
On these diet fads of Keto & Carnivore:
Yes, people can feel better initially.
But we also need to look at what’s happening longer-term, especially when it comes to gut health, nutrients, and sustainability.
Short-term improvements don’t always mean long-term support
When someone removes ultra-processed foods, sugars, and refined carbs, we often see:
✔️ Better blood sugar control
✔️ Reduced inflammation
✔️ Weight changes
But that improvement is often coming from what’s been removed, not necessarily because extreme restriction is the ideal long-term approach.
Looking a little deeper at long-term keto
A well-formulated ketogenic diet can be therapeutic in certain contexts. But long-term, there are some considerations:
•Reduced fibre intake → impacts gut health
•Lower plant diversity → fewer protective compounds
•Shifts in cholesterol markers in some individuals
•Reduced metabolic flexibility over time
None of these are guaranteed - but they’re important to be aware of.
Carnivore — removing plants entirely
This is where things become more restrictive.
When plant foods are removed, we also remove:
•Fibre
•Polyphenols
•A wide range of vitamins and minerals
And this is where I start to look closely at what’s happening in the gut
🦠 Gut health is not optional - YOU ARE WHAT YOUR MICROBIOME EAT
Your gut microbiome plays a central role in:
•Digestion
•Immune function
•Inflammation
•Healthy weight balance
•Cravings & appetite management
•Even mood and energy.
And it relies heavily on what we feed it.
🌿 Prebiotics: feeding the good bacteria
Fibre acts as fuel for beneficial microbes like
Bifidobacterium and the
Lactobacillus spp. (found in fermented foods).
Without enough prebiotics, we can see:
•Reduced microbial diversity & increased illness
•Less resilience in the gut ecosystem to pathogens, infection, digestion stressors & so much more.
🍇 Polyphenols: the often-missed piece
Polyphenols are plant compounds that do far more than act as antioxidants. They directly interact with the microbiome. One example is - Ellagic acid
(found in foods like berries and pomegranate).
These compounds:
•Support the growth of beneficial bacteria
•Clear oestradiol linked to hormone cancers
• Assist liver health
•Help regulate inflammation and gut integrity (leaky gut).
It’s a symbiotic partnership — we feed the microbes, and they support us in return.
What happens when we remove these long-term?
When fibre and polyphenols are consistently low:
•Production of beneficial compounds (like short-chain fatty acids) can drop
•Gut barrier function may be impacted
•Microbial diversity tends to reduce. THIS IS MY BIGGEST WORRY. I am seeing increased stool tests with extinct species of beneficial bacteria. Once these are gone they can’t be replaced long term - not by probiotic supplements, fermented foods, stool transfers from a healthy person. They’re gone forever.
• Our risk of certain cancers increase such as bowel cancer.
And diversity is one of the key markers we associate with a resilient, healthy gut.
🌿 Why I come back to a plant-forward approach
This doesn’t mean vegetarian or vegan.
It simply means bringing plants back to the centre of the plate. It means eating them throughout the day, not just a few boiled vegetables with dinner.
A plant-forward approach tends to provide:
•More fibre and prebiotics
•A wider range of polyphenols
•Better support for gut and metabolic health
•Greater sustainability long-term
My take
Keto and carnivore can have a place - perhaps very short-term or in specific clinical situations.
But as a long-term foundation, we need to ask:
What are we removing, and what are we missing?
Because often, it’s not about doing more -
it’s about bringing the right things back in.
Remember, humans have always historically been opportunistic omnivores 💜 our bodies need variety!
Supporting your health doesn’t have to be extreme. It can be simple, consistent, and nourishing.
If you’re wanting to learn more about:
•Supporting gut health through food
•Simple ways to include more beneficial plant compounds in your diet
•How to create an easy plant forward dietary approach with recipes.
You can simply Book a Consultation through my website! https://www.earthsourced.co.nz/services-page
Shine bright, Nic
Explore Earth Sourced Naturopathy’s holistic services — from naturopathic consultations and herbal medicine to women’s wellness, gut-health, fertility and detox support. Book your appointment or free discovery call today.
