Four tiers, ordered from most restrictive to most flexible. Lion Diet at one end, animal-based at the other. Here is what each involves and who it suits.
All other meats, eggs, dairy, all plants, all seasonings except salt.
Best for
The strictest named protocol. Most aggressive elimination tool, typically run 30 to 90 days for severe autoimmune flares or intractable gut issues. Popularised by Mikhaila Peterson.
Where most people start if they do not need Lion-level restriction. Broad protein variety while still eliminating dairy and plants. Tests whether dairy is the trigger versus plants.
03
Carnivore + Dairy
Standard
Eats
Everything in Strict Carnivore, plus butter, cream, hard cheese, and sometimes yoghurt.
Excludes
All plants.
Best for
The long-term default for most practitioners. Adds caloric and culinary flexibility (cream in coffee, cheese on the go) without breaking the meat-first principle. Common to Ken Berry, Shawn Baker.
04
Animal-Based
Most flexible
Eats
Everything in Carnivore + Dairy, plus raw honey, seasonal fruit, and heavy emphasis on organ meats. Some include raw dairy.
Excludes
Vegetables, seed oils, grains, legumes — the antinutrient categories.
Best for
Less an elimination protocol than an ancestral-eating frame. For practitioners who feel best with some natural sugar and who emphasise organ-meat nutrient density. Popularised by Paul Saladino.