can you eat pork rinds on carnivore diet

Can You Eat Pork Rinds On The Carnivore Diet?

The carnivore diet has been growing in popularity over the past few years. This zero-carb diet only includes meat, eggs, and animal-based foods. No fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, or plant-based foods are allowed.

With such strict guidelines, many carnivore dieters wonder whether delicious pork rinds can fit into this eating plan. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about eating pork rinds on the carnivore diet.

What is the Carnivore Diet?

The carnivore diet also known as the all-meat diet is an extreme low-carb, high-protein diet. Followers only eat animal-based foods like meat, fish, eggs, and certain dairy products. The diet completely eliminates all plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, coffee, tea, and plant-based spices.

The main foods allowed on the carnivore diet include:

• Beef
• Pork
• Chicken
• Fish
• Eggs
• Butter or ghee
• Hard cheese
• Heavy cream
• Bone broth

The premise of the carnivore diet is that high-carb diets are the culprit behind chronic disease. By only eating nutrient-dense animal foods, carnivore dieters believe they can optimize health lose weight and reverse chronic disease.

However, there is currently no scientific evidence to support the health claims of the carnivore diet. Nutrition experts warn that restricting entire food groups increases the risk of nutritional deficiencies over time.

Are Pork Rinds Allowed on the Carnivore Diet?

Pork rinds, also known as chicharrones or pork crackling, are a popular savory snack made from fried or baked pork skin. Since they are made entirely from an animal source, most carnivore dieters consider pork rinds to be carnivore-friendly.

Pork rinds provide a nice crunchy, savory snack that can help carnivore dieters fight cravings for forbidden foods like chips, crackers, and popcorn. They are an excellent source of fat and protein without any carbs, fitting right in with the carnivore diet guidelines.

According to the official website, pork rinds are one of the approved snacks on the carnivore diet. However, it’s important to read labels and watch out for certain ingredients.

Buyer Beware: Avoid Unhealthy Ingredients

When choosing pork rinds for the carnivore diet, not just any brand will do. You’ll want to avoid pork rinds containing unhealthy vegetable oils, preservatives, artificial flavors, corn or potato starches, and other additives.

A high-quality pork rind for the carnivore diet should contain just one ingredient: pork skin. Unfortunately, many commercial pork rinds are cooked in vegetable or seed oils like canola, sunflower, corn, soybean, or peanut oil. These inflammatory oils are not allowed on the carnivore diet.

Also steer clear of pork rinds with “natural flavors” or hydrolyzed corn protein on the ingredients list. Carnivore dieters need to stick with plain pork rinds fried in lard, tallow, or olive oil. Make sure to read the ingredients carefully and know how your pork rinds are cooked.

Nutrition Facts of Pork Rinds

Here is the nutrition breakdown for a 1 ounce (28 gram) serving of plain, salted pork rinds:

• Calories: 160
• Fat: 14g
• Protein: 9g
• Carbs: 0g
• Fiber: 0g

As you can see, pork rinds are very low in carbs and high in fat, with a decent amount of protein. The majority of calories come from fat.

The main type of fat found in pork rinds is oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fatty acid found in olive oil. Pork rinds also contain some stearic acid, a saturated fat that does not raise cholesterol levels.

So while pork rinds are high in fat and calories, they contain predominantly healthy fats that are great for energy on a low-carb diet like carnivore. Just be mindful of portion sizes, as the calories can quickly add up.

Benefits of Pork Rinds on Carnivore Diet

Here are some of the main benefits of incorporating pork rinds into your carnivore diet:

Curb Cravings – Pork rinds can satisfy cravings for crunchy, savory snacks.

Boost Fat Intake – The high fat content helps followers meet their daily fat goals.

Increase Variety – Pork rinds add variety so you don’t get bored with eggs and meat.

Portable Snack – They are lightweight and shelf-stable, making them easy to pack for on-the-go.

Provide Texture – The crispy texture gives a nice break from soft meats and eggs.

Contains Collagen – Pork skin is a source of collagen, great for skin, hair, nails, and joints.

Zero Carbs – Pork rinds don’t contain any carbohydrates, aligning perfectly with carnivore.

No Plant Matter – Since pork rinds are purely pork skin, they contain zero plant material.

As you can see, when you choose high quality pork rinds made with just pork skins and animal fat, they offer a number of benefits for those following the carnivore diet.

Tips for Buying Carnivore-Friendly Pork Rinds

If you want to incorporate pork rinds into your carnivore diet, keep these buying tips in mind:

• Check the Ingredients: Make sure “pork skins” is the only ingredient listed.

• Avoid Vegetable Oils: Look for pork rinds fried in lard, tallow, or olive oil instead.

• Don’t Buy Flavored: Stick to plain salted or unsalted pork rinds without flavor powders.

• Shop Online: Order from specialty brands catering to low-carb/carnivore diets.

• Seek Out Baked: Search for baked pork rinds to avoid inflammatory seed oils.

• Consider Making Your Own: Frying your own pork rinds allows control over the ingredients.

Following these simple guidelines will help you find healthy, high-quality pork rinds that align with the carnivore diet requirements.

Best Pork Rinds for the Carnivore Diet

If you don’t want the hassle of frying your own, here are some recommended store-bought pork rind brands for carnivores:

Epic Pork Rinds – Simply seasoned with sea salt, no inflammatory oils.

Pelleo Snacks Pork Rinds – Fried in coconut oil, free of fillers and preservatives.

4505 Chicharrones – Fried in pork lard, only ingredients are pork skins and sea salt.

Carnivore Crisps Pork Rinds – Baked pork rinds fried in beef tallow or olive oil.

Maverick Ranch Pure Pork Rinds – Fried in organic coconut oil, only ingredients are pork skins and salt.

Mac’s Pork Cracklins – Made with just three ingredients: pork skins, salt and pepper.

Green Pasture’s Pork Chips – Fried in lard from pasture-raised pigs.

When shopping for store-bought pork rinds, double check the ingredients list and cooking method for these carnivore-approved brands.

Potential Concerns About Pork Rinds on Carnivore

While pork rinds can be included on the carnivore diet, there are a couple potential drawbacks to consider:

High in Omega-6 Fats: Most pork products have high omega-6 levels compared to omega-3s. Too much omega-6 can promote inflammation.

May Cause Digestive Upset: Some find pork difficult to digest. Pork rinds could exacerbate digestive issues.

Fried in Unhealthy Oils: Cooking method matters. Vegetable oil-fried pork rinds contradict carnivore diet rules.

Easy to Overeat: With high calories and fat, pork rinds are easy to over-consume. Portion control is key.

Not Very Nutritious: Aside from protein and fat, pork rinds don’t offer much nutritional value.

As with any food, there are upsides and downsides associated with pork rinds. Those with digestive issues may want to avoid them, while others find they aid their carnivore diet. Pay attention to how your body reacts.

Pork Rind Recipe Ideas for Carnivores

Plain salted pork rinds are delicious, but you can also spice them up with carnivore-approved seasonings:

• Chili Lime Pork Rinds – Toss rinds in lime juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano.

• Everything Bagel Pork Rinds – Top with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried onion, garlic.

• Nacho Cheese Pork Rinds – Drizzle with melted cheddar and hot sauce.

• Ranch Pork Rinds – Sprinkle with dried parsley, dill, onion powder, garlic powder.

• BBQ Pork Rinds – Toss in sugar-free B