What Exactly Is The Lion Diet?

If you've been wondering if a new diet plan is right for you, you may be overwhelmed by the astounding array of diets to choose from nowadays in modern America. AZ Dietitians outlines the history of dieting in America. While the timeline for different fads is quite extensive, some of the more unusual methods for weight loss can be found in the grapefruit diet and the "sleeping beauty" diet, which raged in the 1970s and promoted sedative use to avoid hunger pains.

Between Jenny Craig, Atkins, and even tequila — yes, tequila may help you lose weight — many Americans are willing to go the extra mile in their attempts to shed a few pounds. A recent survey of 2,000 adults conducted by Found via OnePoll found that 91% of respondents have tried a diet of some sort in their lifetime; more than half have attempted at least 10 different weight-loss strategies (per Swns Digital).

According to the U.S. News & World Report's list of the best diets of 2021, based on factors including diet safety and long-range effectiveness, the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (a balanced diet often used to stabilize blood pressure) were the most effective (per Health). But what about newer, protein-rich plans, such as the lion diet? Is this animal-based diet effective for maintaining long-term health?

Everyday Health says that diets such as Whole30 and the carnivore diet are not sustainable choices long-term. So, how does the lion diet compare? Based on what lions typically eat which is outlined extensively by Safaris Africana, lions are hyper-carnivores, with more than 70% of their day-to-day diets composed primarily of meat from ungulates or hoofed animals. Essentially, the Lion Diet is an elimination diet that claims to use meat, salt, and water to regulate and heal the human gut. 

The argument rests on the fact that meat contains no plant-based pesticides and is easily digested in the small intestine, allowing the gut to heal extensively before reintroduction to certain foods takes place.

According to Healthline, the protein-rich diet was formulated by blogger Mikhaila Peterson, who claims that this way of eating healed her gut issues. Lion diet followers may only consume water, salt, and meat from ruminant animals, including cows and deer, for an extended period of time until certain foods can be added intermittently back into their regular diets. The exact how-to instructions on how to follow this diet are never given, yet this diet supposedly has helped clear certain followers' eczema and promote steady weight loss, according to the Lion Diet website. But the diet is also causing alarm among health professionals.

While the lion diet may help some followers sleep better and clear their skin issues, the diet has not yet been studied by any medical journal for safety and effectiveness. In fact, PBN says that in early 2022, the diet's founder, Mikhaila Peterson, conducted a speech on the global media platform TED promoting the lion diet, yet afterward, the platform refused to publish her talk on the TEDx website. In the email from TED to Peterson about why her speech wasn't aired, the organization states, "While it may not be a speaker's intention to offer a prescription, using anecdotal evidence without sufficient scientific support poses special concern" (via PBN).

Not to mention, Healthline gives the lion diet a score of 1.5 out of 5 due to its lack of sustainability. A diet this restrictive may only lead to further health complications and weight gain if other important food groups, including vegetables and grains, aren't incorporated back into a follower's diet in a timely fashion. Nutritional therapist Claudia Le Feuvre warns against the lion diet, telling Yahoo that its followers are "missing out on other nutrients, including healthy fats, fiber, and all the vitamins and minerals from fruit and vegetables. In the long run, you could develop a significant nutrient deficiency." 

When it comes to the gamut of trendy diets available, curious folks may want to reconsider the lion diet until science proves this specific elimination method to be safe and effective.