Ex-Carnivore Paul Saladino Says Fruit 'Makes Up The Majority' Of His Diet Now

Influencer Paul Saladino, who previously followed a strict carnivore diet, has said that fruit now “makes up the majority” of his food.

Saladino, a meat-focused content creator who previously created content under his Carnivore MD moniker, has begun eating a range of fruits and vegetables.

In an Instagram post, Saladino compared the nutrient-density of a typical fast food meal worth 1170 calories with a large selection of ingredients, including asparagus, bananas, and bell peppers, alongside meat, butter, and eggs, also worth 1170 calories.

His followers’ comments underneath ranged from supportive to critical, and one user wrote, “Don’t tell me asparagus is a fruit or I’m never watching another health reel again.” Saladino responded and said, “Asparagus is not a fruit. I’ve been experimenting with them but fruit still makes up the majority of my diet.”

In a more recent video shared to YouTube, Saladino broke down his daily calories. Compared to his previously strict carnivore diet, it highlights a number of plant foods.

‘Being keto on a carnivore diet didn’t work for my body’

Saladino’s go-to plant foods include blueberries, asparagus, watermelon, cantalope, bananas, and yucca, or cassava root, which Saladino said he now eats twice per day. He revealed that he has also “experimented” with oats, white rice, potatoes, and bread.

“Being keto on a carnivore diet didn’t work for my body,” said Saladino. “I had electrolyte insufficiency and felt generally horrible. In the beginning, it was great. Then it went downhill at the end. So, I feel better with carbohydrates.”

He added, “For most of the last four and a half years, I’ve eaten exclusively fruit for carbohydrates. Fruit and squash. Squash is technically a fruit.”

Saladino has been talking about the introduction of plant-based foods into his diet for some time. In 2024, he claimed that “pickles are animal-based.”

The carnivore diet and plant-based foods

Photo shows a row of fresh vegetables, fruits, and other plant foods along the top, and a row of red meat, eggs, fish, and sausages along the bottom — Adobe Stock The carnivore and ketogenic diets have both been widely debunked

Despite the addition of fruit and certain vegetables, Saladino’s diet still appears to be primarily based on animal-derived foods. According to the video, his daily food intake includes whey protein, honey, raw liver, raw milk, butter, yoghurt, and of course, beef.

Last year saw the publication of a number of scientific studies supporting plant-based or primarily plant-based diets for human health, planetary health, and animals.