Why Steak Is at the Top of the New Food Pyramid | Dr. Shawn Baker

Jan 24, 2026

Dr. Shawn Baker, an orthopedic surgeon and author of The Carnivore Diet, advocates high-protein, low-carb approaches. He discusses the new protein-forward food pyramid, critiques ultra-processed foods, and explains ketosis and the carnivore diet. He covers inflammation, autoimmune relief, practical transition tips, and how meat-heavy eating affects satiety, lipids, and overall well-being.

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INSIGHT

Protein Replaces Grains In New Guidelines

The new dietary guidelines emphasize whole foods and elevated animal protein, reversing decades of anti–red meat messaging.
Shawn Baker argues randomized trials don't support the claim that red meat causes heart disease, so the shift is evidence-driven.

ADVICE

Prioritize Home-Cooked Whole Foods

Choose home-cooked whole foods and avoid ultra-processed products when possible.
Emulate Brazil's simple guidelines: cook at home, avoid hyper-processed food, and eat with family.

INSIGHT

Processed Food Acts Like A Drug

Ultra-processed foods are engineered to be hyperpalatable and addictive, acting like recreational drugs for many people.
Baker calls much modern packaged food "human pet food" and links it to overeating and chronic disease.

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HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy recently unveiled a new food pyramid and dietary guidelines for Americans that emphasize high-quality protein, dairy, healthy fats, vegetables, and fruits. Whole grains are downgraded, and processed foods and added sugars are discouraged.

“We’ve been consuming this ultra-processed food, which I call human pet food,” says Dr. Shawn Baker. A former orthopedic surgeon and world champion athlete, he’s the author of “The Carnivore Diet” and co-founder of the online clinic Revero.

“A lot of our food has become very similar to recreational drugs in the way we use and abuse them,” he says.

Eating a lot of addictive, ultra-processed food—high in carbs, sugars, and seed oils—drives inflammation and can lead to obesity, diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular problems, gut malfunction, depression, and cancers, he explains.

In our in-depth interview, he explains how and why the adoption of low-carb, high-fat diets reduces inflammation and can even reverse chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiometabolic disease.

There is even significant evidence that such diets can be used therapeutically for neurological and mental health issues, he says.

One of those low-carb, high-fat diets is the ketogenic diet. But what happens when you take keto one step further and go on the carnivore diet?

“Carnivore is basically a diet consisting primarily of animal products. So it would be meat. It would be fish. It would be eggs. It would be dairy products,” he says. This means no plant products at all.

The carnivore diet is not for everyone, but many people suffering from debilitating autoimmune diseases have healed themselves with such a diet, he says. Mikhaila Peterson has famously documented her transformative experience on an even more restricted version of this diet called the “lion diet.”

In our in-depth interview, we discuss many more questions regarding food as medicine and the benefits of a protein-heavy diet, including:

- Why people on ketogenic or carnivore diets experience something called ‘keto calm’ or ‘zero carb zen.’

- Why going on the carnivore diet does not harm your nutritional intake, contrary to what many may think.

- Why such diets can help reverse inflammatory bowel disease, Tourette syndrome, and hypermobility, also known as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

It’s time for Americans to stop simply relying on America’s “disease management system” of drugs and pharmaceuticals, he argues, and instead take their health into their own hands.

Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.