Can You Use Spices on the Carnivore Diet?

Whether you can use spices on the carnivore diet depends on how strictly you follow it. Salt is universally accepted and encouraged on every version of the carnivore diet. Beyond salt, opinions diverge. Strict carnivore eliminates all plant-based spices, while relaxed approaches allow common seasonings like pepper, garlic powder, and others.

Why Are Spices Controversial on the Carnivore Diet?

Spices are derived from plants, specifically from seeds, bark, roots, and leaves. While they are used in tiny quantities, they contain concentrated plant defense compounds that some carnivore practitioners believe can cause problems.

These compounds include lectins, which can bind to the gut lining and potentially cause intestinal permeability. Oxalates found in many spices can accumulate in tissues and contribute to kidney stones and joint pain. Saponins may disrupt the gut barrier. Capsaicin in hot peppers can irritate the digestive tract.

The concentration of these compounds in a pinch of pepper or garlic powder is very small. For most healthy people, this amount is unlikely to cause noticeable issues. However, for individuals with autoimmune conditions, leaky gut, or chronic inflammation, even small amounts of plant compounds may be significant.

Which Spices Are Most Commonly Used on Relaxed Carnivore?

If you follow a relaxed carnivore approach and choose to include spices, these are the most popular options among practitioners:

Universally accepted:

• Salt (all types: sea salt, Himalayan, kosher, etc.)

Commonly used without issues:

• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Cayenne pepper

Sometimes used:

• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Mustard powder
• Dried herbs (oregano, thyme, rosemary)

Generally avoided even on relaxed carnivore:

• Spice blends with added sugar
• Seasoning mixes with soy, wheat, or MSG
• Marinades containing vegetable oils
• Rubs with dextrose or maltodextrin

Always read the ingredients on spice blends and seasoning packets. Many commercial products contain hidden sugars, starches, and anti-caking agents that are not carnivore-friendly.

How Do Spices Fit Into the Elimination Protocol?

One of the most powerful applications of the carnivore diet is as an elimination diet. The idea is to strip your diet down to the most basic, least reactive foods, allow your body to calm down, and then systematically reintroduce foods to identify triggers.

For this approach to work properly, you need to eliminate everything that could potentially cause a reaction, including spices. The standard elimination protocol on carnivore follows this progression:

Phase 1 (30 to 90 days): Eat only ruminant meat (beef, lamb, bison), salt, and water. No spices, no dairy, no eggs, no coffee.

Phase 2 (reintroduction): Add back one food at a time, waiting 3 to 5 days between each new addition. This might start with eggs, then butter, then individual spices.

Phase 3 (personalization): Once you have identified which foods cause reactions, build your long-term diet around the foods that work for you.

If you reintroduce black pepper after 60 days without it and notice joint pain, bloating, or skin changes within a few days, that is valuable information. You have identified a trigger food that you can choose to avoid permanently.

What About Marinades and Rubs for Meat?

Many carnivore dieters miss the variety of flavors that spices provide, especially when preparing the same cuts of meat regularly. Here are some approaches:

Strict carnivore flavoring:

• Different types of salt (flaky Maldon, smoked salt, Himalayan pink)
• Rendered beef tallow for cooking fat
• Bone marrow as a finishing sauce
• Different cooking methods (grilled, smoked, seared, braised) for flavor variation

Relaxed carnivore flavoring:

• Simple dry rubs with salt and pepper
• Garlic and onion powder on steaks
• Smoked paprika on ground beef
• Cayenne for heat

The key insight many long-term carnivore dieters share is that your palate adapts. After several weeks without spices, you begin to appreciate the natural flavor of quality meat in a way that was impossible when every meal was heavily seasoned. A well-marbled ribeye steak with nothing but salt becomes genuinely satisfying.

Do Spices Affect Ketosis?

In the small quantities used for seasoning, spices contain negligible calories and carbohydrates. A teaspoon of garlic powder has about 2 grams of carbs, and a teaspoon of black pepper has about 1.4 grams. These amounts are too small to meaningfully affect ketosis.

The concern with spices on the carnivore diet is not about macronutrients or ketosis. It is about the bioactive plant compounds they contain and their potential to trigger inflammation or gut irritation in sensitive individuals.

Tips for Managing Flavor Without Spices

If you are going spice-free, here are practical ways to keep your meals interesting:

1. Invest in quality meat. Grass-fed, well-marbled cuts have dramatically more flavor than lean, conventional options.
2. Master your cooking techniques. A proper sear creates a flavorful crust without any seasoning beyond salt.
3. Use different salts. Explore smoked salt, fleur de sel, black Hawaiian salt, and other varieties for subtle flavor differences.
4. Try different cuts. Rotate between ribeye, strip steak, chuck roast, short ribs, oxtail, and other cuts for variety.
5. Embrace the adaptation. Give your palate 2 to 3 weeks to adjust before judging the experience.

For a complete guide to what you can eat on the carnivore diet, visit our carnivore diet food list. For more on the most important seasoning, read our guide on salt on the carnivore diet.