AAP FACTCHECK – You can get every nutrient you need in the perfect quantities by eating only steak, according to posts doing the rounds on social media.
This is false. Beef steak does not contain vitamin C or dietary fibre and only has low levels of other essential nutrients.
The claim, which is captioned “Everything we need is in steak”, appeared in an Instagram post by an advocate of the carnivore diet.
The post is illustrated with a photo of an X post, formerly Twitter, by the same social media user that reads: “You can get every single nutrient you need in the perfect quantities by eating only steak. I challenge you to name a single nutrient that is not found in red meat.”
Experts, however, say that beef contains neither fibre nor vitamin C.
The carnivore diet has gained publicity in recent years, with vocal advocates including comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan and psychologist Jordan Peterson.
The diet generally involves adherents exclusively eating animal products and some, including Peterson, eat only beef.
Some dieters report a range of benefits, including increased energy levels and weight loss, but there is currently a lack of evidence to support these claims.
Eating exclusively beef will, however, likely cause some nutrient deficiencies.
Experts told AAP FactCheck that while steak and red meat are high in many nutrients, they don’t contain all of them and many are only present in low quantities.
University of Bristol Emeritus Professor Jeff Wood is an authority on the nutritional value of meat and said that while meat contains “a comprehensive array of nutrients” it is low in fibre and antioxidants.
He referred AAP FactCheck to a chapter he authored in the textbook Lawrie’s Meat Science that details the composition and nutritional value of meat.
In the chapter, Prof Wood said that beef contains no fibre or vitamin C and has only small amounts of carbohydrates, calcium, magnesium and vitamins A, D, E and K.
Vitamin C is required for the body to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen in bones and is crucial for the immune system to function.
It is also an antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals that contribute to cancer, arthritis, ageing, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.
Vitamin C deficiency, known as scurvy, is a potentially fatal disease that can lead to wounds not healing, bleeding gums and loose teeth, and internal bleeding.
Dietary fibre, found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, helps prevent constipation and eating high-fibre foods can lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancers.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand details the nutrients found in steak, which shows you would need to eat 1.871kg of boneless rump or sirloin steak to get the energy you require each day, based on a typical daily average of 8700 kilojoules.
Eating large amounts of red meat is also associated with an increased risk of contracting a number of cancers.
The Australian government recommends people eat no more than 455g of red meat a week as there is evidence it increases the risk of bowel cancer and kidney cancer.
The Verdict
False – The claim is inaccurate.
AAP FactCheck is an accredited member of the International Fact-Checking Network. To keep up with our latest fact checks, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
All information, text and images included on the AAP Websites is for personal use only and may not be re-written, copied, re-sold or re-distributed, framed, linked, shared onto social media or otherwise used whether for compensation of any kind or not, unless you have the prior written permission of AAP. For more information, please refer to our standard terms and conditions.
