Carnivore diet sparks big family feud over feeding butter to a baby

The “carnivore baby” diet has divided social media for weeks – and a new Reddit post shows it’s causing tension in at least one family.

In a post on the popular r/BeyondtheBump forum, a new mother wrote that her 6-month-old baby had just started eating solid foods.

“It has been so lovely so far and he loves it,” the mom wrote. “I have given him banana, papaya, strawberries, chicken, squash, eggs … We are definitely exploring a lot.”

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But whenever she shares videos with her mother-in-law, she said, the grandmother voices disapproval.

“All she manages to say is how he already looks ‘sugar addicted’ from the fruit,” the mother said.

The grandma’s solution? Feed the baby a stick of butter to help him sleep.

“She also keeps sending me Instagram videos of this ‘meat-based nutritionist’ saying babies should have a meat-based diet,” the woman on Reddit added. “I completely disagree and think babies should have a healthy, broad diet.”

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The mother said she hasn’t yet given her baby “lots of meat, which I do plan to introduce, but again … we are just starting,” she emphasized.

“Has anyone ever given [a] baby pure butter? Is this a real recommendation? Please advise!” she added. 

“The focus should be nutrient density, with plenty of protein, fat and bioavailable vitamins and minerals.”

Most commenters took the mother’s side and called the butter-feeding suggestion absurd.

“Time to be less gentle [about pushing back],” said the top commenter. “I am in a cranky mood.”

Health experts recommend balance and variety for infants, not restrictive or single-food approaches like butter-only feeding. (iStock)

“Sounds like your MIL is about to stop getting videos and pictures of her grandchild eating,” another said.

Dr. Ken Berry, a Tennessee physician sympathetic to the carnivore diet, shared thoughts on the issue.

“This sounds like a loving grandmother who’s trying to help, but whose advice is oversimplified,” Berry told Fox News Digital.

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“She’s right that healthy fats are crucial for babies’ brain, nerve and cell membrane development, but giving a baby a stick of butter could be off-putting to mom and will definitely make a mess.”

Instead, Berry suggested cooking foods for babies in butter, in addition to including a variety of nutrient-rich animal foods like egg yolks, tender meats and small amounts of liver.

Doctors sometimes recommend introducing small amounts of liver to babies for nutrient density and iron support. (iStock)

Author of the new book, “Common Sense Labs: A Practical Guide to Decoding Your Blood Work and Taking Control of Your Health,” Berry said that cooking these foods in butter will help make all sides happy.

“This will feel much more natural and proper to mom, and [the] baby will still be getting all the health benefits of the butter,” he said.

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“For a 6-month-old, I’d suggest soft-cooked egg yolks, minced and ground meats, small amounts of liver, mashed avocado and low-sugar berries. The focus should be nutrient density, with plenty of protein, fat and bioavailable vitamins and minerals,” he added. 

“She’s right that healthy fats are crucial for babies’ brain, nerve and cell membrane development,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

South Carolina dietitian nutritionist Lauren Manaker told Fox News Digital that lean meat and other carnivore-diet-friendly foods are an important part of a baby’s diet, but they’re “best paired with a variety of plant-based foods to ensure they’re getting all the nutrients they need.”

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“Exposing babies to a wide range of flavors and textures early on is also key for developing healthy eating habits and reducing the risk of selective eating later in life,” she said.