Editorial. “Carnivore Babies”: The New Trend That’s Driving Nutritionists Crazy

Five fruits and vegetables a day? For some American parents, fans of new trends and TikTok, this slogan is a thing of the past. Instead, these trendy parents prefer a simple diet: giving their baby meat at every meal. Of course, this so-called "ketogenic" diet is driving nutritionists crazy, advocating breastfeeding or a good old bottle. "Nonsense!" retort the steak advocates; testimonials from young parents admiring their carnivorous babies abound on social media. Of course, for mom and dad, this protein diet has nothing but advantages. In fact, they rave about the prowess of their barbecue-raised toddlers: they are supposedly stronger, more alert, and less... constipated. And of course, they are the cutest. You should see them, in fact, in the photos, munching on a bone-in rib-eye steak that's bigger than they are with their two tiny teeth.

Convinced they're choosing the best for their offspring, these parents stroll through the butcher's aisle with a sense of duty accomplished. It's true that shopping is simpler: no need to look for jars or, sacrilege, buy whole vegetables. No, by banning vegetables, some even evoke a return to the roots of humanity: the myth of the mammoth quarter roasted on a spit in front of the cave of our distant ancestors. Yet, according to food experts, this overconsumption of meat is nothing more than a ridiculous and dangerous fad. They believe that a child stuffed with meat will quickly experience protein overload with significant deficiencies in vitamin C, fiber, and calcium. In short, between carnivores, vegans, and raw foodists, everyone believes they know the truth. It's true that everyone does what they want with their plate: but why force your baby into these food fads?