Jenny McCarthy has revealed how she ‘almost died’ being a vegan and had to switch to the influencer-loved carnivore diet. 

The 52-year-old model and author, who endorsed Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr last year, recently said she became ‘very ill’ after following veganism. 

McCarthy said during an episode of the Heal Squad podcast hosted by Maria Menounos: ‘I tried vegan and I almost died. I became so ill. I was exhausted and fatigued. I was a mess.’

A vegan diet is based on plants, such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits. Vegans abstain from eating foods that come from animals including meats, eggs, dairy and honey.

While a carnivore meal plan only allows the consumption of meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, fish, some dairy products and water, thus eliminating all other kinds of foods. 

Due to a vegan diet’s naturally lower calorie density, higher fiber content and emphasis on whole and unprocessed foods, vegans tend to feel more full and end up reducing their overall calorie intake – leading to weight loss and preventing obesity. 

They are also typically rich in fiber, antioxidants, saturated fat and cholesterol, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes as well as lower the risk of certain types of cancer, such as colon, breast and prostate cancer.

But McCarthy, who said she is allergic to soy – a vegan staple – claims her carbohydrate-heavy diet instead left her feeling like she was ‘literally dying’ and led her to try the meat-dominant carnivore diet. 

And while there are no controlled studies to support claims the carnivore diet can help eliminate health issues and is relatively healthier, its followers claim it has treated their depression, anxiety, arthritis, obesity, and diabetes. 

The former Playmate said: ‘I went on a low histamine diet, I went on every one of ’em. Finally, my functional medicine doctor said to me last year, “It’s time for you to go full carnivore”. 

‘And I’m like, ugh, OK. I’m from Chicago so I can handle it, but it just felt very low vibrational heavy for me. I was kind of a more eating salmon [type of person] and doing light things like this.  

‘But [I felt] I might as well give it a try; it was like my last resort diet. It has been f****** incredible for me and I stress for me.’

The vegan diet shot to fame after multiple health reports showed obesity was a common and chronic disease among millions of Americans. 

Over 200 million Americans over the age of 25 and nearly 50 million children and adolescents between the ages of five and 24 are expected to be obese by 2050. 

However, in 2024, researchers found plant-based diets could be loaded with sodium, which could raise blood pressure, packed with obesity-causing saturated fat and stripped of bone-building calcium.   

They evaluated over 700 plant-based foods sold in supermarkets, including alternatives to burgers, sausages, milk, cheese, and yogurt, as well as vegan staples like beans and tofu. 

The group found just half a cup of tofu contained 2,000 milligrams of sodium, nearly an entire day’s worth, according to US guidelines. 

Additionally, trendy coconut milks were loaded with saturated fat, more than six times that of other milk alternatives.  

And over 90 percent of cheeses analyzed were not fortified with calcium, which is essential for growth and maintaining bone health. 

‘We found some products are so high in salt or saturated fat, we’d struggle to call them “healthy,”‘ the researchers wrote for The Conversation. 

Furthermore, experts have found that eating ultra-processed plant-based products – such as vegan sausages or burgers intended to replace animal-based foods, as well as cakes and chips – is linked with a 15 percent higher risk of suffering heart attacks and strokes.

That’s according to an analysis of more than 118,000 participants’ diets from the UK Biobank study.

Packed with fat, salt and laden with sugar, ultra-processed foods have long been vilified for increasing heart attack and stroke rise.  

Dr Eszter Vamos, co-author of the study, from Imperial College London’s School of Public Health, said: ‘Fresh plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, wholegrains and legumes are known to have important health and environmental benefits.

‘While ultra-processed foods are often marketed as healthy foods, this large study suggests that plant-based ultra-processed foods do not seem to have protective health effects and are linked to poor health outcomes.’

However, on a balanced vegetarian diet, there can be a myriad of health benefits.  

Research published in Lancet Regional Health – Europe, found deaths from heart disease fell by a fifth in vegetarians who consumed the least ultra-processed foods and there was a 13 percent drop in cardiovascular disease overall.

As the carnivore diet continues to gain prominence, experts have begun to warn against the effect meat-diets can have on heart and kidney health. 

Eating a lot of protein, especially from red meat and some fish, can cause the body to make more uric acid. Too much of it can build up in the kidneys and form crystals, which can turn into uric acid stones. 

High-protein diets can also cause the body to excrete more calcium through urine.

Excess calcium combines with oxalates, naturally occurring compounds in the body and plant-based foods, to form rigid kidney stones.

Additionally, Dr Shireen Kassam, the founder and director of Plant-Based Health Professionals also warned that an a heavy animal-based diet essentially contains zero fiber and high quantities of saturated fat as well as dietary cholesterol. 

This could increase the likelihood of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and dementia. 

Excluding plant-based foods also leads to deficiencies in key micronutrients, including magnesium, potassium and vitamin C – all of which are essential for maintaining overall health. 

Dr Kassam said: ‘The carnivore diet is nutritionally unbalanced, unsustainable, and potentially harmful in the long run. 

‘While short-term benefits may come from eliminating processed foods, there are far healthier ways to achieve health goals without sacrificing essential nutrients.’

However, a 2021 study found despite the diet’s prominent nutrient deficiencies, adults consuming a carnivore diet experienced few adverse effects and instead reported health benefits and 95 percent satisfaction.