Grill me about meats

No one on God's green earth loves red meat as much as I do, believe me.

But I've been reading about this all-meat diet that some people are bragging about, and even I, never known for my wise culinary choices, have to wonder about it.

So I looked into it, because I know this is a "high-steaks" kind of proposition, and I don't want to get involved in a beef with a dietician.

There's a guy named Wally Walters in New York City who claims he has eliminated veggies and pasta and breads for the last two years, and now, he has for the past four months done without sugar and vegetables totally.

That's the basis of the "carnivore diet:" no carbs, lotta protein, and it seems to be a growing trend.

"I had less inflammation in my body. It was easier to get up. I had much more energy," said Walters.

He used to do that paleo thing, trying to eat only food that cavemen living in Paleolithic days could have. Think of Fred Flintstone and his Brontosaurus ribs. He did not have cole slaw or potato salad as sides, right?

Wondering what Wally has for meals in a day?

"Bacon. Eggs with cheese in the morning, so all animal products, and then I'd have a pound of ground beef for lunch, usually burgers, and then at night, I'd either have another steak or have more burgers," comes his answer.

Hot Pastrami makes a fine sammy.

Wally seems to stick to the red meat section, but carnivores can have  chicken, fish and pork. As long as something came from an animal, it makes the list.

"For the last four months, I've felt so much better. I've lost 20 pounds and I don't think I'm going back," said Walters, as he bypassed the Salad Bar and Baked Potato Station.

OK - more energy, lost weight, how can it be bad? Let's hear from  nutritionist Rachel Lustgarten, who says to hold up a minute.

"Eating a diet that only consists of fat and protein means we're losing out on a lot of really important nutrients. Chief among them is fiber. This is not necessarily something that's going to be sustainable or healthy in the long run," said Lustgarten.

And furthermore (I love getting to use that word) I saw the doctor on Good Morning America pointing out that this paleo diet and things like it might have been healthy for cavedwellers, but there have been a few evolutionary physiological changes in our bodies in the past, say, several million years. The Paleo Age began 2.5 million years ago and lasted until the end of the last Ice Age, about 9,600 BC.

And that, of course, was coincident with the opening of the very first Buffet restaurant, featuring salad bars with over 48 types of greenery and toppers.