meatheavy

Meatheavy is an informal term used to describe diets, menus, or culinary styles that place meat at the center of meals and give it prominence over plant-based components. As an adjective, meatheavy characterizes meals or menus with a high meat-to-vegetable ratio; as a noun, it may refer to a meat-heavy approach or a dish described as such. The term is not a formal dietary category and lacks standardized definitions in nutrition science.

Origins are informal and largely trace to contemporary food writing and online discussions. It is commonly used in reviews of steakhouses, barbecue venues, and meat-centered recipes, as well as in discussions of dietary patterns such as paleo, ketogenic, or carnivore-adjacent approaches where animal products predominate.

In culinary contexts, meatheavy can imply substantial portions, heavy sauces, and cooking methods that maximize meat flavor, such as grilling, roasting, or smoking. In nutrition and health discourse, a meatheavy pattern raises considerations about protein sources, micronutrient balance, saturated fat intake, and fiber; practitioners often contrast it with plant-forward, balanced, or meat-light approaches. Environmental and ethical concerns, including greenhouse gas emissions and animal welfare, are frequently cited in critiques of meatheavy patterns.

Related terms include meat-centric diet, carnivore diet, paleo diet, and ketogenic diet.