Between 2017 and 2018, a specific subculture known as "Bitcoin Carnivores" emerged within the cryptocurrency community. This group consisted primarily of Bitcoin maximalists who argued that the same principles of discipline and "soundness" applied to both finance and personal health.
Prominent figures in the space, such as Michael Goldstein and Saifedean Ammous, began promoting the idea that fiat currency functioned as a "poison" to the global economy by encouraging debt and inflation. They drew a direct parallel to the modern diet, claiming that processed foods, seed oils, and carbohydrates were biological equivalents to fiat money, unnatural and harmful to the human body over time.
Members of this movement adopted a strict "zero-carb" or carnivore diet, consisting almost exclusively of red meat and water. The logic was rooted in a desire for total self-sovereignty; just as Bitcoin allowed them to opt-out of the traditional banking system, the carnivore diet was viewed as a way to opt-out of the industrial food system.
This lifestyle choice became a badge of identity among hardcore Bitcoiners. It was common for participants to post photos of large steaks on social media while discussing block size limits or monetary policy. They believed that by eliminating "inflationary" foods from their diet, they could achieve better mental clarity and long-term health, mirroring the long-term "HODL" investment strategy they applied to their Bitcoin holdings.
While the peak of the trend was most visible during the 2017-2018 market cycle, the connection between Bitcoin and the carnivore diet persists. It established a lasting stereotype of the "hardcore Bitcoiner" as someone who applies a minimalist, skeptical approach to both their bank account and their dinner plate.
Prominent figures in the space, such as Michael Goldstein and Saifedean Ammous, began promoting the idea that fiat currency functioned as a "poison" to the global economy by encouraging debt and inflation. They drew a direct parallel to the modern diet, claiming that processed foods, seed oils, and carbohydrates were biological equivalents to fiat money, unnatural and harmful to the human body over time.
Members of this movement adopted a strict "zero-carb" or carnivore diet, consisting almost exclusively of red meat and water. The logic was rooted in a desire for total self-sovereignty; just as Bitcoin allowed them to opt-out of the traditional banking system, the carnivore diet was viewed as a way to opt-out of the industrial food system.
This lifestyle choice became a badge of identity among hardcore Bitcoiners. It was common for participants to post photos of large steaks on social media while discussing block size limits or monetary policy. They believed that by eliminating "inflationary" foods from their diet, they could achieve better mental clarity and long-term health, mirroring the long-term "HODL" investment strategy they applied to their Bitcoin holdings.
While the peak of the trend was most visible during the 2017-2018 market cycle, the connection between Bitcoin and the carnivore diet persists. It established a lasting stereotype of the "hardcore Bitcoiner" as someone who applies a minimalist, skeptical approach to both their bank account and their dinner plate.
