Steak & Butter Gal: Who She Is, What She Eats, and the Debate Around Her Diet

Who Is Steak & Butter Gal?

Steak & Butter Gal, real name Isabella “Bella” Ma, is a musician-turned-health influencer best known for promoting the carnivore diet — a way of eating that focuses exclusively on animal foods.

Formerly vegan, Bella says she switched to meat and butter after struggling with health issues like fatigue, skin problems, and hormonal imbalance. Through her YouTube channel and online community, The Steak & Butter Gang, she shares her journey, recipes, and “carnivore challenges,” encouraging others to experiment with animal-based nutrition.

What Her Diet Looks Like

Bella’s version of the carnivore diet is high-fat, moderate-protein, and zero-carb. She claims that this approach supports energy, mental clarity, and weight control.

Her diet typically includes:

  • Beef and lamb — often fatty cuts like ribeye
  • Butter and ghee — sometimes up to two sticks per day
  • Eggs and seafood — for variety and micronutrients
  • Animal-based broths or “golden jello” — rendered fat that solidifies into gelatin
  • No plants or carbs — no fruits, vegetables, grains, or sugar

She also experiments with fat fasting (eating mainly butter and tallow) and intermittent fasting, claiming these help reset metabolism and digestion.

Bella has said she experienced dramatic benefits: clear skin, steady energy, weight loss (around 30 lbs), and stable hormones. She also shares bloodwork results showing high HDL and low triglycerides — numbers she interprets as markers of good metabolic health.

Debate and Perspectives

Bella’s extreme approach has drawn both praise and skepticism from different sides of the nutrition world.

Positive Views

Supporters see Bella as proof that animal-based nutrition can be healing. Many followers report better digestion, energy, and mood after removing plant foods, citing relief from inflammation and autoimmune symptoms.
Her message of “listening to your body” resonates with those who feel failed by conventional diets. Some health professionals exploring low-carb or ketogenic science argue that higher cholesterol isn’t necessarily dangerous if inflammation markers remain low.

Additionally, Bella’s openness — sharing her lab tests and mental health journey — helps de-stigmatize unconventional dietary experimentation. Her success has inspired thousands to join her online community for support and guidance.

Critical Views

On the other hand, many nutritionists and doctors warn that her diet is highly unbalanced and lacks essential nutrients found in plants, such as fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants.
They also highlight the potential danger of elevated LDL cholesterol, which Bella’s own results show rising sharply — something most cardiologists still associate with higher heart disease risk.

Gut health experts caution that the absence of fiber can reduce beneficial gut bacteria, while long-term high-fat intake may strain the liver or kidneys.
Skeptics also argue that Bella’s improvements are anecdotal, and that long-term studies on such restrictive diets are lacking. Her public claims (like “I don’t need vegetables”) are often viewed as oversimplified or sensationalized.

Conclusion

Steak & Butter Gal represents a bold, experimental corner of the nutrition world — where personal experience challenges conventional wisdom. Her story inspires curiosity about the potential of fat-fueled, meat-based eating, but also raises valid concerns about long-term health, nutrient diversity, and scientific evidence.

For anyone considering this kind of diet, the best approach is open-minded caution: track your bloodwork, consult a healthcare professional, and remember that what works for one person may not work — or be safe — for another.

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