"Just eating what you consider to be the most delicious food can greatly help the intestine secrete more juices so things digest faster and move along more smoothly." - Ray Peat[1]
Diet
The idea is to focus on metabolically supportive foods: Avoid stressors (e.g., PUFAs, anti-nutrients); prioritize easy-to-digest, nutrient-dense options. Balance macros, eat mixed meals (protein + carbs + fat for more complete absorption). Balance macros (50% carbs, 25% protein/fat adjustable). Drink according to thirst, transition gradually, especially from restrictive diets.
Macros
“The proportion of proteins, carbohydrates, and fat - it probably should be something like a third of each, but I’m not sure what the ideal is. It depends so much on the quality of each of them. Avoid starch, and avoiding eating polyunsaturated fats, and avoiding the very high tryptophan-content proteins... then you could go very high on any one of the major nutrients without problem” - Ray Peat
| Carbs | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|
| Start with 200-300 g carbs | When sedentary: 60 - 80 grams | When sedentary: 40-50 g |
| Increase incrementally if more calories are needed | When lifting or physically active: ~100g | When lifting or physically active: Increase according to satiety |
| 20-30g of it from gelatin | Limit PUFA intake to less than 3 grams/day | |
| Carb to protein ratio: 6-10 to 1 |
Tracking food intake with Cronometer is extremely useful in getting an overall picture of daily micro and macro intake, and sometimes tracking only for about a week is enough.
Use recipeats.org for meal ideas and recipes.
Eliminating starches, most fibers, and gluten can be useful to start with.
“For people with really sensitive intestines or bad bacteria, starch should be zero… Starch is less harmful when eaten with saturated fat, but it’s still more fattening than sugars.” - Ray Peat
Eating saturated fats, the carrot salad, coffee, carbonated beverages, prioritizing sunlight, eating a moderate protein (with gelatin intake being 20-30 grams) and a high carbohydrate diet that includes eggs (choline/vitamin A), shellfish/liver, reducing muscle meats consumption due to their high iron and tryptophan content, lowering starch intake and limiting PUFA, eating simple sugars, supplementing aspirin, baking soda, vitamin E and K2, thiamine, and limiting alcohol intake can all be helpful.
"Start with a raw carrot salad on an empty stomach. Even just eating a carrot will have an affect. .7-1g per lb. Prioritize protein from shellfish, dairy, liver, gelatinous meat, gelatin powder, eggs." - Ray Peat
Peating while traveling can be
restaurant
Family
Gas station
Keeping it safe hubbly
Work/school
Make your own Tupperware so you don't have to eat slop at school/work
**List of prep foods**
https://twitter.com/gyxk4/status/1688310605239795712
Substitutes
| Not Peaty (avoid / limit) | Peaty (prefer / substitute) |
|---|---|
| Seed oils (canola, soy, corn, safflower, sunflower) | Butter, ghee, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, beef tallow |
| Margarine / shortening | Heavy cream |
| Soy milk, oat milk, nut milks | Whole, low-fat or skim milk (cow, goat, sheep, and camel) |
| Industrial cheese (additives, colors, microbial or vegetarian rennet) | Animal rennet DOP cheeses, cottage cheese, ricotta, farmer’s cheese |
| Whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat, oats, bran) | White rice, masa harina, sourdough white bread, potatoes (peeled & well cooked) |
| Beans, lentils, chickpeas (high in antinutrients, poor protein quality) | Gelatin, bone broth, dairy, fruits, shellfish |
| Leafy greens (raw kale, spinach, chard – oxalates, goitrogens) | Cooked zucchini, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, raw carrots |
| Cruciferous (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage – goitrogens) | Cooked squash, pumpkin, well-cooked root vegetables |
| Nuts/seeds (walnuts, almonds, flax, chia, peanut butter) | Fruits, dried fruits, fruit juice, gelatin snacks, macadamia nuts (have the fat composition of olive oil) |
| Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel – high in PUFA) | Lean fish, white and warmwater fish, oysters, shrimp, scallops, octopus. |
| Industrially raised pork / chicken fat (high in PUFA) | Ruminant fat: beef, lamb, bison |
| Soy products (tofu, soy protein, soy sauce) | Dairy protein (milk, cheese), gelatin, shellfish |
| Coffee on empty stomach | Coffee with milk + sugar (or honey) |
| Raw onions/garlic (gut irritating) | Cooked mushrooms, bamboo shoots, carrot salad |
| Commercial desserts (PUFA oils, gums, starch thickeners) | Homemade custards, ice cream (milk, sugar, yolk), fruit + gelatin |
| Soda with HFCS | Mexican coke, Orange juice, cane-sugar soda, fruit juice |
| Energy drinks (artificial sweeteners) (Monster, Bang..) | Redbull, Coffee with milk + sugar, honey water, juice + salt |
| Processed snacks (chips, crackers, PUFA fried foods) | Homemade potato chips (coconut oil), fruit + cheese |
| Starch | Gelatin |
| Baking powder | Baking soda + vinegar |
| Mayonnaise | Yogurt or coconut/olive oil mayo |
Nutrients, Their Role, and Food Sources
| Nutrient | Role and Effects | Food Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | Suppresses PTH and inflammation and supports metabolism. | Milk, cheese, eggshell calcium |
| Cholesterol | Raw material for sex hormones. | Egg yolks, liver, milk, cheese |
| Magnesium | Cofactor for calcium absorption as well as reduces inflammation and anxiety. | Coffee, milk, orange juice |
| Potassium | Facilitates glucose uptake and exhibits an insulin-like function. | Fresh orange juice, ripe fruits |
| Selenium | Required for thyroid hormone metabolism and immune function. | Eggs, beef liver, oysters |
| Sodium | Supports the metabolic rate and lowers the stress hormones like adrenaline. | Salt (canning/pickling salt preferred) |
| Vitamin A | Supports the production of pregnenolone and sex hormones; anti-estrogen; protein sparing. | Liver, egg yolks, milk |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) | Works with glucose and thyroid hormone to repair cells and tissues. When one of these energy-producing factors is lacking, the changes in cell
functions – a sort of pre-inflammatory state – activate corrective processes. |
Beef Liver |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | Cofactor in glucose metabolism and brain/nerve protective. | Orange juice, pork. |
| Vitamin B6 | Supports amino acid metabolism and serotonin regulation. | Liver, egg yolk, milk |
| Vitamin C | Major component for transforming cholesterol into bile acids. | Pulp-Free Orange Juice |
| Vitamin D3 | Enhances calcium absorption, modulates serotonin, and prolactin. | Sunlight, supplementation, Beef liver/Egg Yolk/Goat's Milk |
| Vitamin E | Antagonizes estrogen and prolactin, protects against iron and PUFA overload. | Egg yolks, liver |
| Vitamin K2 | Anti-estrogenic, activates vitamins A and D, improves calcium utilization and bone strength. | Liver, egg yolks, /Gouda 13 weeks+, Edam/Maasdam 5 weeks+, Raw Milk Cheese, etc./Natto. |
| Zinc & Copper | Essential for thyroid hormone conversion and activation of mitochondrial enzymes. | Oysters, liver, shrimp |
https://x.com/questmoosa/status/1995416240907813198
Food Pyramid
| Roadmap Navigation | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← Previous step Roadmap/01 - Basics |
← Full Roadmap Overview | Next step → Roadmap/03 - Self diagnosis & markers |
