This food pyramid favors saturated fats such as coconut oil and butter over PUFA-heavy oils, keeps total PUFA intake under 3 grams, and prioritizes lean protein sources after exercise for muscle protein synthesis.

“As little as one or two teaspoonfuls of coconut oil per day appears to have a strong protective effect against obesity and cancer.”

— Ray Peat

Top of the pyramid (fats)

[edit]

40-50 g, increase if moving a lot or feeling unsatiated, PUFA limit <3 g

Middle of the pyramid (proteins)

[edit]

After resistance training, lean pork supports post-exercise muscle protein synthesis more than an isocaloric high-fat pork meal.[1] Max. 60 g if stationary, if lifting 100 g, 20-30 g from gelatin

Bottom of the pyramid (carbs)

[edit]

Start with 200-300 g carbs, incrementally increase as you burn more calories

  • Fruits (All very ripe, organic, if not organic - Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry paper, confirm baking soda soaks remove 67-99% of surface pesticides from produce)
    • Valencia oranges
    • Canteloupes
    • Honeydews
    • Grapes
    • Papayas
    • Sapotas
    • Mangos
    • Dates
    • Lychees
    • Cherries
    • Watermelons
    • Cherimoyas
    • Longans
    • Corossol[2]
    • Guanabana
    • Guava
    • Pawpaw
    • Dried fruits (Dried fruits are tricky, lots of them are dried before they are ripe. Safest may be mangos and dates)
  • Vegetables
    • Bamboo shoots
    • Carrots (raw, washed)
    • White russet potatoes (rinsed, overboiled, with butter)
    • Taro
    • Masa harina (Corn Flour)
    • White button Mushrooms (at least 20 minutes boiled)
    • White rice (washed, soaked, ideally overboiled in broth)
  • Sweeteners
  • Drinks
  • Snacks

Spices

[edit]

Certain spices, especially cumin and caraway, are very allergenic for many people; it's good to be watchful, but some spices have protective effects, turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, and clove, for example.

— Ray Peat[5]

Foods to avoid

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Zupančič N, Burd NA, et al. "Lipid-rich meat blunts postexercise MPS," Am J Clin Nutr. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.09.001.
  2. ↑ Ray Peat, email correspondence, safe/allergenic fruit lists. Forum discussion
  3. ↑ "Caffeine: A vitamin-like nutrient, or adaptogen," Ray Peat article
  4. ↑ "Coconut Oil," Ray Peat article
  5. ↑ Spices, raypeatemails.com, email correspondence, response to a question on cumin, turmeric, and paprika
  6. ↑ Reported by Haidut (Ray Peat Forum) summarizing Peat's position that avocado's PUFA content, though a moderate percentage of its fat, is high in absolute terms for a fruit.
  7. ↑ Ray Peat, Q&A interview: nuts and seeds are largely excluded from his recommendations because of their PUFA content.
  8. ↑ Ray Peat, email correspondence: "Buckwheat is considered to be inflammatory."
  9. ↑ Ray Peat, email correspondence: "[Millet flour: goitrogen] It's only a diet dominated by goitrogenic foods that's a problem, small amounts don't have noticeable effects."
  10. ↑ Ray Peat, radio interview (Ask Your Herb Doctor, KMUD): lists Brussels sprouts, broccoli, rutabaga, turnips, radishes, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and millet as goitrogenic foods, safe when well cooked.