Ben Greenfield, a renowned biohacker, former athlete, bestselling author, and fitness expert, has dedicated his life to optimizing the human body and mind through a combination of ancestral wisdom and modern science. His approach to diet is no different, emphasizing nutrient-rich foods, strategic supplementation, and personalized experimentation to achieve peak performance and longevity.
While there's no "one-size-fits-all" diet, Greenfield's approach provides a framework for individuals to tailor their nutrition based on their unique needs and goals. This article delves into the core principles of the Ben Greenfield diet plan, exploring various dietary strategies and practical tips to help you optimize your health and well-being.
Laying the Foundation: Beginner Diet Plans
Before diving into advanced dietary strategies, Greenfield emphasizes the importance of establishing a solid foundation with clean eating protocols designed to reboot and reset the body, especially the gut. He recommends following one of the meal plans in this section for a minimum of 4-8 weeks, particularly for those with gut issues, inflammation, or autoimmune symptoms.
Autoimmune Paleo Diet (AIP)
The AIP diet is a stricter version of the Paleo diet, eliminating foods that may cause inflammation in individuals with leaky gut. This includes dairy, grains, eggs, nightshades, and legumes. By focusing on nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory foods, the AIP diet aims to heal inflammation and repair the gut lining.
This plan is particularly beneficial for individuals with sensitivities to wheat, soy, gluten, dairy, or eggs, as indicated by food allergy panels or gut inflammation tests.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)
The SCD is a gluten-free and grain-free diet that restricts complex carbohydrates, aiming to reduce gut inflammation and promote healing. It was initially developed to treat celiac disease and has been found effective for individuals with IBD, IBS, bloating, gas, or gut inflammation triggered by gluten or grain consumption.
Gut & Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Diet
Derived from the SCD, the GAPS diet focuses on removing foods that are difficult to digest and damaging to gut flora, replacing them with nutrient-dense foods that support gut healing. This diet is particularly beneficial for individuals with cognitive issues, irritation, brain fog, or nervous system problems related to the gut.
Dr. Thomas Rau's Swiss Detox Diet
This protocol is designed as a 7-14 day "jumpstart" to cleanse the liver and gallbladder, promoting detoxification and overall well-being. It can be incorporated one to two times per year, especially during periods of rest and recovery. An alternative is Dr. John Douillard’s Colorado Cleanse, which is very similar in terms of it being a comprehensive approach to specifically heal and detoxify the gut, liver, and gallbladder. Both programs involve simple foods like kitchari cleansing stew, olive oil, and celery juice.
Elemental Diet
For those needing to manage severe gut inflammation, SIBO, candida, yeast, fungus, constipation, FODMAP sensitivities, or leaky gut, the elemental diet can serve as a "reboot" button for digestion. This involves consuming only a meal replacement powder for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with extra oils, fats, and amino acids. Organic bone broth can be used as a liquid base, and blending with ice and vanilla stevia can improve the taste. Basic soups, broths, and steamed vegetables can be included in the evening meal for variety.
Leveling Up: Intermediate Diet Plans
After following a beginner plan for 8-12 weeks, the gut is better prepared to handle a wider variety of foods. The following intermediate plans focus on reducing glycemic variability and inflammation while providing a diverse intake of wild plants, natural oils, and digestible, nutrient-dense foods.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
The Wahls Protocol
Developed by Dr. Terry Wahls, this plant-rich, Paleo-esque diet is designed to reduce inflammation and support neurological health. It emphasizes meat, fish, vegetables (especially green, leafy ones), brightly colored fruit, and fat from animal and plant sources, while avoiding dairy, eggs, grains, legumes, nightshades, and sugar.
The Plant Paradox Diet
Created by Dr. Stephen Gundry, this protocol eliminates dietary lectins, limits sugar, and curbs high intake of polyunsaturated omega-6 fats. It starts with a 3-day cleanse to repopulate gut bacteria, followed by a phase of eating only approved foods for at least six weeks.
Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet
This approach combines the benefits of the Mediterranean diet with the metabolic advantages of a ketogenic diet. It emphasizes plants, omega-3 fatty acids, natural oils, fasting, low starch intake, and high vegetable intake to promote weight loss, improve cardiovascular health, and reduce inflammation.
Ben Greenfield's Daily Dietary Habits
Greenfield's personal diet reflects his commitment to nutrient density, strategic supplementation, and personalized experimentation. While his specific choices may not be suitable for everyone, they offer valuable insights into optimizing nutrition for peak performance and longevity.
Morning Routine
- Hydration Cocktail: A giant glass of water with Hydrogen tablets, Quinton minerals, and an Adrenal Cocktail to invigorate the day.
- Morning Supplements: Calorie-free supplements like NAD and probiotics.
- Hot Beverage: Black Kion coffee, chaga, cordyceps, lion’s mane mushrooms from Four Sigmatic, loose-leaf tea from Kauai Farmacy, or MiCacao.
- Pre-Workout Boost: Feel Free (kratom and kava), Nootopia nootropics, Update energy drink, Qualia Mind, or Kion Aminos and HVMN or KetoneAid ketones.
- Morning Smoothie: Wild organic blueberries, frozen raw liver bites, Kion Creatine, Kion Colostrum, Kion Clean Vanilla Protein, Ceylon cinnamon, Mexican Colima salt, and BiOptimizers MassZymes.
Lunch
- Protein Base: Leftover grass-fed beef, wild-caught salmon, pastured pork, chicken, or organ meats.
- Vegetable Powder: Kauai Farmacy powders and Dr. Thomas Cowan's powders.
- Baby Food: Serenity Kids Baby Foods for organic vegetables, herbs, and oils.
- Low-Calorie Fillers: Sea moss gel, chia seed slurry, pumpkin puree, or Miracle Noodles.
- Beverage: Organifi Green Juice, bone broth, homemade water kefir, Pellegrino sparkling water, or Ketone Water by KetoneAid.
- Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies: For a healthy dose of probiotics and digestive support.
Dinner
- Protein Source: Beef, fish, chicken, pork, or organ meats.
- Vegetables: Fresh mushrooms, carrot fries, or in-season root vegetables like parsnips, beets, or sweet potatoes.
- Salad: Sprouts and arugula with goat cheese, basil, and fresh tomatoes.
- Toppings: Primal Kitchen mustard, ketchup, or BBQ sauce.
- Drink: Organic wine, Hard Ketones, or a liquor-based bitter digestif like Croatin Pelinkovac or Italian Ebo Lebo.
Key Principles of the Ben Greenfield Diet
- Prioritize Nutrient Density: Focus on foods rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids, rather than just calories.
- Optimize Digestibility: Choose foods that are easy to digest and minimize gut irritation.
- Incorporate Healthy Fats: Emphasize saturated fats like olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil, while avoiding vegetable oils.
- Experiment with Supplements: Strategically use supplements to address nutrient deficiencies and enhance performance.
- Personalize Your Approach: Tailor your diet to your unique needs, goals, and preferences.
Ben Greenfield's Biohacking Strategies
Minimizing Vegetable Oils
Ben Greenfield is an outspoken critic of vegetable oils, citing their potential to negatively impact metabolism, inflammation levels, oxidative stress, weight, and cancer risk. He advocates for using saturated fats like olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil for cooking and prefers steaming, boiling, or steaming food, adding fats after cooking.
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
Embracing a Balanced Approach to Carbohydrates
While Greenfield once followed a strict ketogenic diet, he now adopts a more balanced approach. He cuts carbs during the day for increased focus but consumes 200-300g of carbs in the evening for better sleep and balanced hormones. He has also shifted from a fat-heavy keto diet to a Mediterranean-inspired diet with foods like olives, avocados, and olive oil.
Strategic Supplementation
Greenfield incorporates a variety of supplements into his daily routine to optimize his health and performance. These include:
- Coenzyme Q10
- Magnesium
- NAD-Booster
- Calcium
- Sleep booster
- Zinc
- Resveratrol
- Quercetin
- Creatine
- Whey protein
- Krill oil
- Oregano oil
- Alpha-Lipoic acid
- Green tea extract (EGCG)
The Importance of Gut Health
Greenfield emphasizes the importance of gut health and incorporates strategies to support a healthy microbiome. These include:
- Consuming fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir, and fermented pickles.
- Taking a symbiotic to strengthen the microbiome.
- Incorporating immune-boosting mushrooms like shiitake, maitake, cordyceps, and chaga.
Ben Greenfield: A Holistic Approach to Biohacking
Greenfield's approach to biohacking extends beyond diet and exercise, encompassing a holistic strategy that integrates body, mind, and spirituality. His deep faith in God and Jesus sets him apart from many other biohackers, motivating him to do good for others and make the world a better place.
He practices four spiritual disciplines daily: service, gratitude, search for meaning, and self-reflection, aiming to enjoy God's creation to the fullest and fulfill his unique purpose in life.
tags: #ben #greenfield #diet #plan