Eric-Jorgenson The-Almanack-of-Naval-Ravikant indd

Do you have an opinion on the ketogenic diet?

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S A V I N G Y O U R S E L F · 163
It seems really difficult to follow. It makes sense for the brain 
and the body to have a backup mechanism. For example, in 
the Ice Ages, humans evolved without many plants available. 
At the same time, we have been eating plants for thousands 
of years…I don’t think plants are bad for you, but something 
closer to the paleo diet is probably correct.
I think the interplay between sugar and fat is really interesting. 
Fat is what makes you satiated. Fatty foods make you feel full. 
The easiest way to feel full is to go on a ketogenic diet, where 
you’re eating tons of bacon all the time, and you’re going to feel 
almost nauseous and not want to look at fat anymore.
Sugar makes you hungry. Sugar signals to your body, “There’s 
this incredible food resource in the environment we’re not 
evolved for,” so you rush out to get sugar. The problem is the 
sugar effect dominates the fat effect. If you eat a fatty meal and 
you throw some sugar in, the sugar is going to deliver hunger 
and fat is going to deliver the calories and you’re just going 
to binge. That’s why all desserts are large combinations of fat 
and carbs together.
In nature, it’s very rare to find carbs and fat together. In nature, 
I find carbs and fat together in coconuts, in mangoes, maybe 
in bananas, but it’s basically tropical fruits. The combination 
of sugar and fat together is really deadly. You’ve got to watch 
out for that in your diet.
I’m not an expert, and the problem is diet and nutrition are like 
politics: everybody thinks they’re an expert. Their identity is 
wrapped up in it because what they’ve been eating or what they 
think they should be eating is obviously the correct answer. 
Everybody has a little religion—it’s just a really difficult topic 

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164 · T H E A L M A N A C K O F N A V A L R A V I K A N T
to talk about. I will just say in general, any sensible diet avoids 
the combination of sugar and fat together. [2]
Dietary fat drives satiety. Dietary sugar drives hunger. The 
sugar effect dominates. Control your appetite accordingly.
Most fit and healthy people focus much more on what they eat 
than how much. Quality control is easier than (and leads to) 
quantity control. [11]
Ironically, fasting (from a low-carb/paleo base) is easier than 
portion control. Once the body detects food, it overrides the 
brain. [11]
What I wonder about Wonder Bread is how it can stay soft at 
room temperature for months. If bacteria won’t eat it, should 
you? [11]
It has been five thousand years, and we’re still arguing over 
whether meat is poisonous or plants are poisonous. Ditch 
the extremists and any food invented in the last few hundred 
years. [11]
When it comes to medicine and nutrition, subtract before you 
add. [11]
My trainer sends me photos of his meals, and it reminds me 
we are all flavor addicts. [11]

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S A V I N G Y O U R S E L F · 165
World’s simplest diet: The more processed the food, the less 
one should consume.
EXERCISE
The harder the workout, the easier the day.