Bachelor Chow (A Soylent Recipe)

Soylent is all the rage these days, so I decided to make my own version, which follows these parameters:

• Nutritionally complete. I will be following my own RDAs not the USDA's though.
• Low carb / ketogenic. As low in net carbs as possible.

Here's my recipe:

• 70g whey protein powder
• 400g coconut milk (canned, not light)
• 180g cream
• 23g almonds
• 14g flax seeds
• 10g brazil nuts
• 3/4tsp pink salt
• 1 multivitamin
• 500mg choline
• 315mg magnesium citrate
• 1,500IU vit D3
• 150ug vit K2 (D3+K2=3 drops Thorne D3/K2 drops)
• 3.5mg iodine (1 drop lugol's 7%)
• 500mg vit C

A total of 14-15 ingredients. Total weight ~930g.

Why each ingredient?

• Whey protein: protein, duh.
• Coconut milk: keto-power activate!
• Cream: liquid gold.
• Almond milk: flavour and some omega-6.
• Flax seeds: omega-3s. You could omit and use cod liver oil (replacing retinol too) or fish oil, but this recipe uses flax seeds as default for taste reasons.
• Brazil nuts: selenium.
• Salt: sodium, chloride.
• Multivitamin+specific nutrients: the MV provides most nutrients except the fat soluble ones in enough quantity, magnesium, iodine, choline, and vitamin C (vit C is included as this recipe as it has some carbs, just as a safe guard (though best to not cook it and take it separately)).

Nutrition:

2050 calories, 65g protein, 31g carbs (26g net), 194g fat (omega ratio = 1.9).

Instructions:

1. Weigh out almonds/flax.
2. Soak them overnight in salty water, then drain.
3. Weigh out rest of ingredients.
4. Set the nuts grinding with water then strain to make nut milk. Discard solids.
5. Mix all ingredients together into paste.
6. Store in 3-6 small containers.
7. When ready to eat mix one container with water to desired thickness.
8. Drink water as desired also.

One example is 3 'meals', each made up with 750ml of water, for a total of 2ltrs of water consumed over the day. Weigh out 310g each meal for 3 meals, 233g each for 4 meals, 186g for 5 meals, 155g for 6 meals.

I did a basic cost check using mostly Tesco, Holland & Barret's, and a couple of items on Amazon.co.uk, the cost is about £3.15 per day, that's £22.05 per week, not too shabby.

If you're eating other nutritious food and want to just make this for snacks/emergencies, then leave out all the supplements (use first 7 ingredients). It will come out to £2.75 per recipe.

How does it taste? Probably like coconutty whey protein shake (whatever flavour you bought). I may make up a batch soon and post pictures of the process and give you my reaction to the taste. [Edit: I originally made a solid version (using coconut oil and coconut meat instead of coconut milk and cream) but the texture was really weird, I didn't like it, so made a liquid version.]


Name inspired by Futurama's Bachelor Chow (now with flavour!):

Home-made Mineral Water

Most water is pitiful, it's either contaminated with chlorine/fluorine, or is very poor in minerals after being cleaned/filtered. Here I purpose the ultimate solution (pun intended), for home-made mineral water.

Recipe:

• ~2L distilled or very pure water
• ~200mg silicia
• ~150mg magnesium citrate
• 1/2tsp sea salt, eg himalayan pink salt
• 1/2tsp low-sodium salt (66% KCl)
• [or 1/3tsp no-sodium salt + 2/3tsp sea salt]
• 2tbsp lemon juice
• 2tbsp distilled/white vinegar
• Optional:
• 200ug lithium orotate
• 1 drop Lugol's solution, 3-7% (1.5-3.5mg iodine)

Rational:

• Start with very pure or distilled water to minimise toxins/contaminants.
• Silica, used to remove excess aluminium, set at similar levels to Fuji water which is shown in studies to be effective.
• Magnesium, needed for over 300 enzymes, most people are very deficient in this mineral due to soil depletion, diluting it in water is a great way to increase intake.
• Salts (sea and low-sodium), these provide the electrolytes sodium and potassium, the sea salt provides trace minerals including a bit of magnesium.
• Lemon juice and vinegar, these improve the taste and absorption of water, blunt glycaemic responds (stops high blood sugar peaks), and also remove excess iron.
• Lithium, for mood support. Populations with water low in lithium are more prone to violent crimes and suicides.
• Iodine, needed for thyroid health and prevention of certain cancers, set a base therapeutic level; if you eat seaweed then this isn't needed though.

If anyone has anything else they think should be in the mineral water, then feel free to comment below or send me an email :)




Update (20/12/13) - Version 2:

Mineral water #0: Water Base

• 2,000ml distilled or very pure water
• 2tbsp vinegar, white/distilled
• 2tbsp lemon juice
• 1-2tsp Himalayan pink salt or similar
• 200mg silica / silicic acid
• 200ug lithium oratate (optional)
• 1.5-3.5mg iodine (1 drop 3-7% Lugol's solution)

Mineral Water #1: Magnesium

• 315mg magnesium citrate (1/2tsp powder)
• 250-500ml mineral water #0

Mineral Water #2: Vitamin C

• 2.5g vitamin C / ascorbic acid
• 250-500ml mineral water #0
• Update (21/12/13) - version 2.1: Due to acidity issues with my teeth last night, always add some bicarbonate of soda (bicarb) in equal amounts to the ascorbic acid.

All can be sweetened/flavoured if desired. Drinking one of #1/2 plus two plain #0s, results in exactly my original recipe, minus the low/no-sodium salt which I am removing because I feel the potassium isn't that critical really.

Why the split? For better timing of nutrients, for example drink #1 before bed. #2 is optional, drink #0 through the day.

What to do if you can't filter crappy water (thanks for the reminder Raphi!):

• Chlorine: boil water and allow to cool to room temperature, the chlorine will off-gas, so best to place outside or by open window to cool.
• Chloroamines: add 1/4tsp vitamin C / ascorbic acid to the water base to neutralise chloroamines.
• Fluorine: Use 4-8 drops 3% or 2-4 drops 7% Lugol's solution depending on level of fluoridation, this won't remove it from the water but combat the effects of the fluorine in your body.