Ray Peat Carrot Salad is a simple and nutritious salad recipe that aligns with the dietary principles advocated by Dr. Ray Peat, a biologist and physiologist known for his research on hormones and nutrition.
Quick Look: Ray Peat Carrot Salad
- What it is: The Ray Peat carrot salad is a simple raw carrot salad made with coconut oil, vinegar, and salt.
- Key ingredients: Raw carrot, coconut oil, apple cider or white vinegar, and salt.
- Total time: 2 minutes.
- Best time to eat: Traditionally enjoyed as a mid-morning snack between meals.
- Flavor: Crisp, lightly sweet, and tangy.
- Why people eat it: Many people enjoy this salad daily as part of the Ray Peat approach and say it supports digestion and gut health. It uses just four simple pantry ingredients and takes only a few minutes to make.
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Jump to:
- Quick Look: Ray Peat Carrot Salad
- What's the Big Deal About This Salad?
- What Does The Carrot Salad Do?
- Why You Need Carrot Salad
- How to Decrease Your Estrogen Load
- How to Grate a Carrot
- Ingredients
- How to Make a Ray Peat Carrot Salad
- When To Eat A Carrot Salad
- Make Your Carrot Salad a Meal
- Chopped Carrot Salad
- Takeaway
- Resources
- Try These Shellfish Recipes
- Put Some Liver on The Menu
- Ray Peat Carrot Salad FAQ
- Dr. Ray Peat's Raw Carrot Salad
What's the Big Deal About This Salad?
This carrot salad went viral on TikTok in 2020 for promoting fertility and regulating intestinal movement.
I heard about it in the Estrogen Dominance Group on Facebook and decided to try it. Many women in the group claim the salad helps with inflammation and menstrual cramps.
For the past three weeks, I've been eating it every day. Fertility's not on my radar-I've got grown kids-but let me tell you, the digestion part is working like a charm.
Dr. Ray Peat believed this raw carrot salad helps the body clear out excess estrogen and toxins.
Whether or not all the claims hold up, it's simple, crunchy, and doing something right.
What Does The Carrot Salad Do?
One vegetable has a special place in a diet to balance the hormones, and that is the raw carrot.
It is so nearly indigestible that, when it is well chewed or grated, it helps to stimulate the intestine and reduce the reabsorption of estrogen and the absorption of bacterial toxins.
This reduces the reabsorption of estrogen and the absorption of bacterial toxins.
It's the stimulating effect on the intestine. The fiber in the carrot isn't digestible. So the excretion of bile into the liver carries all kinds of detoxified chemicals and hormones. If you have fiber in your intestines, these toxins will be carried out, bound to the carrot fiber. Without enough fiber, they can be reabsorbed and recirculated.
Nutrition for Women, 1993 , Raymond Peat
The quote above is from Dr. Peat's book, Nutrition for Women.
The book was out of print for years but is now back on Amazon for around $15. You can also read it for free on Internet Archive.
Why You Need Carrot Salad
Without getting graphic, raw carrots are a good source of fiber, and my digestion has improved since I started eating this.
While estrogen is essential for the body, too much of it, known as estrogen dominance, can cause health problems and hormonal imbalances.
How to Decrease Your Estrogen Load
To lower your estrogen levels, eat a balanced diet. Include plenty of fiber, vegetables, and fruits. Also, limit processed foods and alcohol.
Regular physical activity also helps maintain a healthy weight. This matters because excess body fat can contribute to higher estrogen levels.
How many times have you heard that deodorant is full of aluminum or that the shampoo you're using has poison in it? Or is that just in my house?
Most common household cleaners are loaded with endocrine disruptors. All those smelly things like soaps, candles, and perfumes can cause estrogen dominance.
How about the smell of new carpet? New car? New clothes?
- Laundry detergent: should be free of fragrance and dyes.
- Avoid harsh scents such as air fresheners, perfumes, and candles.
- Avoid toxic cleaning supplies. Try making homemade soaps.
- Avoid toxic cosmetics, shampoos, and skin products.
- Exercise 3-4 times per week to flush estrogen.
- Limit alcoholic beverages.
- Get good quality sleep.
Check out Live Simply for instructions on how to make non-toxic household items.
How to Grate a Carrot
The preferred way (from Dr. Peat) to cut the carrot is to use a vegetable peeler. Instead of peeling off just the outer skin, keep going and peel the whole carrot into long, thin strands.
You can also explore these easy ways to prepare carrots at home, including roasted, steamed, and raw recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 large organic carrot, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg organic ACV)
- 1 teaspoon organic coconut oil or organic olive oil
- A pinch of sea salt, Celtic salt, or other salt that is free of anti-caking agents or preservatives.
How to Make a Ray Peat Carrot Salad
- Mix the dressing: coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and salt.
- Wash the carrot and shred it with a vegetable peeler. I usually eat the skin too.
- Place the carrot shreds in a mixing bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.
- For the best texture, eat the salad shortly after preparing it.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
When To Eat A Carrot Salad
Carrot salad is best as a mid-morning snack between meals on an empty stomach.
Make Your Carrot Salad a Meal
Dr. Peat's carrot salad doesn't include garlic, but I sometimes add it to the dressing to shake things up.
Other times, I turn the basic carrot salad into a full meal by adding a few more vegetables and hard-boiled eggs. It becomes a protein-rich, satisfying dish.
To the basic carrot salad, add:
- 1 organic tomato, chopped
- 1 organic bell pepper, chopped
- 1 or 2 hard-boiled eggs
Chopped Carrot Salad
Here's another simple shredded-carrot combination I like.
Make carrot ribbons, as in the original carrot salad recipe, add chopped hard-boiled eggs and diced red and green peppers. Make a triple batch of dressing, toss, and enjoy. I love this salad!
Takeaway
The late Dr. Peat holds a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Oregon. He was a thyroid specialist and spent much of his career researching hormones.
"Coconut oil added to the diet can increase the metabolic rate. Small frequent feedings, each combining some carbohydrate and some protein, such as fruit and cheese, often help to keep the metabolic rate higher. Eating raw carrots can prevent the absorption of estrogen from the intestine, allowing the liver to more effectively regulate metabolism."
Dr Ray Peat
The Ray Peat carrot salad is renowned for its potential to improve digestive health by promoting toxin elimination and supporting intestinal movement.
Additionally, its high fiber content may help balance estrogen levels, offering a natural approach to hormonal regulation.
Estrogen dominance can result from various factors, including medications, some medical conditions, environmental exposures to estrogen-mimicking compounds (endocrine disruptors), and dietary choices.
Addressing the underlying causes of excess estrogen and achieving hormonal balance is essential for maintaining overall health and well-being.
In closing, you can't go wrong with a simple carrot salad. Try it-it might get your digestion moving, if nothing else.
For a carrot salad your whole family will love, try our Italian Carrot Salad.
Resources
To learn more about Dr. Raymond Peat, visit raypeat.com.
For more info on how to better balance your hormones, join the Estrogen Dominance Support Group on Facebook, run by nutritionist Kitty Martone, also known as Healthy Gut Girl.
Kitty also has a podcast called Stuff Your Doctor Should Know. You will learn about weight loss, hormones, and a healthy lifestyle. You will find health information you won't hear anywhere else.
Try These Shellfish Recipes
Dr. Peat also recommended eating shellfish because it's a good source of copper and iodine, two important nutrients your body needs.
"A deficiency of copper causes our tissues to retain an excess of iron, so foods such as shrimp and oysters which contain abundant copper should be used regularly."
Dr. Ray Peat
Shrimp and crabs contain a copper-containing protein called hemocyanin, which helps them transport oxygen throughout their bodies.
For more carrot salad recipes from around the world, visit Best Raw Carrot Salads From Every Country.
Put Some Liver on The Menu
Dr. Peat advocated eating beef liver. However, it's an acquired taste that many people don't like.
I put all my liver recipes together in a post called How To Make Liver Taste Good. Yes, it's old-fashioned food, and it tastes very good. We have recipes for sautéed veal liver and air fryer chicken livers and onions.
How about chopped chicken liver with sweet apples?
My new favorite is beef and chicken chopped liver. I had the task of feeding a child with low iron a few years back, and we made many batches of chopped liver until she couldn't taste the beef liver any longer. You just have to find your sweet spot.
Ray Peat Carrot Salad FAQ
To make Ray Peat carrot salad, peel a medium raw carrot and shred it lengthwise with a grater or julienne peeler. Toss it with a teaspoon of coconut oil, a splash of vinegar (white or apple cider), and a pinch of sea salt, then eat it fresh for best results.
Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar are popular choices. They add mild acidity that can aid digestion and enhance the salad's detox effects.
Yes, raw carrots help lower estrogen levels by binding to and removing excess estrogen and endotoxins, cleansing the digestive tract to improve gut health.
A pro-metabolic diet comes from Dr. Ray Peat's ideas about food and hormones. It includes easy-to-digest foods like fruit, root vegetables, dairy, and saturated fats like butter. The goal is to eat in a way that supports your metabolism and helps you feel better.
Peel the whole carrot, including the skin, using a vegetable peeler. Cut the carrot into long strands instead of grating it like you normally would.
Yes. Eating carrot salad daily is fine for most people, and many who follow a pro-metabolic diet include it as a regular part of their diet. Eat it once a day to support digestion and hormone balance.
Dr. Ray Peat's Raw Carrot Salad
Equipment
- Vegetable peeler
- Small mixing bowl
- Measuring Spoons
- Spoon or fork for mixing
Ingredients
- 1 carrot, trimmed and shredded with a vegetable peeler
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil or organic olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (apple cider vinegar or white vinegar)
- salt to taste (sea salt, Celtic salt, or other salt that is free of anti-caking agents or preservatives)
Instructions
- Shred the carrot with a vegetable peeler to produce long strands.
- Combine carrots, coconut oil, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl.
