We know Bryan Johnson as the American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and biohacking influencer practicing his ongoing data-driven longevity experiment, Project Blueprint. The purpose of this project is radical lifespan extension, with the ultimate goal being maintaining youthful biological markers and maximizing longevity.

Bryan Johnson’s diet plays a significant role in achieving his longevity outcomes. It’s carefully planned by his team of scientists and health experts to deliver the necessary nutrients to his body in optimal amounts and at specific times.

Our team of experts has looked at Bryan Johnson’s diet plan to give you a thorough overview of what works for him. We’ll cover:

• Key elements of Bryan Johnson’s diet

• His prominent meals

• Food items he avoids

Bonus: We’ll also introduce you to Nucleus whole-genome DNA health test — it provides the most comprehensive insights into your health, diet, and genetic traits, and can help you make genetics-informed food choices. 

3 key elements of Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint diet

Bryan Johnson ruthlessly optimizes his diet for longevity, which implies his approach to nutrition is constantly evolving based on his biomarker data and the latest scientific research.

Source: Bryan Johnson via Instagram

That said, there are three key elements of his diet that typically remain constant: Calories, his macros distribution, and his fasting schedule.

1. Bryan Johnson’s daily calories

As of October 2024, Bryan Johnson consumes 2,250 calories per day. If his caloric intake seems rather low to you, especially considering that he exercises for one hour every day, you are correct: he practices 10% caloric restriction. 

At the beginning of his longevity experiment, his caloric intake was even lower with 20% caloric restriction. However, that led to excessive loss of fat, which gave him a haggard look. He finds that his current caloric intake has improved his energy levels and appearance substantially.

Bryan Johnson is vegan by choice (not a part of Blueprint Protocol) and ensures his calories come from plant-based sources, the only exception being collagen peptides. His Blueprint diet includes over 60 lbs of veggies, berries, and nuts per month.

Source: Blueprint Protocol

2. Bryan Johnson’s macros

Here’s a breakdown of Bryan Johnson’s current macronutrient distribution:

| Macronutrient | Calories% |
|---------------|-----------|
| Carbohydrates | 33%       |
| Protein       | 19%       |
| Fat           | 48

It’s worth noting that Johnson’s protein intake was 1.6 g of protein per kilogram of body weight, which is double the minimum amount recommended for adults as per a Harvard report.

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3. Bryan Johnson’s fasting schedule

Bryan Johnson practices intermittent fasting. He consumes all his food within a 6-8 hour window, typically eating his third and last meal of the day at 11 a.m.

Bryan Johnson has arrived at this optimal dinner time through years of testing the effects of meal times on his sleep quality. That’s because eating before bed disrupts our body’s natural process of lowering its core temperature, reduces melatonin production, and causes blood glucose fluctuations, all wreaking havoc on one’s sleep. 

By having his last meal 9.5 hours before his 8.30 p.m. bedtime, he ensures his primary digestion is done, and his heart rate is in the optimal range.

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It’s worth noting that although intermittent fasting has become popular in biohacking circles, some of the leading influencers in this space have stopped practicing it because of issues like muscle loss, digestive issues, and irritability.

What does Bryan Johnson eat in a day? 5 key contents

Bryan Johnson uses food and supplements from his own product line called the Blueprint Stack, which we’ll refer to in the sections below. Let’s take a closer look at the five pillars of his daily diet:

1. Bryan Johnson’s anti-aging morning drink

Bryan Johnson drinks his Longevity Mix first thing in the morning. It is formulated based on scientific studies and includes clinical-trial-level dosages of the ingredients. 

The reason why Bryan Johnson and his team created this drink was because he wanted to avoid taking 100+ supplement pills every day — the Longevity Mix is essentially a liquid form of some supplements. This drink is perceived to boost energy levels, prevent oxidative stress, enhance muscle resilience and bone health, and guard against nutrient deficiencies, among other things. 

Johnson still has to take some pills with his Longevity Mix. Here’s what he consumes prior to his breakfast:

| Item                | Contents                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|---------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Longevity drink     | • 1 scoop of Blueprint Longevity Mix <br> • 12.5g of collagen peptides <br> • ½ tbsp of GOS <br> • 1 tbsp of Inulin                                                                                                                                           |
| Morning supplements  | • Acarbose 200 mg (Rx) <br> • Blueprint Essentials - 3 <br> • Blueprint Soft Gel - 1 <br> • Blueprint NAC + Ginger + Curcumin - 3 <br> • Blueprint Red Yeast Rice + odor-free garlic - 1 <br> • EPA/DHA/DPA 800 mg <br> • Garlic 1.2 g (kyolic) <br> • Metformin ER 1,500 mg (Rx) <br> • NR (450 mg) or NMN (500 mg) <br> • ProButyrate 600 mg <br> • Proferrin 10.5 mg

Bonus read: Check out Bryan Johnson’s daily routine in this guide.

2. Bryan Johnson’s breakfast

Source: Blueprint Protocol

For breakfast, Bryan Johnson eats his Super Veggie meal, which consists of ingredients like:

• Dry black lentils for protein and fiber

• Broccoli for bowel health, antioxidants and fiber

• Cauliflower for its anti-inflammatory properties and fiber

• Shiitake or maitake mushrooms for immune system health

• Garlic for heart and immune system health

• Cumin for liver and pancreas health and its anti-inflammatory properties

• ACV for regulating blood sugar

• Hemp seeds for healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids

• Extra virgin olive oil (drizzled after prep)

Here’s the macronutrient breakdown of this meal:

| Macronutrient | Quantity |
|---------------|----------|
| Carbohydrates | 64 g     |
| Protein       | 25.5 g   |
| Fat           | 6.8 g

He eats carb-dominant Super Veggie either in a regular cooked and chopped form or in a blended form — he goes for the latter when he needs to save time!

3. Bryan Johnson’s lunch

Source: Blueprint Protocol

Bryan Johnson’s second meal of the day is a nutty pudding that’s fat-dominant. It consists of ingredients rich in Omega fatty acids like macadamia nut milk, macadamia nuts, walnuts, chia seeds, ground flaxseeds, and Brazil nuts. He also consumes about 6 grams of his special Blueprint cocoa for better brain health, heart health, and mood regulation.

Other ingredients that he adds to his pudding for overall health include:

• Sunflower lecithin

• Ceylon cinnamon (for regulating blood sugar)

• Blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries

• Pomegranate juice

Here’s the macronutrient breakdown of this meal:

| Macronutrient | Quantity |
|---------------|----------|
| Carbohydrates | 34.1 g   |
| Protein       | 8.5 g    |
| Fat           | 32.2 g

Note that Johnson may have since removed some ingredients from this recipe as he now gets the corresponding nutrients from his Blueprint Stack. 

4. Bryan Johnson’s dinner/third meal

Bryan Johnson strives to have more colorful options for his third and final meal of the day at 11 a.m. — dinner, in his case. It’s typically a 500-kcal meal that can be options like:

• Asparagus almond beet salad

• Orange fennel salad

• Stuffed sweet potatoes

He also drinks 1 tbsp of olive oil and costumes another batch of supplements with his third meal.

Source: Blueprint Protocol

5. Additional food and supplementation

Depending on changes to his tracked biomarkers, Bryan Johnson considers other supplements from time to time, such as:

• Pea/hemp protein

• Fermented foods

• Rapamycin (Rx)

• Levothyroxine for thyroid management (he was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at age 21)

Bryan Johnson takes one supplement before bed: 300 mcg of melatonin.

It’s worth mentioning that of all his supplements, Bryan Johnson considers his extra virgin olive oil to be of utmost importance because of its high polyphenol content and natural anti-aging properties.

What food items does Bryan Johnson avoid?

Besides animal products, Bryan Johnson doesn’t consume the following to optimize his anti-aging regimen:

1. Alcohol. He used to drink three ounces of wine with breakfast but has since stopped because it was too “expensive” from a caloric perspective and would disrupt his sleep metrics. 

2. Stimulants. He avoids stimulants like caffeine because it creates too much of a metabolic rollercoaster for him.

3. White sugar and brown sugar. Johnson hasn’t elaborated on it but sugar is a common “evil food” with a high-caloric value and almost no nutritional value.

4. High fructose corn syrup. He avoids it because it increases uric acid. Johnson only consumes fructose from natural sources (fruits).

5. Junk food. He believes that junk food is addictive and creates misery.

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Should you follow Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint diet?

There’s no denying that Bryan Johnson has inspired tons of people around the world to take ownership of their health. However, Project Blueprint has also received quite a bit of criticism over the years, especially from the scientific and medical community. 

Here are three of the most common arguments experts have against following the Blueprint diet:

1. Poor sample size

Blueprint’s diet is based on a sample size of one and involves testing with hundreds of variables at the same time, which cannot be extrapolated to the general population. Johnson has experimented with multiple dietary combos, and it’s tricky to pinpoint what actually worked for him. 

2. Highly experimental interventions

The Blueprint Protocol features a lot of experimental interventions that can be a bit out-there. For instance, his supplement regimen creates the risk of interaction between drugs that can lead to a negative reaction, especially for people with a different genetic profile than Johnson’s.

Bonus reads: Explore Bryan Johnson’s famous experimental endeavors and interests below:

• Skincare

• Red light therapy

• Gene therapy

• Books

3. Cost of the Blueprint diet

Project Blueprint costs more than $2M annually to run, which isn’t a huge minus for millionaires like Bryan Johnson. While the Blueprint diet doesn’t cost millions, it’s still quite expensive. Here’s a sample cost breakdown:

• A one-time kitchen setup costs around $500, assuming that you don’t already have a food scale, a high-speed blender, and storage containers

• A monthly supply of food and supplements costs around $870

• Blood panels every 3–6 months cost around $350 each time

If you do the math, you may have to shell out over $10,000 annually to access this lifestyle.

A better solution: Consider genetic testing to help optimize your diet

The problem with popular nutrition advice, even that based on solid research, is that it’s generic. The crux of what works for Bryan Johnson is he gets advice tailored to him based on aggressive biomarker monitoring and insights from the Blueprint algorithm.

While you cannot monitor yourself like he does, the next best option is genetic testing.

Our genetic makeup affects numerous aspects of our diet, such as folate and vitamin D metabolism, caffeine sensitivity, alcohol dependence, and more. By getting your genes analyzed, you can understand your health better and make more informed dietary choices.

One of the best options you have is Nucleus — a DNA health platform that leverages whole-genome sequencing technology to provide a complete health analysis with 99.9% accuracy. The Nucleus DNA test kit is a clinical-grade, physician-approved test that looks at almost 6 billion DNA bases to paint a picture of your:

• Food and diet aspects

• Heart health

• Mental health

• Focus and energy areas

• Autoimmune conditions

• Neurological health

• Risk of developing common and rare cancers

[X](https://x.com/melanter/status/1782094104068862183)

Shape your dietary and health choices with Nucleus

Nucleus is one of the few platforms that use whole-genome sequencing to analyze ~100% of your DNA (most testing services on the market only look at <1%). For precision, Nucleus also considers your ancestry and lifestyle factors, such as cholesterol levels and BMI, to inform your results.

With Nucleus, you not only get your raw genetic data but also 20+ reports that include risk scores for over 170 health conditions. The platform currently offers reports on specific dietary and nutritional aspects, such as:

• Celiac disease

• Alcohol dependence

• Type-2 diabetes

• Gastric cancer

These reports can help you develop a better understanding of what to watch out for when it comes to nutrition for you and your family. Besides health reports, Nucleus also provides trait analyses like muscle strength, allergies, intelligence scores, and longevity — which can further help you explore lifestyle choices to access your best health.

While Nucleus reports are easy to interpret, you can discuss the findings with your doctor and get medical-grade advice on potential supplements, dietary adjustments, treatments, etc. Nucleus can also connect you with genetic consultants from its SteadyMD network.

How to order your Nucleus Premium kit

Nucleus Premium is the most affordable whole-genome all-in-one health kit in the U.S. It costs $399, and you won’t need to purchase any add-ons to access reports. There’s also an option to get updated reports as your lifestyle factors change and genetic science progresses. 

Here’s how to get started with Nucleus Premium:

1. Create a Nucleus Premium account

2. Fill out your personal details

3. Order your DNA kit

You can also pay with your HSA/FSA savings plan. Your results will typically be available online within 6–8 weeks.

Nucleus is HIPAA-compliant and processes all DNA samples in CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited labs in the U.S. to ensure quality, privacy, and security.

Bonus: Nucleus is the go-to DNA platform for many health and longevity enthusiasts, including Bryan Johnson. He swabbed to get his Nucleus all-in-one health insights in the 2024 Don't Die Summit in San Francisco. You can watch the video here! 

Featured image source: Ovidiu Creanga