{"id":40573,"date":"2015-06-10T07:15:13","date_gmt":"2015-06-10T11:15:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=40573"},"modified":"2021-11-18T11:05:44","modified_gmt":"2021-11-18T16:05:44","slug":"pegan-diet-paleo-vegan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/pegan-diet-paleo-vegan\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pegan Diet: What Should You Know About It?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you thought meat-loving paleo folks<\/a> couldn\u2019t have less in common with vegans<\/a>, it may be hard to believe the latest trend catching the eye of nutritionists and high profile doctors<\/a> nationwide. Yes, the pegan<\/em> diet (paleo plus vegan) has arrived. The idea: By taking the best of popular paleo and vegan plans, you get a surprisingly sustainable way of eating. (Even renowned wellness expert Dr. Mark Hyman recently declared himself a pegan<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

\u201cBy combining the principles of these two diets and reducing their specific dietary restrictions, you get a diet that\u2019s better balanced in regards to macronutrients<\/a>, and easier to follow than a strictly paleo or vegan diet,\u201d says Caroline Cederquist MD, creator of bistroMD<\/a> and author of The MD Factor<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cA better description is probably a very clean, modified paleo diet.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 20 Delicious Paleo Recipes for Every Meal of the Day<\/a><\/p>\n

Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietician at The Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, says, \u201cSome of the problems with paleo and vegan diets are that they are difficult to follow.\u201d For instance, people trying to go paleo tend to miss their grains, while vegans often have a hard time getting enough protein. \u201cThis approach is very sustainable for the average person,\u201d Kirkpatrick says.<\/p>\n

Pondering going pegan? Here\u2019s what you need to know about this two-in-one eating plan.<\/p>\n

How to Eat Pegan<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The pegan diet focuses primarily on fruits and vegetables \u2014 specifically, filling 75 percent of your diet with plants, and rounding out the other 25 percent with animal protein<\/a> and high-quality fats. \u201cThe pegan diet is a somewhat odd combination because the foundation of vegan diets is a belief of not consuming any animal products,\u201d says nutritionist and chef Beth Saltz, MPH, RD<\/a>. \u201cA better description is probably a very clean, modified paleo diet.\u201d Though the rules of the pegan diet are still evolving, these are the basic dos and don\u2019ts of eating pegan as recommended by Dr. Hyman:<\/p>\n

Pegan DOs:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fruits and Vegetables: <\/strong>Both vegan and paleo diets place an emphasis on plant-based foods<\/a>, since they\u2019re a tremendous source of the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to remain healthy. They should make up 75 percent of your diet. (Check out these 9 Healthy Dinner Recipes for Meatless Monday<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Meat<\/strong>: Taking a clue from paleo, protein should come from grass-fed and antibiotic-free animals \u2014 in other words, organic. Animal protein like chicken, beef, fish and eggs<\/a> should only make up approximately 25 percent of your diet.<\/p>\n

High-Quality Fats:<\/strong> Olive, coconut and avocado oils,\u00a0in addition to avocados, nuts and other sources of omega-3 fats, are staples of the paleo diet and tend to be a part of good vegan diets, too. However, you\u2019ll want to steer clear of peanuts, which are a legume, and limit the amount of saturated fats<\/a> found in grass-fed or sustainably raised animals.<\/p>\n

Healthy Grains:<\/strong> Vegans often rely on grains for energizing B vitamins<\/a>. Reach for gluten-free, whole grains, such as quinoa, when you\u2019re on a pegan plan.<\/p>\n

Lentils:<\/strong> A nutritional powerhouse and great source of meatless protein<\/a>, small beans like lentils are allowed in limited portions. Other beans or legumes like pinto and peanuts should be avoided.<\/p>\n

Pegan DON\u2019Ts<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Dairy: <\/strong>Shunned by vegan and paleo dieters alike, dairy<\/a> has no place in the pegan eating plan, since many people have a hard time digesting it.<\/p>\n

Soy:<\/strong> This vegan diet staple is a no-no in the pegan and paleo camps. Why? Research links the bean<\/a> to disrupting hormones and it also tends to be genetically modified.<\/p>\n

Sugar: <\/strong>As with most healthy diets, sugar<\/a> should be viewed as a treat and used sparingly. Too much of the sweet stuff<\/a> has been linked to obesity and disease so cutting back will do your body good.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Are You Exceeding Your Daily Sugar Intake in Just One Meal?<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The
Photo by Renee Blair<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Pros and Cons of Going Pegan<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By encouraging people to stick with plant-based foods and limit sugar, there\u2019s no doubt that the pegan diet is good for your health. Sticking to this hybrid plan has the potential to provide benefits such as lower cholesterol<\/a> and a decreased risk of diabetes, Dr. Cederquist says.<\/p>\n

Yet, if weight loss is your main goal, you might want to seek out a plan featuring more protein, Cederquist says. \u201cThe nutritional balance I have found to be most effective for weight loss is a reduced calorie diet with 35 to 40 percent of the calories coming from protein.\u201d She points out that protein is essential in helping to maintain lean muscle mass, which is instrumental in helping to burn excess calories and fat. \u201cWithout enough protein, your body will lose muscle mass and in turn be less effective at losing weight,\u201d Dr. Cederquist says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Is a Vegan Diet the Best Way to Lose Weight?<\/a><\/p>\n

That being said, peganism is a very viable way to eat. \u201cBasically, it sounds very healthy and eliminates a lot of problem foods,\u201d Saltz says. The only tenement of peganism she disagrees with is the idea of limiting beans. \u201cBeans are extremely healthy one-ingredient foods, high in fiber and an inexpensive protein source,\u201d Saltz, who teaches healthy cooking classes in Los Angeles<\/a>, says. \u201cMy advice is go full steam ahead if you want to try the pegan diet, but do not exclude beans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Your Pegan Meal Plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Ready to give the pegan diet a go? Saltz designed the sample meal plan<\/a> below to guide you in creating your own meals, if peganism is something you want to try. Bon appetit!<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> The Flexitarian Diet: Less Meat, Better Health?<\/a><\/p>\n

DAY 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Breakfast: Salad with veggies tossed with oil and vinegar, topped with a poached or hard-boiled egg
\nLunch: Lentil soup and a side of fruit
\nSnack: Celery or apple with almond butter
\n<\/a>Dinner: Stir-fry with chicken
\nDessert: Mixed berries<\/p>\n

DAY 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Breakfast: Chia pudding<\/a> made with nut milk topped with almonds and berries
\nLunch: Big spinach salad topped with salmon
\nSnack: Hard-boiled egg and carrots
\nDinner: Sweet potato, zucchini noodles<\/a> and meatballs
\nDessert: Banana with almond butter<\/p>\n

DAY 3<\/strong><\/p>\n

Breakfast: Smoothie<\/a> made with spinach, avocado, blueberries and nut milk
\nLunch: Veggie chili
\n<\/a>Snack: Carrots with hummus
\nDinner: Burger wrapped in Swiss chard, with sides of quinoa<\/a> and steamed broccoli
\nDessert: Chia pudding<\/a><\/p>\n

DAY 4 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Breakfast: Frittata with veggies
\nLunch: Salmon<\/a> with sides of steamed spinach and quinoa
\nSnack: Homemade trail mix with dried mango, dried bananas, walnuts, almonds and raisins
\nDinner: Roasted spaghetti squash<\/a> with Bolognese\u00a0sauce
\nDessert: Smoothie<\/a> made with coconut water, mixed berries and banana<\/p>\n

DAY 5<\/strong><\/p>\n

Breakfast: Sweet potato hash with two eggs
\nLunch: Veggie salad topped with a large scoop of tuna salad
\nSnack: Smoothie with almond butter, banana, cherries, nut milk and cacao
\nDinner: Fajita\u00a0lettuce wraps<\/a> with sides of baked potato, broccoli and black beans
\nDessert: Mixed berries with mint<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Not interested in going paleo or vegan? The pegan diet, which combines the best tenets of both plans, might be for you. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":40575,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,18],"tags":[41,51,179,184,341,388,284,285],"class_list":["post-40573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-weight-loss","tag-diets","tag-food-choices","tag-paleo","tag-paleo-diet","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2nutrition","tag-vegan","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40573"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40573\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40575"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}