The pegan diet, a fusion of paleo and vegan principles, offers a unique approach to healthy eating. Created by functional medicine specialist Dr. Mark Hyman, it emphasizes whole, nutrient-dense foods to reduce inflammation and balance blood sugar. This article explores the core principles, food list, potential benefits, and drawbacks of the pegan diet, providing a comprehensive overview for those considering this dietary approach.
What is the Pegan Diet?
The pegan diet combines key aspects of both paleo and vegan diets, advocating for a diet rich in whole foods to promote health. The diet focuses strongly on whole foods, or foods that have undergone little to no processing before they make it to your plate. Dr. Hyman suggests the pegan diet lowers blood sugar and inflammation in the body, which could reduce your risk of certain chronic conditions like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It focuses on plant-based and nutrient-rich foods and minimizes or avoids unhealthy choices.
Like the paleo diet, the pegan diet focuses on foods that early humans would have hunted or gathered. However, the twist is that most of your daily food intake will be plants. You eat much lower amounts of animal-based foods than you would eat on the paleo diet.
Core Principles of the Pegan Diet
The pegan diet is less restrictive than following a paleo or vegan diet by itself. The diet focuses on vegetables and fruit, while allowing small to moderate amounts of meat, certain fish, nuts, seeds, and some legumes. The diet discourages heavily processed sugars, oils, and grains, but they are still suitable in very small amounts.
Emphasizing Plant-Based Foods
Vegetables and fruits should constitute the majority (75%) of your diet when following the pegan diet. Prioritize low-glycemic options like berries and non-starchy vegetables to minimize blood sugar spikes. Cruciferous vegetables-broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, and cabbage-are rich in phytonutrients crucial for reducing inflammation and the risk of cancer.
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Responsibly Sourced Protein
While primarily plant-based, the pegan diet acknowledges the importance of protein from animal sources. However, because 75% of the diet is made up of vegetables and fruit, less than 25% remains for animal-based proteins. As such, you’ll have a much lower meat intake than you would on a typical paleo diet - but still more than on any vegan diet. The pegan diet discourages eating conventionally farmed meats or eggs. Instead, it places emphasis on grass-fed, pasture-raised sources of beef, pork, poultry, and whole eggs. It also encourages intake of fish - specifically those that tend to have low mercury content, such as sardines and wild salmon.
Minimally Processed Fats
Healthy fats are a crucial component of the pegan diet. Focus on sources like:
- Nuts (excluding peanuts, which are legumes)
- Seeds (avoiding processed seed oils)
- Avocado and olives, as well as cold-pressed olive and avocado oil
- Coconut
- Omega-3s, especially from low-mercury fish or algae
The cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet is cooking with olive oil, and Hyman says he prioritizes extra-virgin olive oil each day. “Good fats are good for you,” Hyman says. Nuts, including cashews, almonds, and walnuts, have been associated with a reduced risk for diabetes, as well as improving health and life span, Hyman says. Dan Buettner, the founder of Blue Zones LLC, also found nuts to be a key to longevity in his research centered around the diets of those living the longest-and says to eat a daily handful.
Limited Consumption of Certain Grains and Legumes
While most grains and legumes are restricted due to their potential impact on blood sugar, the pegan diet allows limited quantities of gluten-free whole grains and certain legumes. Grain intake should not exceed more than a 1/2 cup of cooked grains per meal, while the legume intake should not exceed 1 cup of cooked legumes per day. Examples include black rice, quinoa, and lentils.
Foods to Enjoy and Avoid on the Pegan Diet
The pegan diet offers flexibility, allowing occasional consumption of almost any food. However, certain foods and food groups are generally avoided.
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Pegan Diet Food List: What You Can Eat
- All fruits, with an emphasis on low-glycemic fruits like cherries, strawberries, pears and apples. Berries contain a large number of antioxidants and phytochemicals, which can “activate longevity pathways,” Hyman says.
- All vegetables.
- Dairy alternatives without added sugar like unsweetened nut milk or coconut yogurt.
- Eggs.
- Nuts and seeds (except peanuts, which are legumes).
- Oils rich in healthy fats like avocado or olive oil.
- Meats and poultry (preferably organic, grass-fed meats).
- Fish, especially low-mercury options like anchovies, salmon and sardines.
- Minimal amounts of: Black rice, Legumes like beans or lentils (up to one cup per day), Quinoa.
- Sugar or desserts, though these should be very limited.
Foods to Avoid or Limit
- Dairy products: including milk, cheese, ice cream or yogurt. The diet limits cow’s milk, yogurt, and cheese. However, foods made from sheep or goat milk are acceptable in limited quantities. The diet also sometimes allows grass-fed butter.
- Gluten: The diet limits all gluten-containing grains. Bread and most grains like barley, oats and wheat (except black rice or quinoa).
- Gluten-free grains: Even grains that don’t contain gluten are not part of the diet. Small amounts of gluten-free whole grains are acceptable occasionally.
- Legumes: Most legumes are not part of the diet due to their potential to increase blood sugar. The diet may allow low-starch legumes, such as lentils.
- Sugar: Any form of added sugar, refined or not, is usually avoided or consumed sparingly. Foods with added sugar or a high glycemic index.
- Refined oils: Refined or highly processed oils, such as canola, soybean, sunflower, and corn oil, are almost always avoided.
- Processed foods: like packaged crackers, snacks and baked goods.
- Food additives: The diet avoids artificial colorings, flavorings, preservatives, and other additives.
Potential Health Benefits of the Pegan Diet
While more research is necessary, the pegan diet may offer several health advantages.
- Nutrient-Rich: Fruits and vegetables are some of the most nutritious foods. They provide sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that can help prevent certain conditions and reduce both oxidative stress and inflammation.
- Heart Health: The pegan diet also emphasizes unsaturated fats from fish, nuts, seeds, and other plants that may have a positive impact on heart health.
- Reduced Sugar and Processed Food Intake: Avoiding sugar and processed foods is another plus for this eating plan. Most Americans eat too much sugar and processed foods. These foods tend to be low in nutrition. In addition, sugary foods can make you feel hungry, which can lead to eating more and unwanted weight gain.
Risks and Drawbacks of the Pegan Diet
Despite its positive attributes, the pegan diet also has some potential downsides that are worth considering.
- Unnecessary Restrictions: Although the pegan diet allows for more flexibility than a vegan or paleo diet alone, many of the proposed restrictions unnecessarily limit foods such as legumes, whole grains, and dairy.
- Potential Nutrient Deficiencies: Furthermore, the elimination of large groups of foods can lead to nutrient deficiencies if you do not replace those nutrients in other ways. If you follow the pegan diet, it is important to work with a registered dietitian to ensure you are getting enough nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are great choices - but they can’t give you all the nutrients you need. Make sure you’re getting enough protein, iron and vitamin B12, which are found in meat, eggs and tofu. You also need at least 1,000 milligrams a day of calcium - older or pregnant adults need even more. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian to figure out how to get your daily calcium intake.
- Lack of Accessibility: A diet full of organic fruits, vegetables, and grass-fed, pasture-raised meats may be inaccessible for many people. If you’re trying to cut your grocery budget, a strict pegan diet won’t be your friend. Organic and grass-fed meats cost much more than non-organic options. And without beans or legumes, you lose a good source of inexpensive, meatless protein.
- Time and Effort: For the diet to be successful, you will usually need to devote a lot of time to meal prepping, as well as some experience with cooking and meal planning. You will also need access to a variety of foods that may be quite expensive.
- Social Challenges: Additionally, due to the restrictions on common processed foods, such as cooking oils, dining out may be difficult. This could potentially lead to increased social isolation or stress.
Is the Pegan Diet Right for You?
The pegan diet has some benefits, but don’t jump in without asking your healthcare provider. Proceed with caution anytime a diet eliminates entire food groups. And the pegan diet may not be suitable at all for people who have health conditions like an iron or B12 deficiency. If you have osteoporosis, work with your provider to get the vitamin D and calcium your bones need.
Speak with your doctor or a registered dietitian if you are considering following the pegan diet. They can help you weigh the pros and cons based on your individual circumstances. If you’re already paleo or vegan and are interested in modifying your diet, the pegan diet may be easier to adjust to.
You don’t have to go full pegan to reap some of the benefits of this lifestyle. Eating more fruits and vegetables can lower your risk of heart attack, stroke and cancer.
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Sample Pegan Diet Menu for One Week
Here is a sample menu for one week on the diet:
Monday
- Breakfast: vegetable omelet with a simple green salad dressed in olive oil
- Lunch: kale salad with chickpeas, strawberries, and avocado
- Dinner: wild salmon patties with roasted carrots, steamed broccoli, and lemon vinaigrette
Tuesday
- Breakfast: sweet potato “toast” topped with sliced avocado, pumpkin seeds, and lemon vinaigrette
- Lunch: bento box boiled eggs, sliced turkey, raw veggie sticks, fermented pickles, and blackberries
- Dinner: veggie stir-fry with cashews, onions, bell pepper, tomato, and black beans
Wednesday
- Breakfast: green smoothie with apple, kale, almond butter, and hemp seeds
- Lunch: leftover veggie stir-fry
- Dinner: grilled shrimp and veggie kabobs with black rice pilaf
Thursday
- Breakfast: coconut and chia seed pudding with walnuts and fresh blueberries
- Lunch: mixed green salad with avocado, cucumber, grilled chicken, and cider vinaigrette
- Dinner: roasted beet salad with pumpkin seeds, Brussels sprouts, and sliced almonds
Friday
- Breakfast: fried eggs, kimchi, and braised greens
- Lunch: lentil and vegetable stew with a side of sliced cantaloupe
- Dinner: salad with radishes, jicama, guacamole, and grass-fed beef strips
Saturday
- Breakfast: overnight oats with cashew milk, chia seeds, walnuts, and berries
- Lunch: leftover lentil and vegetable stew
- Dinner: roast pork loin with steamed veggies, greens, and quinoa
Sunday
- Breakfast: veggie omelet with a simple green salad
- Lunch: Thai-style salad rolls with cashew cream sauce and orange slices
- Dinner: leftover pork loin and vegetables
Dr. Mark Hyman's Daily Diet and Lifestyle
Dr. Mark Hyman, the creator of the pegan diet, emphasizes that living a healthy life means increasing healthspan-the amount of our lives spent feeling vibrant and healthy. Eating well and embracing the right lifestyle habits like exercise and stress management are foundational to a strong immune system.
Hyman's Morning Routine and Breakfast
Hyman considers meditation essential, stating, "It’s something I’ve learned I don’t have time not to do." For breakfast, he typically opts for simple, nutritious options like poached eggs with avocado, tomato, and olive oil, or a fat-heavy shake with nuts, seeds, collagen, coconut butter, spinach, wild blueberries or blackberries, and macadamia nut milk.
Lunch and Dinner
For lunch, Hyman enjoys a "Fat Salad" with arugula, pumpkin seeds, olives, wild-caught sardines or salmon, and various vegetables. Dinner usually consists of vegetables as the main dish, such as stir-fried broccolini, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes, cooked with healthy fats like avocado oil, accompanied by a serving of protein like grass-fed steak, pasture-raised chicken, or wild-caught fish.
Eating Schedule and Macronutrients
Hyman experiments with intermittent fasting a few days a week, having dinner around 6 or 7 PM and then waiting until late morning or early afternoon the next day to have breakfast. Other days, he eats breakfast upon waking, followed by lunch several hours later, possibly with a snack in between. He emphasizes listening to the body's natural hunger cues and combining healthy fats, clean protein, and slow-burning carbs in each meal.