7 Pegan Recipes That Combine the Best of Paleo and Vegan Diets (2024)

FAQs

Is peanut butter allowed on a pegan diet? ›

Focus on Nuts & Seeds

Not so nuts for nuts? Luckily, the list of approved foods also includes sugar-free nut butter (e.g., almond butter, peanut butter), so long as it's sugar-free.

The pegan diet is made up of 75% fruits and vegetables. The remaining 25% is divided primarily among meats, eggs, and healthy fats, such as nuts and seeds. Some legumes and gluten-free whole grains may be allowed in limited quantities.

The key difference between pegan and veganism is that the pegan diet encourages the consumption of small portions of sustainably sourced protein, including eggs, chicken, lamb and wild salmon. “These are [solid] sources of high-quality protein, which helps with muscle preservation/building and satiety,” says Martin.

Dairy is decidedly not Paleo. Products like milk and cheese are too heavy on lactose and byproducts from the typical diet of factory-farmed cattle to be considered Paleo, in addition to the fact that our hunter-gatherer ancestors probably did not stop to milk wild game.

The typical paleo diet focuses on naturally raised meat and fish, as well as vegetables and fruits. It promotes avoiding dairy products and grains. This diet can put you at risk for deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, which are critical to bone health.

To keep blood sugar levels stable, the Pegan diet advises picking low-sugar fruits like berries and avoiding high-sugar fruits such as bananas, pineapples, and watermelon, especially for those who need to keep their blood sugar in control.

More About the Pegan Diet

If you need a refresher, the paleo diet attempts to model what those living 2.6 million years ago in the Paleolithic era ate: vegetables, fruits, fish, meat and nuts. It excludes dairy, grains, legumes, sugar, oils, salt, alcohol and coffee.

But a pegan diet severely limits or skips certain foods, including: Bread and most grains like barley, oats and wheat (except black rice or quinoa). Dairy products including milk, cheese, ice cream or yogurt. Foods with added sugar or a high glycemic index.

What Can You Eat on the Pegan Diet? The pegan diet focuses on eating “clean.” This includes: Fruits. Vegetables, mostly those that have low starch or rank low on the glycemic index, such as broccoli, carrots, peas, and tomatoes.

The paleo diet avoids grains as ancestors did not eat them until more recently. The pegan diet suggests eating only small portions — for example, half a cup of low glycemic grains such as black rice or quinoa with a meal. In addition, people should avoid processed foods made from flour, which may raise blood sugar.

Can you drink tea on a pegan diet? ›

Our nutrition team borrowed guidelines from both Dr. Oz and Dr. Hyman to create these easy Pegan or Paleo-vegan menus for you to try. While using this plan, drink plenty of water and add other natural, low-sugar beverages and extras (coffee, tea, spices, vinegar) as desired.

Eat mostly plants.

Stick with mostly nonstarchy veggies. Winter squashes and sweet potatoes are fine in moderation (1⁄2 cup a day). Not a ton of potatoes!

What is a pegan diet? In short, a pegan diet incorporates pieces of the paleo and vegan diets. A vegan diet is refraining from eating all animal products or byproducts – no meat, eggs, cheese, yogurt and sometimes gelatin.

This has led to the development of a hybrid version of the regimen, a “lacto-paleo” diet. With this form of the diet, adherents still avoid excess sugar and processed foods, but they do include dairy products in their daily lives.

It may not be a cakewalk at first, but a paleo-vegetarian can be incredibly nutritious. Sure, it takes a bit of discipline, but you don't have to be totally rigid about every meal. The key is finding foods that make you feel good—and satisfied. Don't be afraid to experiment until you find a balance that works for you.

The pegan diet consists of around one part meat and three parts plant-based foods, such as vegetables. It avoids processed foods and aims to provide health benefits by combining aspects of a paleo and vegan diet.