Pegan Diet Principles

What Is the Pegan Diet?

The Pegan Diet borrows the healthiest aspects of the paleo and vegan diet guidelines to offer health-conscious consumers the best of both worlds. At its core, the Pegan Diet encourages people to eat real, whole food that is low-glycemic and low in sugar and rich with plant-based foods. It also encourages protein consumption for appetite control and building muscle mass.

Pegan Diet Break Down

1. Be Wary of Sugar

Sugar should be considered a treat and only be consumed occasionally. It shouldn’t be the cornerstone of your diet. Be mindful of foods, like sugar, that will cause a spike in insulin production. These include flour and refined carbohydrates.

2. Focus on Plants

Cover your plate in a variety of vegetables. The more variety, the more diverse nutrients you’ll incorporate into your diet. It’s best to stick to non-starchy veggies like arugula, artichokes and asparagus. Winter squashes and sweet potatoes are OK in moderation but shouldn’t make up a large percentage of your plate.

Low-sugar variety fruits like berries are great incorporations to the diet while grapes and melons should be limited. Dried fruit should be thought of as candy since they are smaller versions of their fresh counterparts and can easily be overeaten.

3. Avoid or Limit Dairy

If dairy doesn’t disagree with your body, the occasional serving is OK. In general, cow dairy products should be avoided. Instead, opt for goat or sheep products instead and always go organic and grass-fed.

4. Meat and Sustainability

Vegetables should take center stage for those following the Pegan Diet, with meat playing a smaller role. Meat servings should be between four and six ounces, tops, each meal. Additionally, these meats should be grass-fed or sustainably raised.

When raised and harvested irresponsibly, meat production can have a negative effect on our environment. Red meat production in particular is responsible for 10 to 40 times as many greenhouse gas emissions as common vegetables and grains.

5. Healthy Fats Are Good

Healthy fats like those found in nuts, seeds, olive oil and avocados are great additions to the Pegan Diet, though nut, vegetable and seed oils should generally be avoided as they are high in calories. Incorporate foods with naturally occurring omega-3 fatty acids like several varieties of fish.

A healthy diet is a great start to a healthier-feeling you! Many people choose to supplement their diets with vitamins and supplements. Click here for all BIOVEA has to offer!

Have you tried the Pegan Diet? What are your thoughts?