Isabel Minunni - The 28-Day Pegan Diet: More than 120 Easy Recipes for Healthy Weight Loss

At first glance, it seems the paleo diet, which involves eating high-quality meats, eggs and animal fats, and the vegan diet, which avoids anything remotely derived from animals, are incompatible.

The term, pegan, was coined by Dr. Mark Hyman in a blog post on his website that was published November 7, 2014. The director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine claimed that his inspiration for combining aspects of paleo with the vegan diet came from research that demonstrates both can have health-promoting qualities. Both paleo and vegan are known for promoting natural weight loss, lowering cholesterol and reversing diabetes. But with both approaches so fundamentally different, which one is the right one? Hyman suggests you can be both. Hyman said in his original pegan blog post: I vote for being a pegan or paleo-vegan, which is what I have chosen for myself and recommend for most of my patients.

Keep in mind that most of us need to personalize the approach depending on our health conditions, preferences and needs.

When people hear that the pegan diet is part paleo and part vegan, they often assume it simply combines what the two diets have in common. Yet the only overlapping foods between the two are fruits, vegetables, nuts and seedsa hunger-inducing diet, for sure. Instead, Hyman says the overarching principle in common between paleo and being a healthy vegan is the primary focus on real, whole, fresh food that is sustainably raised. The principles that both diets agree on, and that Hyman outlined in his original pegan post, are: Plenty of vegetables and fruits Low glycemic load (very low sugar, flour and refined carbohydrates) Organic, local and fresh foods that are low in pesticides, antibiotics, hormones and GMOs Adequate protein intake Foods free from chemicals, additives, dyes, preservatives, MSG and artificial sweeteners Higher intake of good-quality omega-3 fats For the purposes of pairing paleo with vegan, it is additionally important to focus on sustainably raised animal products, such as those that are wild-caught, free-range and grass-fed. Fish should be those that are low in mercury and toxins, such as sardines, herring, mackerel and anchovies.

Tuna, swordfish and Chilean sea bass should be avoided because of their higher mercury levels. While most paleo and vegan eaters can come together on the previous recommendations, some aspects of the pegan diet will confuse or frustrate eaters from both camps. In these cases, Hyman backs up his recommendations with research.

A pegan diet is far from calorie-restricted and focuses on nourishing the body. It is not meant to be a starvation diet and offers a wide range of personalization to address individual needs. Pegan eaters can expect to consume the following: Seafood is rich in omega-3 fatty acids that fight inflammation in the body and promote overall wellness.

The modern American diet is overloaded in omega-6 fats, typically from nuts, seeds and vegetable oils. Increasing seafood intake is essential to balance the ratio. Mercury in fish is a serious concern, however. All seafood does not offer the same benefits. For pegan purposes, choose low-mercury fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines and anchovies. Dr. Dr.

Hyman notes omega-3 fats are still essential, so if you dont eat seafood, supplement with high-quality EPA and DHA from fish oil. If you dont eat fish for moral reasons, you can still get the omega-3s you need from algae.

An excellent source of folate, protein and even 10 percent daily value of vitamin D, eggs are a nutrient-packed food. Cholesterol was long blamed as the cause of heart disease, but modern research proves otherwise. Eggs are a great food to eat on a pegan diet for those who can digest them. While meat is certainly allowed on a pegan diet, not all meat is healthy or compatible. While meat is certainly allowed on a pegan diet, not all meat is healthy or compatible.

Beef from feedlot operations is pumped full of hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals that lead to overall reduced quality of food products. When choosing meat on a pegan diet, it should be sourced from farms where meat is treated ethically, primarily grass-fed and allowed to roam free. Chickens should be pastured. Eating sustainably sourced meat isnt only about the health benefits either. It also supports better environmental health. Hyman notes that some research shows meat increases the risk of heart disease and death rates, while other research shows the opposite.

Hyman believes the overall evidence leads to meat not being linked to death or heart attacks. Perhaps the most important shift in thinking regarding the paleo diet versus the pegan diet is that on the pegan plan, meat should be viewed as a side dish as opposed to the main course.

Both paleo and vegan diets encourage plenty of fresh, organic and, when possible, locally sourced produce. While paleo tends to encourage lower glycemic fruits like berries, technically any fruits and veggies are game for pegan. If you have diabetes, consider sticking to low-glycemic options and ensuring vegetable intake is higher. Dried fruits are often considered fruit, but for pegan, paleo or vegan, they are a gray area since they are substantially higher in sugar.

Consume them rarely and in extreme moderation, first opting for fresh fruits instead. Many dieters also want to know about juicing, but since this removes the fiber and roughage from produce, its best to eat fruits and vegetables whole or in smoothies and not juiced. Juicing can also produce a high-sugar product, even though its fresh. Processed fruit and vegetable juice contains preservatives and other ingredients that make it a far cry from fresh produce, so avoid these on a pegan diet. Overall, Hyman says 75 percent of the plate for pegan meals should be low-glycemic fruits and vegetables.