I went Pegan for a day…and this is what I ate.

Dr Mark Hyman’s Pegan Diet is a cross between the paleo and vegan eating plans – the idea being that both paleo and vegan eating (when done well) put a lot of whole, fresh plant foods front and centre.

I’m all for plant-based eating. Plant-based eating patterns are associated with a host of health benefits such as decreasing risk and supporting positive outcomes in heart disease and diabetes.

What a pegan diet really is, though, is a ‘healthier’ form of paleo with slightly less meat. The marketing for the book claims that even those on a vegan diet can do a pegan diet, but I’ve also read interviews where Dr Hyman cautions against protein deficiency on a vegan/pegan diet.

Let’s be clear: it’s the pegan diet restrictions that make protein deficiency more likely. If you follow an unrestricted vegan way of eating, protein deficiency is almost unheard of. For example, in one trial, plant-based protein accounted for about 15% of total caloric intake of vegans in the study.

I don’t like any diet plan that tells you to restrict foods, because it breeds food fear and can really damage your relationship to food. Also, do you really think you’re going to go the rest of your life without ice cream? That’s a hard no for me.

Where I start to get even more nervous is that paleo diets typically eschew whole grains and beans, two foods that are strongly associated with health benefits in the research. Learn more about the benefits of whole grains here. Paleo advocates cite anti-nutrients as one of the reasons why you should avoid them, which is a bunch of pseudoscientific nonsense.

So what can you eat on the pegan diet? According to Dr Hyman’s original 2014 definition (which might have changed in the new book):

– Lots of fruits and vegetables. Ideally 3/4 of your plate.
– Healthy fats from nuts, seeds, olives and avocados
– A small amount of gluten-free psuedograins (1/2 cup per meal)
– No more than 1 cup of beans per day
– Small amounts of organic meat, poultry and eggs
– Fish

The avoids on a pegan diet seem small…but they loom large considering how we actually eat these days. These avoids also reinforce the harmful clean eating stereotypes that gluten, dairy and sugar are somehow toxic.

– No hyper-processed foods
– No sugar
– No dairy
– No gluten
– No vegetable oils

On the surface, it seems quite reasonable. Just eat real food, right? No dietitian is going to tell you to eat more hyper-processed foods.

And if you’re not feeling ready to go fully plant-based, minimizing your intake of animal foods (meat as a condiment) is absolutely a step in the right direction.

Except that the restrictions it places on plant foods (minimizing beans and whole grains) are not based in science. And if you’re minimizing meat AND whole grains AND beans, where are you supposed to get the plant-based protein you need to stay full, support your immune system and keep your blood sugars steady?

So, why would Dr Hyman, a well-respected physician do this? Because extreme food restriction works, in the short term, to drop pounds fast. And weight loss sells books. Honestly, this book is a weight loss diet wrapped up in a wellness message. So if you’re plant-based, it’s unlikely that you can stick to this diet for the long-term, meaning any weight you lose will come back. Which means you’ll need another diet book. And considering that Dr Hyman is pumping them out at a rate of at least one every two years, this loss/regain cycle will keep you coming back for more.

Possible benefits to this diet? If you eat the standard American diet, mostly hyper-processed and few fruits and vegetables, I’m not gonna lie, you could feel better in the short term (if you’re a meat eater). Start eating whole foods and your body will literally be singing from all the nutrients.

It also focuses on more food choice as opposed to calories, macros or food amount (for the most part)…which is also a good idea. Because calorie counting and restrictive portions is a horrible way to live.

Possible risks? Well, if you’re vegan, you could starve. So that’s a big red flag. If you are an endurance athlete, you also want to take care with restricting starchy foods for your performance.

You need to watch calcium if you forgo dairy and are limiting beans – you are going to need plant-based milk alternatives. Protein is going to be an issue if you don’t plan for it, especially because beans and grains could make up a hearty dose if they weren’t restricted. But if you eat meat, it is less of a worry.

Oh, and also, restrictive diets cause food fear and damage your relationship with food. That’s the biggest red flag of them all.