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The Pegan Diet

About three-quarters plants, with paleo principles: the best of both, minus the dogma.

By Camille McLaughlin, RDN, LD, registered dietitian nutritionist

“Pegan” is a mash-up of paleo and vegan, coined by Dr. Mark Hyman. The idea is to take the strongest parts of each: the paleo emphasis on whole, unprocessed food with no gluten and no dairy, and the vegan emphasis on making vegetables the center of the plate. In practice that means a plate that’s roughly three-quarters non-starchy plants, with modest amounts of quality animal protein treated almost like a side rather than the main event. Beans and gluten-free whole grains are not out, contrary to how pegan usually gets described. Hyman allows both, in small amounts.

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How it works

You fill most of the plate with non-starchy vegetables and healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil) and add a modest portion of sustainably raised meat, poultry, eggs, or fish, with the ceiling at four to six ounces a meal. Gluten and dairy are out, processed food is out, and added sugar stays an occasional treat. Beans and gluten-free whole grains stay in, in the amounts he sets: up to about a cup of beans a day, and half a cup of a low-glycemic grain like quinoa or buckwheat at a meal. Think of animal protein as a condiment, not the centerpiece.

✓ What you'll eat

Lots of non-starchy vegetables: the bulk of every plate
Healthy fats: avocado, nuts, seeds, olive and avocado oil
Modest portions of quality fish, eggs, poultry, or meat
Low-glycemic fruit like berries
Beans and lentils, up to about a cup a day
Gluten-free whole grains, about half a cup at a meal

✕ What you'll limit

Gluten, and refined grains like white rice
Dairy
Added sugar, refined oils, and processed food

Who it's a good fit for

People who want a mostly-plant, whole-food way of eating but don’t want to give up animal protein entirely, and who feel good without gluten or dairy while keeping beans and whole grains to small amounts.

A dietitian's note

Pegan keeps grains and beans small rather than cutting them, so fiber is easier here than the diet's reputation suggests, though it still takes some attention, as does B12 if you eat very little animal protein. Our pegan recipes are built to keep plants front and center. Not a treatment for any condition.

Common questions

Is pegan basically paleo?

Close, but not the same, and the difference is the part people get wrong. Pegan takes paleo's whole-food approach and its no-gluten, no-dairy rules, then puts a vegan's plate proportions on top: far more plants and much less meat. Where it parts company with paleo is beans and gluten-free grains, which paleo bans outright and pegan allows in small amounts.

Can I do pegan as a vegetarian?

Yes, and more comfortably than most people expect, because beans and lentils are allowed here. You'd lean on those plus eggs, nuts, seeds, and plenty of vegetables. Including eggs or fish makes it easier still, mostly for B12 and for protein without repeating yourself at every meal.

Why do people say beans are off the table on pegan?

Because pegan gets summarized as paleo-plus-vegetables, and paleo does ban them. Hyman does not. His own rules allow up to about a cup of beans or lentils a day, and half a cup of a low-glycemic gluten-free grain like quinoa or buckwheat at a meal, which is where our plans are built. That matters, because legumes have a genuinely good track record and they are the daily staple in the Blue Zones pattern. If beans bother your digestion or your blood sugar, scale them back. If they agree with you, they belong on the plate.

Where does calcium come from if there's no dairy?

Mostly from fish with the bones still in, plus greens and nuts. Canned sardines and salmon, almonds, tahini, bok choy, kale, and broccoli all contribute, and calcium-set tofu counts if you include soy foods. It does take more deliberate planning than a dairy-containing diet, so it's worth paying attention to, especially after menopause or if you already have a bone health concern. Whether you need a supplement on top depends on what you actually eat and your own history, which is a question for your provider or dietitian.

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Answer the same questions and take the personalized guide on its own for $19. It's written to your answers, it waits in your portal, and it's yours to keep. Start a plan later and the $19 comes off your first four weeks.

Not sure yet? Compare all the diets we support →