What is the Pegan Diet?

Is pegan the new paleo? Photo: Getty

In basic terms, the pegan plan is a leaner version of Paleo, with an even bigger emphasis on vegetables. Like the Paleo and vegan diets, it's centered on whole, fresh, sustainable foods, like vegetables and healthy fats but it also includes some meat and animal products, says dietitian Brigitte Zeitlin

An ideal pegan plate contains foods that fall somwhere between 55 and 69 on the glycemic index, which is just a fancy way to measure how likely a food is to make your blood sugar spike and lead to an energy-sapping crash, says Zeitlin.

RELATED: Seven signs a diet won't work

Besides being blood-sugar friendly, pegans follow a fairly strict list of foods they can and cannot eat. Here are the details:

Plants: A majority of the pegan diet consists of fruits and veggies, like apples, grapefruit, and peaches, along with pretty much every vegetable—as long as it's within or below the 55 to 69 glycemic index range, says Zeitlin. You can check out the Harvard Medical School's list of foods' ranking on the glycemic index to see if your favorite produce makes the cut.

Protein: Roughly 25 percent of a pegan diet contains lean animal protein, such as chicken, eggs, fish, and lean beef. As a nod to its Paleo heritage, that protein should be grass-fed and free of antibiotics.

RELATED: 10 ways to reduce your sugar intake

Fats and grains: Heart-healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, and most nuts are good to go, says Zeitlin. And whole grains like oats, quinoa, amaranth, millet, and wild rice are also up for noshing.

Dairy, sugar, soy, and legumes: If you're following the pegan diet to a T, you can forget about yogurt, granola, edamame, and peanuts, says Zeitlin. These foods are all off limits because they can be hard to break down, which can cause gas, bloating, and sometimes constipation, she says.

Gluten: The only grains pegans avoid are ones that contain gluten—so any form of wheat is off limits. That includes varieties like spelt, semolina, barley, and rye.

Some veggies: Sadly, beets, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, and parsnips are too high on the glycemic index for this diet, says Zeitlin.

RELATED: The biggest breakfast mistake people make

Will you lose weight?
Thanks to fibre-packed vegetables and satiating fats, you may feel fuller longer while eating pegan-style, which can help you lose weight. That's because you'll feel less inclined to fill up on sugary treats that make your blood sugar surge and crash.

Plus, you can eat a ton of vegetables without overdoing it calorie-wise, and those fibre-rich snacks help quiet hunger pangs. Peace out, cravings.

Obviously, a diet high in veggies can be great for your waistline, but many vegans fall into the trap of craving and eating too many carbohydrates. "Carb cravings are often the result of your body wanting the glucose boost that comes with blood sugar-spiking foods like cookies and cake," says Zeitlin.

However, the extra protein you'll also be eating can help nix that issue by providing extra energy.

Ultimately, increasing your protein and fibre intake while eliminating sugar and processed foods are all lifestyle changes that will lead to weight loss and improved health, says Zeitlin.

RELATED: The 10 best foods for running

At the end of the day, this is an elimination diet, and restrictions can be, well, restrictive, says Zeitlin. Ultimately, she recommends customising the diet to your needs if you're going to give it a try. "One size does not have to fit all," she says. "Beans are a nice source of protein and fibre in the same package, so add them in if you like them."

If you follow the fundamentals of the pegan diet (like cutting way back on sugar and eating more veggies and lean protein) but customise it slightly, it's more likely that you'll actually lose weight and be able to stick with it, says Zeitlin.