Looking to start a new diet for the new year? Possibly a vegan paleo diet? Some of you probably never heard of the paleo diet and others might have but don’t know what it is. Well, you have come to the right blog on the ultimate guide on learning all about the paleo vegan diet and maybe even taking the steps towards this diet. Or perhaps this could help change your mind on adapting to this new eating style.
Choosing a Diet
It’s always important to remember to adjust the diet based on what suits you the best and based on your unique nutrition goals. Yes, the vegan paleo diet could be challenging for beginners who are looking to change their eating style completely or for those who just want to try out the vegan paleo diet for a few months. Personally, trying something new is always great to learn from, especially seeing the results and how you body changes overall. I am going to be discussing a lot of benefits of the vegan paleo diet, but you all know with any diet plan there are going to be side effects and other cons on how you progress with it.
The information that I will be sharing will help you to focus on what foods to avoid on a vegan paleo diet and how you can approach this diet safely to benefit your body goals. Therefore, it is important to take your time and small steps when you’re trying a new diet plan because it most obviously affects your body and even your mood and behavior. Before you start anything, I highly recommend you download the CareClinic app on your smartphone and create a nutrition plan so that you could organize your goals, food plan, supplements and much more!
Let’s get right into it and go healthy this new year!
What is the Paleo Diet?
Unless you’re living in a cave, the paleo diet originally came from a group of paleolithic ancestors who lived 40,000 years ago. Around the stone ages, the paleolithic ancestors lived off natural sources before civilization developed. Eating animals was dominant for paleolithic diets because it was mainly the natural way of survival, which is why their protein intake was quite high. Most of our food now are hunted, fished, or gathered from the natural environment (R).
Our early ancestors also had natural and unprocessed foods such as fruits, nuts, seeds, lots of vegetables, and healthy fats. The main purpose of the paleo diet is to take the proven natural approaches of understanding what is good for our body. Therefore, we integrate the paleo idea with the knowledge of innovative science.
What is the Vegan Diet?
The vegan diet is often characterized as a very strict vegetarian diet because it not only excludes meat but it also excludes eggs, honey, milk, and all dairy products. Veganism is often chosen due to health reasons, ethical reasons or both. Those who chose this diet for ethical reasons also avoid the use of any animal products such as in clothing, jewelry or cosmetics.
Putting it together: Paleo + Vegan = Pegan
Today, we try to combine the paleo concept with vegan to focus on foods that are 75% plant-based (fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and 25% of high quality for sustainably raised meat, poultry and fish. This combination is called the pegan diet! The pegan diet prioritizes sustainable animal proteins and unprocessed whole foods. Sugars, dairy, gluten, and wheat are avoided in this diet. Of course, it won’t be easy in the beginning to eat vegan paleo, but paleo is more than a diet. It is a lifestyle for anyone that is looking to make a change.
What are you supposed to eat?
Basically, most of your diet will be comprised of good fats, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. A physician stated that 75% of the vegan paleo diet should be vegetables and fruits while avoiding eating dairy and gluten. However, if you do choose to eat diary for this diet, it is recommended to reach for sheep or goat-based dairy products. In addition, meat is allowed for the vegan paleo diet. It is important to note that meat is not necessarily harmful and includes a lot of good health benefits. The main idea is to know how much meat you consume and what kind you’re eating. Many people tend to avoid these types of diets thinking they would not have the opportunity to eat meats. With the vegan paleo diet, you do have the option of eating organic meat products. A doctor from the Cleveland Clinic Center, suggested some types of meat are only grass-fed raised meats.
Pegan Diet Guidelines
- 5+ cups of vegetables (non-starchy)
- 4 carbs (fruit, grains or starchy vegetables)
- 3 proteins (2 vegan proteins such as tofu, beans, seeds, tempeh and 1 paleo protein such as 2 eggs or 3 oz. lean protein)
- 2 fats (1/4 avocado, 1 tbsp oil, 1 oz. nuts, 1 tbsp nut butter)
- 1 dairy substitute (nut milk, non-dairy yogurt, nut cheese)
- Alcohol – 2 drinks per week
Your Vegan Paleo Meal Plan
Some people are probably looking for meal plan or an idea on creating a meal plan for this year. The meal plan below is a 5-day course meal from breakfast to dessert! Who doesn’t love some dessert after dinner? Below is a great vegan paleo meal plan to start achieving your health goals and to experience the pegan lifestyle!
Day 1
Breakfast: Salad with veggies tossed with oil and vinegar, topped with a poached or hard-boiled egg
Lunch: Lentil soup and a side of fruit
Snack: Celery or apple with almond butter
Dinner: Stir-fry with chicken
Dessert: Mixed berries
Day 2
Breakfast: Chia pudding made with nut milk topped with almonds and berries
Lunch: Big spinach salad topped with salmon
Snack: Hard-boiled egg and carrots
Dinner: Sweet potato, zucchini noodles and meatballs
Dessert: Banana with almond butter
Day 3
Breakfast: Smoothie made with spinach, avocado, blueberries and nut milk
Lunch: Veggie chili
Snack: Carrots with hummus
Dinner: Burger wrapped in Swiss chard, with sides of quinoa and steamed broccoli
Dessert: Chia pudding
Day 4
Breakfast: Frittata with veggies
Lunch: Salmon with sides of steamed spinach and quinoa
Snack: Homemade trail mix with dried mango, dried bananas, walnuts, almonds and raisins
Dinner: Roasted spaghetti squash with Bolognese sauce
Dessert: Smoothie made with coconut water, mixed berries and banana
Day 5
Breakfast: Sweet potato hash with two eggs
Lunch: Veggie salad topped with a large scoop of tuna salad
Snack: Smoothie with almond butter, banana, cherries, nut milk, and cacao
Dinner: Fajita lettuce wraps with sides of baked potato, broccoli, and black beans
Dessert: Mixed berries with mint
A Quick Reference to a Vegan Paleo Diet Shopping List
| Fruits | Apples, bananas, cherries, dark berries, grapefruits, kiwis, mangos, olives, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapple, plums |
| Healthy Fats | Nuts: almonds, cashews, macadamia, pecans, pistachios nuts/seed butter: almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower butter
Oil: coconut, olive Seeds: chia, flax, pumpkin, sunflower Other: avocados, olives |
| Paleo Protein | Eggs, grass-fed beef/chicken/turkey, low-mercury wild caught mussels/salmon/shrimp/sardines/trout, wild-game bison, pheasant, rabbit, venison, wild duck |
| Vegan Protein | Beans, tempeh tofu |
| Whole grains | 100% whole grain bread, 100% whole grain pasta and bean pasta, brown rice, buckwheat, Ezekiel bread, oats |
| Sauces/Spices | Cayenne, red pepper flakes, Dijon mustard, garlic, ginger, ground pepper, hot sauce, oregano, paprika, parsley, rosemary, thyme |
| Non-Starchy vegetables | Bamboo shoots, beets, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, daikon, eggplant, onion, pea pods, pepper, radishes, tomatoes, leeks, mushroom, okra and MUCH MORE |
| Starchy Vegetables | Carrots, corn, squash, sweet potato |
| Dairy substitutes | Non-dairy yogurt, nut milk, nut cheese |
| Sweeteners | Dates, vanilla, honey, maple syrup, stevia |
Benefits of Vegan Paleo Diet
You may be wondering, other than the idea of eating healthy and possibly losing some weight, what are the benefits of this diet to me? Below is a brief list of benefits that come alongside taking on this new diet
- Positive impact on heart health (important to cardiovascular patients)
- Reduced inflammation and oxidative stress in the body
- A gluten-free diet that is beneficial to those who are allergic to gluten
- Type II diabetes patients (the diet incorporates foods that do not spike the blood sugar levels)
- Weight loss
- Better sleep
- Improved physical and general well-being
- Clearer skin and healthier hair
- More stable immune system
- Reduced allergy symptoms
- Better mood and concentration
The great benefit of the vegan paleo diet is that you do not need to worry about starving. There isn’t any starving if performed correctly. With all the nutrition meals such as vegetables, protein and healthy fats will be filling and satisfying. This will make your body feel it has received a good amount of energy and nutrients!
https://www.hindustantimes.com/health/is-diet-diet-a-nutritional-option/story-gl8otbRRHG9M21b9980u7L.html
Drawbacks of Vegan Paleo Diet
While this diet comes alongside some great benefits, it is important to understand some of the drawbacks and incorporate nutrients that your may be restricting such as dairy and wheats. Like with any new diet, it is important to consult your doctor before making drastic changes to your diet; especially if you have any underlying health conditions or if you decide to continue this diet long term. It is necessary to recognize the important nutrients you may lack when taking on a restrictive diet like the pegan diet. Below is a brief list of some of the drawbacks associated with the diet.
- Lack of dairy (detrimental to bone health, especially if you have underlying bone or calcium deficiencies, may develop lactose intolerance if started this diet young)
- Expensive diet (organic and natural foods are pricier)
- Develop gluten intolerance if again started this diet at a young age
- Limits whole grains, dairy, legumes which can result in vitamin deficiency overtime
Must-Have App for Vegan Paleo Diet – CareClinic App
Some of you are probably wondering why and how would the CareClinic app is needed for this type of diet. This app can do more than just that but for any type of nutrition goal. The main reason I insisted to download the CareClinic app, in the beginning, is to organize and plan your nutrition journey. As you notice the meal plans listed above and the types of food combined with this diet, it can be intimidating and confusing to keep track of the required meal plan. The CareClinic app provides visual information and an easy interface to list, review, and track for making the vegan paleo diet life easier.
Keeps Track of Nutrition
The CareClinic app helps you to track all your nutrition guides and provides easy access to inputting your meals, calories, protein, etc. Also, being able to customize all your nutrition factors to your personal goals can be easy to review on a daily basis. By tracking your nutrition, the vegan paleo diet would build your confidence and motivation on engaging a personal goal on achieving your health results.
Activity Plan
Additionally, those who are looking to add their workout plan with the vegan paleo diet will definitely benefit from the CareClinic app. For beginners who are looking to start an activity plan with their diet, they will be able to view all sorts of exercises and a brief description of what type of movements are engaged. A great activity and nutrition plan can speed up your health goals and feel completely refreshed in good health and spirits.
Measurements
Of course, measurements are an important factor in food diets. The CareClinic app allows you to input your lifestyle measurements such as current weight, sleep hours, blood pressure, and tracking the levels on your mood and pain. During a vegan paleo diet or any other diet, it is important to track your weight in the beginning and reflect on how you progressed over the few months or years. This helps you to strive for more goals than just weight loss and leads you to workout routines or simply increasing the amount of water in a day.
Supplements
Some of you may not always have the chance to get the right nutrition for your diet goals. The CareClinic app includes a supplement plan for you to add all your health supplements such as vitamin D, calcium, whey protein, iron, glucosamine, fish oils, and many more. This would help you to keep track of all your supplements and pursue your healthy nutrition goals.
The pegan diet may be the right diet for you, make sure to use the CareClinic app to help you keep track of everything your eat and do to change your lifestyle.
