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Food has acquireda new religionPeganism. The current buzzword in the wellness circuit is the pegan plan, which includes 75 percent vegetables and 25 percent high-quality meat. And it is for the inveterate weightwatchers. Most of us are familiar with either of the two surrogates of the pegan planpaleo and vegan. Presented to the world by the US-based Cleveland Clinic doctor and bestselling author Dr Mark Hyman in 2015, the pegan diet supports a novel practice of nourishment by integrating the cores of the paleo diet with veganism. Astonishingly at the start, paleo and vegan diets seem to be an erratic combo in nature as the former is meat-based and the latter excludes any kind of animal product. Pegan inherits the best of both worldsplant-rich, whole foods, healthy fats with minimum processed foods, and reduced sugar and starch intake.
Understanding the PlanDr Hyman advocates nutritious plant foods low in sugar and starch and those which promote HDL (high-density lipid) or good fat like nuts and seeds, olive oil and avocados. Nutritionist Ritu Gupta, the founder of Nutrique, a New Delhi-based weight and health management portal, explains, The pegan diet focuses strongly on whole foods that are plant-basedand discourages eating conventionally farmed meats or eggs.
Instead,it places emphasis on grass-fed, pasture-raised sources of poultry, and whole eggs. It does help reduce inflammation and maintain blood sugar levels naturally for a healthier you. Anisha Arora Chopra, a 37-year-old dentist from Raipur, who found it difficult to followit in the initial stages, testifies the beneficial effects of this regimen. After a month into the pegan diet, it felt amazing. I saw many changes, some of which were that I lost six kilos in two months. My anxiety attacks stopped occurring and I slept better, she states. Chopra says that her blood sugarlevels are in better control without any medicines,she can focus better on work and personal life, and is an overall happier person now.
The Nutritional GapThere is no definition of an ideal diet. Every eating habit we have comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Nutraceutical Formulation expert and the founder of supplement brand PRO2FIT, Saurabh Shah answers: Essentially, every diet choice we make needs to be supplemented well to avoid lack of nutrient deficiency. Vegans usually find it difficult to meet their daily protein, calcium, Vitamin B12 needs. It becomes necessary to complement it with the right kind of supplements so that the deficiency of these is met to avoid complications.
Starch is an essential part of our diet as they provide energy to the body. Avoiding any particular macro-nutrient from the diet is not advisable. Everything, when eatenin proportion, serves its purpose in the body and the same applies to starch and carbs. Carbs (starch, fibre, sugar) are a good source of energy, iron, Vitamin B, provided it is not processed, advises Shah.
Chefs TakeUnlike vegan, its not featured in restaurant menus yet but awareness among chefs is created by requests for preparations with specific ingredients. Ganesh Chandrakant Teli, the Executive Chef at The Leela Palace Jaipur, who innovated sweet potato burritos and shrimp with zucchini noodles on a guests request, says, It can be compared to the very popular Mediterranean dietfresh and organic ingredients, heart-friendly, obesity-controlled and aids inkeeping disorders at bay.
The pegan diet is trending as it allows vegans to have animal products in moderation.It broadens their dietary choices, and lowers the chance of developing deficiencies. This is something Indians have been following since long, concludes Dietician Rajat Jain, founder of Health Wealth Diet Clinic.
Pegan meal bowlRecipe by Balvinder Pal Singh Lubana, Executive Chef Marriott, Hyderabad
Ingredients French beans 50 gm Button mushroom 50 gm Broccoli 25 gm Cherry Tomatoes 6 pieces Bok Choy 50 gm Zucchini 3 pieces Brussels sprouts 4 gm Hald an Avocado Coconut oil (unrefined) 1 tsp Poached Eggs 2 Boiled chickpeas 1 cup Chopped garlic cloves 4 Chopped onions 1 Himalayan pink salt to taste A spring of basil
Method Wash and clean allvegetables thoroughly before processing In a deep pan, add water to boil chickpeas Cut the mushrooms into or . They need to be even-sized. Cut broccoli into florets. Peel the asparagus. Cut the French beans into batons, and zucchini into batons. Add salt, garlic to the mushrooms, and set aside. In a pan, add broccoli and a little water, salt and steam the broccoli. Repeat with the beans and zucchini. In a sauce pan, add the garlic, 1 tsp coconut oil and roast till the raw smell goes away Add the mushroom and saut till mushrooms are done. Remove and saut the bokchoy. Add 1 tsp oil, and add the rest of the garlic and the cooled chickpea and saut In a deep pot, bring water to a boil, add a little salt and vinegar, swirl the water with a perforated spoon and slowly add whole egg so it coagulates. Take out once the exterior is firmand transfer intocold water.
To assemble In a wide bowl, add the bokchoy, 1-2 tsp sauted chickpeas, 1 tsp mushrooms, the vegetables, and poached egg. Garnish with chopped basil, sliced avocado, and cherry tomatoes. Serve immediately
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Embrace the best of meat and veggies with a 'pegan' diet plan - The New Indian Express
