What is a Gluten-Free Vegan Diet?

There’s a lot of talk about going gluten-free And plant-based these days. You’ve probably been targeted by ads for some type of snack or meal delivery service that offers gluten-free vegan diet options; That’s enough to make you wonder if there’s a way to cut out regular bread and pasta.

If random ads, influencers, and members of your monthly brunch group are cutting out gluten, why shouldn’t you too? In reality, there are legitimate medical reasons to eliminate gluten from your diet, but a gluten-free vegan diet may not benefit you unless you are one of those people. Let’s examine why someone might need a gluten-free diet, what nutrients you might be missing, and what is OK to eat.

What is a gluten-free vegan diet?

If you follow a gluten-free vegan diet, you don’t eat anything that contains gluten or animal-based ingredients.

Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, which includes wheat berries, farro, marjoram, semolina, spelt, einkorn, Kamut, and the wheat protein used to make seitan and other types of plant-based meats. Gluten is like a flexible binder that holds food together. Without it, the dough for pizza, bread, flour tortillas, pasta and more would fall apart; But today there are many gluten-free foods that are virtually indistinguishable from their gluten-free counterparts.

Bread and pasta are staple foods for many, but for the estimated 2 million people with celiac disease in the United States, the gluten contained in these foods triggers an immune response. Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder in which eating gluten can result in painful bloating, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. Internally, gluten causes the body to attack the villi, which are threadlike extensions in the small intestine that aid nutrient absorption.

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If ignored, this condition can lead to an increased risk of other autoimmune disorders such as coronary artery disease, small bowel cancer, iron deficiency anemia and Type 1 diabetes, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. A lifelong gluten-free diet is the only known treatment plan for celiac disease.

Gluten may also be avoided due to gluten intolerance, also known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Eating gluten when you have NCGS can cause bloating and abdominal pain, but it is much less aggressive than celiac disease and does not have the same long-term effects on health. It is not an allergy or autoimmune disorder, and its exact causes are still unknown, but it affects an estimated six percent of the U.S. population.

If you suspect you have a gluten intolerance, your healthcare provider may perform tests to confirm it, including a wheat allergy test, and ask you to follow an elimination diet in which you avoid gluten completely. Unless you have a medical reason to avoid gluten, eliminating it from your diet will not provide you with any nutritional benefits.

Complications of the gluten-free vegan diet

The good news is that if you have to avoid gluten, you won’t be depriving yourself of essential nutrients. However, since it is a plant-based diet, it is deficient in vitamin B12, which is found in meat, eggs and dairy products. This important vitamin is essential for the formation of red blood cells and DNA, as well as the function and development of brain and nerve cells.

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RELATING TO: Can a Vegan Diet Help Autoimmune Disease Symptoms?

Vitamin B12 is added to some vegan products, such as fortified cereals, plant-based milk, and nutritional yeast, but since this is not standard, you may need to get your vitamin B12 from supplements.

It is recommended that you consult your doctor or nutritionist before making major changes to your diet.

What can you eat on a gluten-free vegan diet?

Figuring out what is appropriate to eat on a gluten-free vegan diet is less complicated than understanding what falls under the keto or paleo umbrella. Going gluten-free may seem like it’s about cutting out carbohydrates, which provide your body with the energy it needs to sustain life, but there are plenty of carbohydrate-heavy foods that are okay to eat.

All you need to do is stay away from animal products and anything containing gluten. It can be hard to find certain things (e.g. the gluten-free vegan pizza you love), but it’s pretty non-restrictive except in serious cases where you need to avoid foods that aren’t made in a special gluten-free environment.

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While not a comprehensive list, below is a general idea of ​​gluten-free vegan foods:

Alliums: Onion, garlic, shallot, chives, green onion, leek
Chili pepper: Bird’s eye view, Korean chili peppers, serranos, jalapeños, Kashmiri, Anaheim, poblano, Scotch bonnet, habanero, gochugaru, red pepper flakes, red pepper powders
Beverages: Coffee, tea, juice, kombucha, wine, most ciders, coconut water, water
Fresh herbs: Basil, coriander, parsley, thyme, curry leaves, perilla, rosemary, oregano
Fruits: Apple, banana, strawberry, melon, orange, grape, peach, pear, lemon, lime
Legumes: Beans, lentils, peas, peanuts, edamame
Mushrooms: Button, portobello, shiitake, enoki, maitake, oyster, king oyster
Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds
Fats: Canola oil, extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, avocado oil
Plant-based proteins: Tofu, tempeh, gluten-free vegan meats
Tubers: Potatoes, yams, jicama
Vegan cheese: Anything certified gluten-free; most must be
Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, cabbage, green leafy vegetables, sea vegetables
Whole and ground spices: Black pepper, cumin, coriander, allspice, turmeric, red pepper, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
Whole grains: Oats, rice, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, corn, sorghum

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Packaged gluten-free foods are also fair game. These include gluten-free bread, wraps, pizza, pasta, 100 percent buckwheat soda, cereal, snacks, candy and chocolate. Most types of vinegar, miso paste, tamari, and many sauces are gluten-free.

Look for any product that is certified gluten-free; This means that the product is produced in a special facility to prevent the risk of cross-contamination. This is safe for people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten intolerance. Sometimes, even naturally gluten-free foods can cause reactions in people when produced on shared equipment with gluten-containing ingredients. For example, some oats are not considered gluten-free for this reason.

What can’t you eat on a gluten-free vegan diet?

Gluten is quite common, especially in food from restaurants, but other than that there are no other major restrictions. Here is a general list of things to avoid on a gluten-free vegan diet:

Animal products: Meat, dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish, honey
Beverages: Beer, lager, ale, stout, and whiskey, bourbon, and gin made from wheat, barley, or rye
Cereals and flours: Wheat berries, barley, farro, rye, spelt, flour, semolina, Durum
Packaged foods: Bread, bagels, pasta, wraps, cereals, frozen waffles, flour tortillas, pizza, pasta, ramen, udon, croutons, some vegan meats
Snacks: Bagels, pita chips, crackers, cookies
Sauces: Soy sauce, barbecue sauce, salad dressing, roux-based sauces

Remember: If you have celiac disease, NCGS, or a wheat allergy, you should always read the ingredients list to make sure a product is completely free of traces of gluten.

Kat Smith is a Queens, NY-based freelance writer and editor who loves cooking and discovering local vegan’s hidden gems.