Gluten-Free Vegetarian or Vegan

Photo: Whole Foods, http://wholefoods.com

It can be challenging enough on gluten-free diet, but what if you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet?

It’s well established that there are health benefits to reducing the amount of meat in the diets of most Americans, and the lifestyle has appeal for some people based on ethical and/or environmental reasons.  Fortunately, with extra planning, a well-rounded and delicious gluten-free vegetarian diet is possible.

The good news is that many vegetarian staples, like beans, lentils, tofu, dairy, nuts, seeds and eggs are already naturally gluten-free.  And some of the best sources of vegetarian and vegan protein are gluten-free pseudo-grains, such as quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth. Also, grains, such as millet, teff and sorghum are very nutritious.  In addition to protein and fiber, they all have other vital nutrients, like B vitamins, iron, calcium, magnesium, etc.

It’s vital for everyone with Celiac disease to get enough iron, calcium, magnesium Vitamin D, fiber and B vitamins (including B12), because these are often lacking due to damage from the disease process and eating patterns often seen in gluten-free diets.  Pair that with a vegetarian diet, which can be lacking in protein, iron, calcium, B12, omega fats, and Vitamin D, and it’s easy to miss out on necessary nutrients.

So what’s a vegetarian to do?

• Focus on typical vegetarian staples that are gluten-free, like beans, tofu, nuts and seeds, and, of course fruits and veggies and.  If your diet includes dairy, eggs, fish, etc. these are very nutrient rich as well.
• Watch out for the miso!  Surprisingly, sometimes it contains barley.
• Eat a good source of protein with each meal.
• Try quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth etc.
• Get your vitamin D, iron and B vitamin levels checked.  If you have a history of low D levels, consider asking your doctor for a bone scan, too.
• Consider a vegan or vegetarian omega 3 supplement from algae if you don’t eat fish.
• When possible, include fortified gluten-free foods, like cereals, breads, etc.
• Work with a Registered Dietitian to make sure you’re eating a balanced diet.

Fortunately, there are more and more vegetarian and vegan resources out there.
Here are some of my favorite websites:

• Diet, Dessert and dogs:http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/ all vegan recipes, and many are gluten-free (she has a gluten-free recipe index on her website).  This hot off the presses post on gluten-free vegan baking is fantastic!
• City Life Eats–Always gluten-free, usually vegan. Wonderful lunchbox ideas.
• Go Dairy Free:http://www.godairyfree.org/ many gluten-free recipes, many veg/vegan recipes

And a huge thanks to Ricki of http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/ for introducing me to this great new resource, which has a listing of a huge number of gluten-free vegan blogs: http://xgfxcommunity.blogspot.com

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Author Information: Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD, LD, Alexandria, VA, USA.
Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD, LD, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist.  Her passion is teaching people to live and love a gluten-free diet in the Northern Virginia area. For more, see www.harriswholehealth.com or follow on Twitter @cherylharrisrd