Is It Possible To Be Vegan And Gluten- Free Without Feeling Deprived? (Tips & Resources)

On a previous blog post I was recently asked: "Is it possible to be vegan and gluten-free? It seems like a lot of work to create a nutritious diet with so many limitations, but I could be (gasp!) wrong!"

I was so happy to receive this question, because this is a common misconception.

I haven't really discussed this much before, but early on in my vegan journey I was also mostly gluten-free. I don't have Celiac or a wheat allergy. My reasoning was that I didn't like how eating gluten was making me feel. I have rosacea and eczema. I noticed how eating some gluten products would cause an inflammatory response.

In my early years of being a committed vegan, I would go for months without consuming any gluten. I still limit the amount of gluten I consume and just have it during certain occasions and situations. Yes, I am lucky that avoiding gluten is optional for me. There are those who can suffer serious consequences if they do consume it in any form. I am sharing my personal experience with avoiding gluten to illustrate that I do know that it is possible to not feel deprived and meet all of your nutritional requirements as a gluten-free vegan. Here are my success tips for being a gluten-free vegan. Any medical concerns should be discussed with your doctor.

3 Tips For Being Vegan and Gluten-Free

Tip# 1 - Connect With Your Why: When we connect with why something is important to us, it can help us stay committed when times get tough. If you are gluten-free for health reasons, then your why is pretty straight forward for that. It is understandable that if you already feel limited by needing to be on a gluten-free diet, then adding veganism to the mix could feel like adding more restriction.

Part of this is a mindset thing. If we view things through a mindset of "restriction" and focus on what we can't have, it can feel demoralizing. When we view things through a lense of "possibilities" then we are open to seeing options. Asking ourselves "What is possible?" during times where we are feeling restricted, prompts our mind to look for opportunities and creative solutions. The other part of this is understanding why you are going vegan?

I think this would be a good place for me to emphasize that veganism is a moral stance against

exploiting animals in any capacity (food, clothing, entertainment, etc.) It is not a diet. Diet is only

part of the vegan lifestyle. People who focus on the diet aspect only are plant-based. This can cause

a lot of confusion. An important clarifying question to ask yourself is do you want to be vegan or

plant-based? I used to consider myself an aspiring vegan for about two years, before I was able to

commit to the vegan lifestyle. In the beginning my primary focus was on food and health. I was finally able to commit to a vegan lifestyle when I was able to fully connect to my why. By that point, not

being vegan was painful for me because I was very clear on how the lifestyle aligned with my values.

Tip#2 - Explore The Possibilities: As I mentioned before, when we focus on the possibilities we see more options. There are many restaurants that offer vegan options that include gluten-free ones in their offerings. There are many vegan recipe creators who share gluten-free recipes or share modifications to make recipes gluten-free. Exploring all the options on Pintrest and Google searches inspired me on my vegan journey. ElaVegan (Michaela Veis) is one of my favorite vegan recipe creators who offers a lot of gluten-free recipes. You can check out her recipes here https://elavegan.com/ .

Also, ask yourself what am I already eating that is considered vegan? Fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, rice, and gf oats are foods that are already vegan and gluten-free. There are many gluten-free products out there that are gluten-free as well. Just make sure to check your labels. There are many gluten-free products that can contain eggs, dairy, and honey in them. Writing out a list of what you are already eating that is considered vegan can be helpful. This will help you feel less limited. Any non-vegan recipes can easily be veganized with some ingredient swaps. Exploring how you can get creative with your current recipe rotation also opens you up to what is possible.

You can also sign up for these gluten-free vegan recipes I offer.

Tip#3 - Preparation: The more we prepare for something, the better we can stay the course. Exploring recipes, stocking your pantry, meal-prepping, and researching restaurants that support your vegan and gluten-free needs will help you stay on track.

When it comes to social gatherings it is important to communicate your needs to the host or group of

people you are meeting up with. When I go to someone's home, I always offer to bring a main and

dessert that I can eat. This way the host doesn't feel pressure to accommodate me. It also gives me an opportunity to share with others the possibilities of how good vegan and gluten-free food can be.

The Happy Cow app is a wonderful resource for looking up vegan restaurants. I use it a lot when traveling. You can then check their menus out to see if they have gluten-free options.

You can also meet your health requirements as a gluten-free vegan. For more information on that check out the following websites and make sure to address any health concerns with your doctor.

• https://nutritionfacts.org/

• https://www.microbialfuturenutrition.com/

• https://www.pcrm.org/

Being vegan and gluten-free can be an enjoyable experience. Connecting with your why, exploring your possibilities, and preparation can help you stay grounded through the experience. Also remember to be kind to yourself. Any transition takes time to adjust to.

For more support, check out my blog post "4 Tips For Being Vegan In A Non-Vegan Household & Navigating Life In A Non-Vegan World".

What kind of gluten-free vegan recipes would you like me to share in a future blog post. Please let me know in the comments below.

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Jennifer Shlomovich is as an Alignment Coach and Vegan Educator. She helps women move from self-abandonment to self-alignment by becoming more intentional about their choices. She is also the only vegan in her family and shares her journey about living differently from the people around her. She is also passionate about showing others just how delicious vegan food can be. To learn more visit https://www.theconfidentvegan.com/