Vegan and gluten free
tripsmom3
Posts: 11 Member
Anyone going vegan and gluten free? How are you doing?
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Replies
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Anyone going vegan and gluten free? How are you doing?
Because of the way you worded this, I am wondering if you are being unnecessarily restrictive. Are you going vegan because of ethical reasons and gluten-free because you have an allergy or intolerance to gluten? If not, sure, this can help you lose weight short term but you will likely find it ultimately overly restrictive and unsustainable.
Here's a review of a video of the Buff Dudes one month eating vegan. They decided to drop it after a month. Since the reviewer is vegan for ethical reasons, eating vegan is much more sustainable for him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzLMRqVoOMk&list=LLVE5X452GAZjduDT5L00Mnw&index=2&t=1s
Here's the original video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFjjchZGg0w&t=5s 0 -
My parents have been vegan and gluten free for 10+ years. My Dad is going to be 92 this year and my Mom is 86. They live in San Diego; last year they went on a vegan cruise in the Baltic, 2 years ago they went to a vegan resort in Northern Italy. They are planning a river cruise on the Danube this year. They work out every day, plus a walk, and all the food they prepare is purposeful and very good. They put a lot of thought and effort into their meals but it is paying off huge dividends for them in their health and quality of life. My Dad makes his own bread with a concoction of not wheat-based grains. There are a lot of resources online and more and more restaurants are offering viable vegan options. It's not an extreme life style any more by any means, so if you are motivated either by health or interest it's something that you can work on over time.10
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I have friends with allergies who manage this but they acknowledge it is a lot of work.5
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Yes, me! Not restrictive really, there are like thousands of foods to eat. For me the gluten free part is new, and was suggested (yes by my health care provider) based on other health issues. Eliminating gluten (well drastically reducing is more accurate) has cleaned up my vegan diet too. I’m feeling great and resolving other health issues.4
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I have not done this, no, but have acquaintances who have, so I can share what their experience was, at least?
1. Money - this greatly depends on what 'type' of gluten free you are.
- If you are going gluten free because of a mild intolerance, or just 'checking it out,' then the vegan diet along with it is not too bad, financially, with one caveat (see #2)
- But if you are a celiac, the cost goes up significantly. This is because vegan protein sources have gluten contamination risks. Seeds, grains, nuts, and legumes - and anything derived or made from them - are so frequently cross-contaminated with wheat (or barley or rye) that you have to do some digging to find sources that are gluten free enough for a celiac. These gluten free sources are typically much more expensive, partly because they almost never include those bulk bins in most of the stores (those usually have 'may contain wheat' or 'processed with wheat' statements). So this level of GF and vegan is a big financial hit.
2. Time (the caveat)
- Unless you have a lot of money to spend on pre-made food (so a financial hit no matter what type of gluten free you are), you better love cooking and have lots of time. Because there just isn't a lot that is both vegan and GF AND made for you that isn't at least twice, maybe up to four times, as much as the generic. So you end up cooking a LOT.
3. Your body
- If you are doing this to see what it's like, and there's no medical issues, there's probably not a big problem going GF and vegan.
- If, however, you are gluten intolerant, or especially a celiac, there can be issues. Mostly because these both may involve damage to the gut that may take months or years to heal fully, and may never fully heal. For example, celiacs tend to have fewer quantity, and fewer variety, of gut bacteria, even when healed. And the problem with that is that, to fully utilize some nutrients in a vegan diet, you need a healthier gut than you do to suck down those same nutrients from animal sources. And sometimes, a celiac especially does not have a healthy enough gut to manage it.
This physical issue was the deciding factor for those I knew of on the diet. One gluten free vegan is doing fine, and she was gluten intolerant - she has to do a lot of cooking, but she likes cooking, and doesn't have to buy the more expensive 'gluten free' labelled proteins, so her budget is okay as well.
I know of three gluten free vegan celiacs and all of them eventually had to start eating animal sources of protein. Two of these had been vegan for many years, even, but the damage from the celiac disease messed up their ability to get nutrients properly from their vegan diet and they couldn't stick to the diet and live. This was a very important ethical issue for them and they had to choose dying vs. eating animal products and it was devastating for them both, I know.
So...if you are healthy, and have a lot of money...the diet seems great, from what I hear.
If you have health issues, money issues, or time issues...the diet might be a lot trickier.
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I am not gluten free but I try to avoid too much gluten and I have been vegan for 3 years. It was a little work at first because I had to do my research and find some tasty recipes to keep me interested and find out what was okay to eat. There are lots of helpful sites like vegan womble which list vegan friendly foods.
I now have a four weekly meal plan which I rotate. I have a shopping list for each week and I find it quite easy to manage without much forward planning. I do cook most nights but after a few times cooking a recipe, it is quite straight forward. None of my meals take more than 30 minutes to prepare and I can honestly say, that I have never enjoyed my food more.
Healthwise, My OH has lowered his cholesterol and has avoided medication, He gives blood regularly and has never been turned away due to anaemia. I was anaemic before I was vegan. I am not anymore. I generally feel much less lethargic than I did before. It is recommended that you take a B12 supplement as you can't get that from plants but it is cheap to buy and perhaps not necessary if you eat fortified foods. Many carnivores are also B12 deficient too. As with all diets, If you try to eat a good variety of natural foods, you should be fine.
For the most part by weight had stayed at my goal without any logging or really thinking about calories. Sadly as mentioned on another thread, a new HRT has changed that now!
ETA I have noticed no difference to my weekly food shop bill but I tend to buy everyday stuff rather than special vegan stuff.2 -
I generally eat vegan and always paleo (which is a gluten free diet, but more restrictive). I feel pretty good and have enough energy. I basically have to only eat food that's cooked every night from scratch, and it definitely increases the grocery bill for me. But I don't buy anything that's processed in any way (with the exception of coffee beans, oil, spices, and almond/cashew milk for my coffee), so I basically only buy produce. If you're just doing gluten free, there are a lot of packaged things you can buy that are made with something other than gluten, that should make the cost and difficulty more reasonable.0
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My main issue with paleo personally is that I think eliminating beans and lentils (and peanuts) is nuts, as they are healthful foods that make it easier not to rely on meat for protein. (I also think grains are perfectly healthful for most, including those with and without gluten, as many grains like corn and rice and oats lack gluten, and that dairy can be healthful for those not intolerant and of course with no ethical issues.)
If one enjoys that way of eating and eats a healthy overall diet doing it, I'm all for it -- I'm for anything that someone enjoys and that actually helps them eat a healthful diet -- but I would find hitting a reasonable protein target on vegan very hard without beans and lentils. I'm only 100% plant-based about 3-4 days per week and I still rely heavily on beans and lentils, not only those days but many others (since I limit animal products to one meal a day on most other days). I could exclude gluten without too much problem if I didn't have to be as strict as a celiac about cross contamination, but I am glad I don't have to (and I feel for celiacs, as that can be a real pain).5 -
Gluten-free is heinously expensive. Since my wife got Celiac's 7 years ago, our food bills have about doubled. Aside from the cost, going gluten-free is a tremendous chore with no apparent benefit to anyone who doesn't specifically have a gluten allergy or intolerance.
There is no harm in going gluten free aside from the insane cost of ingredients, but there's no point, either. I've eaten mostly gluten free out of necessity the past seven years and do not feel any better or worse. It is like a peanut allergy - if you don't have one, there's no reason to avoid peanuts & doing so will not benefit you.
I am very thankful to the Gluten Fad for causing whole aisles of supermarkets to be devoted to gluten-free so my wife can eat, but at the same time, I think it's a very odd fad. A lot of the tastiest foods out there contain gluten, and avoiding them doesn't make you healthier.6 -
My main issue with paleo personally is that I think eliminating beans and lentils (and peanuts) is nuts, as they are healthful foods that make it easier not to rely on meat for protein. (I also think grains are perfectly healthful for most, including those with and without gluten, as many grains like corn and rice and oats lack gluten, and that dairy can be healthful for those not intolerant and of course with no ethical issues.)
If one enjoys that way of eating and eats a healthy overall diet doing it, I'm all for it -- I'm for anything that someone enjoys and that actually helps them eat a healthful diet -- but I would find hitting a reasonable protein target on vegan very hard without beans and lentils. I'm only 100% plant-based about 3-4 days per week and I still rely heavily on beans and lentils, not only those days but many others (since I limit animal products to one meal a day on most other days). I could exclude gluten without too much problem if I didn't have to be as strict as a celiac about cross contamination, but I am glad I don't have to (and I feel for celiacs, as that can be a real pain).
I'm actually kinda struggling to think of how to meet a reasonable protein goal on a vegan diet that has eliminated grains, beans, and soy. There must be some foods I'm missing when I'm thinking about what would be included in the diet, because a diet of produce, coffee, and almond milk sounds like protein would be a constant struggle.6 -
I'm vegan and I avoid gluten as much as possible. I don't buy any special "gluten-free" products - I just try to eat mostly plants. Produce, legumes, nuts, intact grains, etc. Avoid the processed stuff. This is a good way to keep costs down, as "gluten free" labeled items tend to be expensive. This way of eating does require home-cooking most meals, but we have the time and enjoy it. Look forward to feeling amazing if you go this route
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janejellyroll wrote: »My main issue with paleo personally is that I think eliminating beans and lentils (and peanuts) is nuts, as they are healthful foods that make it easier not to rely on meat for protein. (I also think grains are perfectly healthful for most, including those with and without gluten, as many grains like corn and rice and oats lack gluten, and that dairy can be healthful for those not intolerant and of course with no ethical issues.)
If one enjoys that way of eating and eats a healthy overall diet doing it, I'm all for it -- I'm for anything that someone enjoys and that actually helps them eat a healthful diet -- but I would find hitting a reasonable protein target on vegan very hard without beans and lentils. I'm only 100% plant-based about 3-4 days per week and I still rely heavily on beans and lentils, not only those days but many others (since I limit animal products to one meal a day on most other days). I could exclude gluten without too much problem if I didn't have to be as strict as a celiac about cross contamination, but I am glad I don't have to (and I feel for celiacs, as that can be a real pain).
I'm actually kinda struggling to think of how to meet a reasonable protein goal on a vegan diet that has eliminated grains, beans, and soy. There must be some foods I'm missing when I'm thinking about what would be included in the diet, because a diet of produce, coffee, and almond milk sounds like protein would be a constant struggle.
I eat a ton of arugula and lots of nuts and seeds. So far haven't seen any adverse effects from the large amount of fiber but it is something that I'm watching for and made sure to get some tests done to test for blood health before I started. I am willing to start eating tofu if I can't continue to make the diet work. But I work at home and am basically constantly snacking on foods.
I do eat some meat when on trips if I can't find something else that works.0 -
It is super important to remember that gluten free does not mean that something is healthier. As a person with celiac, I try to avoid most GF processed foods because to make these products taste palatable and have passable textures, loads of sugar and fat are added. Many people confound GF and healthy...definitely not mutually inclusive.2
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janejellyroll wrote: »My main issue with paleo personally is that I think eliminating beans and lentils (and peanuts) is nuts, as they are healthful foods that make it easier not to rely on meat for protein. (I also think grains are perfectly healthful for most, including those with and without gluten, as many grains like corn and rice and oats lack gluten, and that dairy can be healthful for those not intolerant and of course with no ethical issues.)
If one enjoys that way of eating and eats a healthy overall diet doing it, I'm all for it -- I'm for anything that someone enjoys and that actually helps them eat a healthful diet -- but I would find hitting a reasonable protein target on vegan very hard without beans and lentils. I'm only 100% plant-based about 3-4 days per week and I still rely heavily on beans and lentils, not only those days but many others (since I limit animal products to one meal a day on most other days). I could exclude gluten without too much problem if I didn't have to be as strict as a celiac about cross contamination, but I am glad I don't have to (and I feel for celiacs, as that can be a real pain).
I'm actually kinda struggling to think of how to meet a reasonable protein goal on a vegan diet that has eliminated grains, beans, and soy. There must be some foods I'm missing when I'm thinking about what would be included in the diet, because a diet of produce, coffee, and almond milk sounds like protein would be a constant struggle.
I eat a ton of arugula and lots of nuts and seeds. So far haven't seen any adverse effects from the large amount of fiber but it is something that I'm watching for and made sure to get some tests done to test for blood health before I started. I am willing to start eating tofu if I can't continue to make the diet work. But I work at home and am basically constantly snacking on foods.
I do eat some meat when on trips if I can't find something else that works.
Oh, I misread your post. I thought you were vegan and that is why I was confused about how it was working. Yeah, I can imagine meat would make a diet like this work.2 -
janejellyroll wrote: »My main issue with paleo personally is that I think eliminating beans and lentils (and peanuts) is nuts, as they are healthful foods that make it easier not to rely on meat for protein. (I also think grains are perfectly healthful for most, including those with and without gluten, as many grains like corn and rice and oats lack gluten, and that dairy can be healthful for those not intolerant and of course with no ethical issues.)
If one enjoys that way of eating and eats a healthy overall diet doing it, I'm all for it -- I'm for anything that someone enjoys and that actually helps them eat a healthful diet -- but I would find hitting a reasonable protein target on vegan very hard without beans and lentils. I'm only 100% plant-based about 3-4 days per week and I still rely heavily on beans and lentils, not only those days but many others (since I limit animal products to one meal a day on most other days). I could exclude gluten without too much problem if I didn't have to be as strict as a celiac about cross contamination, but I am glad I don't have to (and I feel for celiacs, as that can be a real pain).
I'm actually kinda struggling to think of how to meet a reasonable protein goal on a vegan diet that has eliminated grains, beans, and soy. There must be some foods I'm missing when I'm thinking about what would be included in the diet, because a diet of produce, coffee, and almond milk sounds like protein would be a constant struggle.
I eat a ton of arugula and lots of nuts and seeds. So far haven't seen any adverse effects from the large amount of fiber but it is something that I'm watching for and made sure to get some tests done to test for blood health before I started. I am willing to start eating tofu if I can't continue to make the diet work. But I work at home and am basically constantly snacking on foods.
I do eat some meat when on trips if I can't find something else that works.
I wouldn't think the fiber was an issue -- I eat lots of vegetables and a couple of servings of nuts and seeds daily and still have quite a bit more fiber on days I eat beans/lentils.
What seems like an issue is how to get sufficient protein, but I suppose on some days meat is the answer.
Pretty much all significant vegan sources of protein are legumes or grains.
What are your normal cals and protein grams on days you don't eat meat, if you don't mind saying.
I used to think vegan keto seemed impossible (I still think it seems harder than likely necessary for anyone, but I've listened to people who have done experiments with it), but that is possible because people typically do use foods like tofu and seitan which are off limits on paleo.1 -
janejellyroll wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »My main issue with paleo personally is that I think eliminating beans and lentils (and peanuts) is nuts, as they are healthful foods that make it easier not to rely on meat for protein. (I also think grains are perfectly healthful for most, including those with and without gluten, as many grains like corn and rice and oats lack gluten, and that dairy can be healthful for those not intolerant and of course with no ethical issues.)
If one enjoys that way of eating and eats a healthy overall diet doing it, I'm all for it -- I'm for anything that someone enjoys and that actually helps them eat a healthful diet -- but I would find hitting a reasonable protein target on vegan very hard without beans and lentils. I'm only 100% plant-based about 3-4 days per week and I still rely heavily on beans and lentils, not only those days but many others (since I limit animal products to one meal a day on most other days). I could exclude gluten without too much problem if I didn't have to be as strict as a celiac about cross contamination, but I am glad I don't have to (and I feel for celiacs, as that can be a real pain).
I'm actually kinda struggling to think of how to meet a reasonable protein goal on a vegan diet that has eliminated grains, beans, and soy. There must be some foods I'm missing when I'm thinking about what would be included in the diet, because a diet of produce, coffee, and almond milk sounds like protein would be a constant struggle.
I eat a ton of arugula and lots of nuts and seeds. So far haven't seen any adverse effects from the large amount of fiber but it is something that I'm watching for and made sure to get some tests done to test for blood health before I started. I am willing to start eating tofu if I can't continue to make the diet work. But I work at home and am basically constantly snacking on foods.
I do eat some meat when on trips if I can't find something else that works.
Oh, I misread your post. I thought you were vegan and that is why I was confused about how it was working. Yeah, I can imagine meat would make a diet like this work.
@janejellyroll, @Urun4me did say "I generally eat vegan" so your confusion is understandable.
@Urun4me when you are eating at home and not eating meat, how many grams of protein or what percent protein do you get? While nuts and seeds do have some protein, they are a better source of fat, and it takes a LOT of calories to get a sufficient amount of protein from them.3 -
I'm not sure on percentages or amounts. My guess is that I'm getting about 75% of what's recommended for my weight. I'm primarily focusing on watching (and testing) for the effects of protein deficiency. I do think I will probably throw in tofu soon. I am working with 2 professionals on the nutrition side who are assisting me with this, so I'm not here recommending it to anyone.
I eat a lot of hemp seed and a ton of arugula (about 2 lbs per day).
Also, I've only been eating strictly for 7 weeks, and only been on one trip where I ate meat for 1 day. My trip comment was more about the future than current.0 -
I'm not sure on percentages or amounts. My guess is that I'm getting about 75% of what's recommended for my weight. I'm primarily focusing on watching (and testing) for the effects of protein deficiency. I do think I will probably throw in tofu soon. I am working with 2 professionals on the nutrition side who are assisting me with this, so I'm not here recommending it to anyone.
I eat a lot of hemp seed and a ton of arugula (about 2 lbs per day).
Also, I've only been eating strictly for 7 weeks, and only been on one trip where I ate meat for 1 day. My trip comment was more about the future than current.
May I ask what the relevance of the arugula is? Two pounds would only be about 23 grams of protein, which isn't that much considering the volume of the food. I'm also dubious that the amino acid profile makes it suitable as a main protein source for vegans (or people on a mostly plant-based diet), although it's certainly useful to help round out the protein from other foods.3 -
23 grams is over 25% of the recommended amount. Not sure why that wouldn't be relevant.
My primary source is hemp seed which I'm estimating I get about 30-40 grams from.0 -
23 grams is over 25% of the recommended amount. Not sure why that wouldn't be relevant.
My primary source is hemp seed which I'm estimating I get about 30-40 grams from.
That's around 600 calories of hemp seeds per day. I'm glad that works for you, but for many people that's a lot of calories to dedicate to a single food daily.
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I think I like this book I’m reading called vegan keto by Liz McDowell she explains a lot in the book including essential micronutrients you will need and how you can get them from foods or specific supplements where it can’t be supplied directly by food bc you might have to eat it excessively. Basically it is gluten free bc you use recipes you make with alternative flour lol coconut or almond etc. so no recipes have anything gluten in them. She also explains protein and about digestibility and all that. She doesn’t sugar coat anything she says vegans must eat a variety of foods the get the nutritional profile met for protein and other essential vitamins and minerals etc. but it’s a good book worth checking out if you are curious
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janejellyroll wrote: »23 grams is over 25% of the recommended amount. Not sure why that wouldn't be relevant.
My primary source is hemp seed which I'm estimating I get about 30-40 grams from.
That's around 600 calories of hemp seeds per day. I'm glad that works for you, but for many people that's a lot of calories to dedicate to a single food daily.
Hemp plus arugula (which is a good green, but I would definitely vary my greens and seeds/nuts rather than eating so much of a single or couple of sources personally, but that's my take on nutrition) also falls well short of lysine needs even if the total grams of protein are okay.
That would likely be the biggest issue for someone trying to do 100% plant-based without legumes.2 -
I'm leaning more and more vegan every day (I eat meat like twice a week) and I'm gluten free by necessity. I might be Celiac, I'm not sure but I don't want to go through the eating gluten thing for a month to find out. I don't eat out much, so going gluten free for me, because I've cooked nearly all my life, isn't that bad. And I feel a ton better for it as well.
If it weren't for my meat and potato spouse, I'd likely be 100% vegan and gluten free. If you can cook, and don't mind it, it's not all that bad or expensive with proper planning.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »23 grams is over 25% of the recommended amount. Not sure why that wouldn't be relevant.
My primary source is hemp seed which I'm estimating I get about 30-40 grams from.
That's around 600 calories of hemp seeds per day. I'm glad that works for you, but for many people that's a lot of calories to dedicate to a single food daily.
Hemp plus arugula (which is a good green, but I would definitely vary my greens and seeds/nuts rather than eating so much of a single or couple of sources personally, but that's my take on nutrition) also falls well short of lysine needs even if the total grams of protein are okay.
That would likely be the biggest issue for someone trying to do 100% plant-based without legumes.
Yes, lysine (sometimes called the "limiting amino acid") would be my concern.
For anyone interested in reading more, here's details from Jack Norris, a vegan RD:
To ensure adequate protein status, vegans should eat 3-4 servings per day of high-protein foods that also are good sources of the amino acid lysine. Below is a list of protein foods from which to choose:
Legumes—1/2 cup cooked
Beans—garbanzos (chickpeas), kidney, pinto, navy (125-150 g)
Lentils (100 g)
Peas—split (100 g) or green (80 g)
Soyfoods—edamame (80 g), tofu (125 g), tempeh (165 g), soy milk (1 cup or 250 mL), soy meats (3 oz or 85 g)
Peanuts—1/4 cup (35-40 g)
Seitan—3 oz (85 grams)
Quinoa—1 cup cooked (185 g)
Amaranth (grain) – 1 cup cooked (245g)
Pistachios—1/4 cup (30 g)
Pumpkin seeds—1/4 cup roasted (35 g)
It’s hard to design a vegan diet that meets lysine requirements for a person who doesn’t exercise daily without including legumes, seitan, quinoa, pistachios, or pumpkin seeds and therefore without having too many calories. It’s easier to design a vegan diet for regular exercisers whose calorie requirements are higher—the low lysine foods will add up to provide enough.
Source: https://veganhealth.org/protein-part-1/
I'm a firm believer that most average plant-based eaters don't need to worry about specific amino acids. Our bodies do a good job of combining them when we're eating a variety of foods. It's when we don't eat a variety of foods, especially when we're eliminating entire groups of foods like legumes and grains, that we may struggle. As you point out, we can be hitting our goals for protein overall, but still have issues if we're not getting enough lysine.
I've got a pet hypothesis that some of the higher profile (AKA, youtubers and such) ex-vegan "failures" (people who abandoned veganism due to persistent health issues) can be attributed to lysine issues. These are often people who layer a lot of additional restrictions into their diet, avoiding things like cooked foods or doing lots of juicing or fasting. Obviously it's not something that I could prove, but lots of the stuff reported by these people sounds like suboptimal protein intake (mood issues, trouble sleeping, hair/skin/nail issues, low energy, weakness, hunger, getting sick frequently).3
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