Vegan FAQ: How to eat gluten-free and healthy

Adopting a plant-based diet can be a challenge, even more so when you have other dietary restrictions.

If you have celiac disease, are gluten intolerant, or are just staying away from gluten, you might be wondering how to eat vegan and be healthy.

Here are our tips to help you!

1. Get to know your gluten-free protein sources

Getting enough protein is important to feel satisfied on a vegan diet. While seitan (made out of gluten) is popular and loved by many, it’s far from the only protein option!

Here are some of the many proteins you can eat daily:

• Beans
• Lentils
• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Nuts and seeds
• Whole grains: wheat, barley, and rye might be out (they’re not gluten-free!) but there are tons of whole grains you can enjoy. Quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, teff, millet, and gluten-free oats are our favorites!

2. Be aware of sneaky unhealthy gluten-free packaged foods

It may be tempting to try all the new gluten-free products grocery stores are filled with nowadays. However, some of them are filled with sugar and other not so healthy ingredients.

Thankfully, there’s plenty of nutritious options out there! Here are a few of our favorites:

Hi-Protein Veggie Burgers

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This new veggie burger has 26g of protein per burger!! I just tried it but cooked it in the microwave, which they note is the non-preferred method, and it didn’t turn out great. It pretty much completely fell apart. I definitely want to try it again in the oven as they recommend though. Not a lot of flavor, so plan on saucing it up if you try it. $3.49 for two large patties. By the way, I tried the new chickenless tenders the other night and I really like them. I think I actually prefer them over the previous ones / gardein. The breading is thicker and I think they have a better flavor. I haven’t had a chance to figure out if the ingredients match up with another brand. Has anyone been able to yet? Others have commented that they are oilier but I didn’t really think so. I cooked them in the oven so maybe that helped. #vegan #traderjoes #traderjoesvegan #vegancommunity #govegan

A post shared by Trader Joe's Vegan (@traderjoesvegan) on Nov 9, 2017 at 1:27pm PST

Packed with healthy pea protein and black beans, these burgers are full of iron and fiber. Minimal ingredients but tons of flavor!

Organic Coconut Aminos Seasoning Sauce

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SAUTEED MUSHROOMS 🍄 WITH COCO AMINOS. A quick, simple recipe for sautéed mushrooms. Great as a side to pasta, steak, fish or veggie dish! 3 Tbsps Big Tree Farms Coco Aminos 2 Tbsps balsamic vinegar 3 cloves garlic 2 lb mushrooms 1 Tbsp oil salt and pepper Thyme Heat skillet on medium-high. Add oil. Add garlic. Toss the mushrooms in the balsamic vinegar, coco aminos, salt and pepper to coat. Add mushroom mixture to skillet and stir occasionally for between 8-12 mintures. Add thyme, mix in and cook another 2 minutes. Transfer to plate and Enjoy! Did you know: All types of edible mushrooms 🍄 contain varying degrees of protein, fibre B vitamins as well as the powerful antioxidant selenium, which helps support the immune system & prevents damage to cells and tissues. #mushrooms #sauteedmushrooms #vegan #cocoaminos #sidedish

A post shared by Big Tree Farms (@bigtreefarmsbali) on Nov 14, 2018 at 1:57pm PST

 Regular soy sauce contains gluten. This gluten-free option tastes just as awesome, and even has less sodium!

Sprouted For Life Gluten Free Almond Bread

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Did someone turn up the heat? 🔥

A post shared by Food for Life Baking Co. (@foodforlifebaking) on Aug 31, 2018 at 1:06pm PDT

Packed with sprouted quinoa, millet, and chia seeds, this bread is nutritious and delicious!

Want to learn more about how to thrive on a vegan diet? These posts are chock-full of info:

• Vegan FAQ: What to do when beans make you bloated
• 7 vegan health facts that will blow your mind

• How to eat vegan and get every vitamin and nutrient you need

And don’t forget to check back for the next Vegan FAQ in our series!