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Food Choices Abound for Vegetarian Clients With Gluten Sensitivities
By Karen Appold

Clients who adhere to a strict vegetarian diet don’t always receive all the nutrients their bodies need. And when they’re vegetarian and gluten sensitive, getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals seems to be even more of a challenge.

Typical vegetarians rely on wheat and other whole grains to provide the proteins needed for normal cell growth and repair. But when they remove wheat-containing products and other grains such as rye and barley, they lower their intake of B-complex vitamins, iron, and fiber, says Anne Roland Lee, MSEd, RD, LD, director of nutritional services for Dr Schar USA, Inc.

To ensure these patients receive the required nutrients, suggest they eat gluten-free grains such as quinoa, teff, amaranth, sorghum, millet, buckwheat, wild rice, and even certified gluten-free oats, all of which can boost the nutrient profile of the gluten-free vegetarian diet, Lee says.

Eating Healthfully at Home

Many foods that are part of a vegetarian diet, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, nut butters, seeds, beans, and legumes, already are naturally gluten free. There are also many gluten-free flours used for baking that combine high nutrient-dense grains to yield a tasty and healthful product. Pamela’s and Bob’s Red Mill both offer an all-purpose flour clients can use to make anything from pancakes to chocolate chip cookies, Lee notes.

Bean flours such as black bean, navy bean, chickpea, and yellow pea can add protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins to gluten-free baking.

“These legume flours are nutritionally rich compared to standard gluten-free flours like rice, corn, potato, and tapioca flours,” says Shelley Case, RD, of Case Nutrition Consulting, Inc., and author of Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide.

For a hearty dish, Case suggests clients add cooked, cold whole grains such as brown or wild rice, millet, quinoa, or whole sorghum as well as nuts, seeds, and legumes to salads. They also can combine black beans, brown rice, and salsa with chili or spruce up soup with cooked gluten-free whole grains.

Snacks on the Run

When it comes to snacks, there are plenty of healthy grab-’n’-go choices, such as gluten-free and vegetarian muffins, breakfast bars, crackers, popcorn, and snack mixes that are tasty and nutritious. Case and Lee recommend Mary’s Gone Crackers organic crackers (chock full of nuts and seeds), Crunchmaster multigrain crackers, Blue Diamond Nut Thins, Schar table crackers, and San-J brown and black rice crackers. Clients can spread almond, peanut, or sesame butter on them and top with a pear or apple slice. For a quick trail mix, they can combine dry gluten-free cereal with raisins, dried fruit, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds.

Nonuttin’ Foods, Glutenfreeda, Enjoy Life, Udi’s, and Bakery On Main make gluten-free granola. Adventurous clients can make their own using gluten-free oats, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. Gluten-free snack bars such as Lärabar, KIND, BumbleBar, and Bakery On Main also are simple grab-and-go options.

Dining Out

Eating out can present certain challenges, so Lee recommends clients call restaurants ahead of time and speak with the chef or manager to ensure they understand the special handling requirements for a gluten-free meal. Clients should provide concise descriptions of their needs to untrained restaurant staff. (See related article “Dining Out With Food Allergies? There’s an App for That” under Tech & Tools for more guidance on this topic.)

“If the staff is receptive, suggest a dish they may be able to prepare, such as a bean and rice dish, a crustless quiche, or even gluten-free pasta—using a separate pot and fresh water, of course,” Lee says. “The potential risk for cross contamination can be high with an untrained staff. If they understand the needs to meet [the requirements of] a gluten-free menu, then the additional [necessities] for vegetarian [fare] should be easily met.”

Restaurant Picks

Fortunately, many of your clients’ favorite restaurant chains offer abundant gluten-free, vegetarian choices on their menus. Following are a forkful of options suggested by Dina Aronson, MS, RD, of Montclair, N.J., coauthor of Food Allergy Survival Guide:

• Olive Garden‘s Penne Rigate Pomodoro made with gluten-free penne pasta is gluten free and vegetarian and so is its garden salad without the croutons.

• A gluten-free vegetarian would do well at Chipotle, where you can get a salad or crispy tacos with rice, veggies, guacamole, and beans. Taco Del Mar has similar choices.

• At McAllister’s Deli, there’s a cornucopia of choices: veggie chili, chili nachos with veggie chili, country vegetable soup, southwest roasted corn, and salads sans croutons and meat.

• Pizzeria Uno has a gluten-free cheese pizza and veggie pizza. There’s also a Cuban black bean and lentil soup as well as many salads and sides.

— Karen Appold is a freelance medical writer in Royersford, Pa.