Veganism and Food Allergy Awareness Week

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network has declared this week (May 9-15) as the 13th annual Food Allergy Awareness week.

So what if you have food allergies and want to be a vegan?

According to FAAN, eight foods are responsible for 90 percent of all food allergic reactions. These eight foods are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, soy and wheat. If you are allergic to one or more of the first four on the list, hurray for you, a vegan diet will solve all your problems! If you're allergic to one of the last three, a vegan diet will be more difficult, but it is possible.

I'm living proof. I'm a vegan with a gluten intolerance. Which means I don't eat meat, fish, dairy, eggs, wheat, barley or rye.

So what do you eat? I understand your concerns; I wondered that myself when I first found out that wheat was causing my health problems. In a panic, I googled Zooey Deschanel. The adorable Deschanel appeared last year on Top Chef Masters. Deschanel is intolerant to both wheat and soy, and at the time of the episode, she was a vegan. She would surely have the answers I was looking for.

Sadly, according to the April issue of Health magazine, Deschanel is no longer a vegan. She explains: "I have a lot of food sensitivities - I can't eat wheat or soy - and it was very difficult to eat and get enough calories. It was even impossible to eat at a vegan restaurant."

Deschanel-be-damned, I was not to be deterred. Remaining vegan was non-negotiable. I can't eat wheat for health reasons and I can't eat animal products for ethical reasons. Both are equally important to me.

In some ways, being vegan for the past five years (and vegetarian for the past seventeen), has prepared me to have a food allergy. I'm not shy about asking waiters how the food is prepared. I'm used to reading ingredient lists. I'm accustomed to cooking for myself.

My new diet consists of plenty of beans, rice, quinoa, nuts, fruits, and vegetables, as well as rice, hemp, and almond milks. For snacks, I eat popcorn and tortilla chips, and for dessert, I eat dark chocolate and coconut milk ice-cream. I even found a gluten-free beer! I rarely eat soy, so I am confident that a person with soy allergies could be a healthy, happy vegan as well.

While there are many foods you can eat as a gluten-free vegan, be aware that gluten is hidden in many places that aren't always obvious. Beware of salad dressings, soy sauce, and the products devilishly labeled "wheat-free." If it is packaged, and doesn't say "gluten-free" on it, don't eat it.

Former Change.org blogger Stephanie Ernst wrote a post last year on veganism with dietary restrictions, and she recommended The Gluten-Free Vegan cookbook, which is an invaluable resource. She also recommended the Veganomicon cookbook.

Here are some other books I've found useful:

Canyon Ranch Cooks: This isn't a strictly vegan cookbook, but the gluten-free vegan recipes are plentiful and delicious. I made the carrot ginger soup and asparagus soup this past week, and both were phenomenal.

The Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen: Admittedly, it is easier to be a gluten-free vegetarian than it is to be a vegan. Too much dairy in this book for me, but if dairy remains part of your diet, a good resource.

Babycakes cookbook: I know, I always write about these cupcakes. But many of these recipes are gluten-free (Warning: the red velvet cupcakes are not!), and the cupcakes are just so good! Flying Apron's cookbook is also a vegan and gluten-free book for baking, but I haven't read it or used it.

The G-Free Diet: As much as it pains me to endorse the annoying Elizabeth Hasselbeck, this is a good resource for those who are just beginning a gluten-free life. It is not a cookbook, more of a self-help book. It is not geared towards vegans or vegetarians, but I still found it helpful.

If you're interested in how I cope as a gluten-free vegan, visit my blog Supermarket Vegan.

It is more difficult to be a vegan when you have food allergies, but don't dismay. It is possible, and it gets easier with practice. With careful planning, you'll end up with a diet that is both healthy and kind. Happy Allergy Awareness week!

Photo credit: dan4th