Vegan Nutrition with Jill Nussinow, MS, RD

Jill Nussinow is a Registered Dietitian, culinary educator, cookbook author, speaker and consultant and all around proponent of a plant-based diet. She teaches vegetarian and vegan cooking at Santa Rosa Junior College in California and other places around the US. She has a son who is almost 15. One of her greatest joys is sharing her enthusiasm for vegetables and pressure cooking with anyone who will listen.

I am vegan but have sensitivities to gluten, wheat, soy products, beans and nuts. That eliminates most sources of protein for my diet. Can I get enough protein without the benefit of these foods?

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It certainly sounds as if your diet will be limited regarding specific protein-containing foods since you have gluten-senitivities. But most foods except for oils contain protein. Even fruit has a small amount.

Some good sources of gluten-free protein can be found in the grains quinoa, amaranth and teff, which you might want to include as daily essentials. You mention a sensitivity to beans but if you can eat other legumes such as lentils or split peas, include those. Include seeds such as sunflower, flax, hemp and salba (chia), as they are nutrient-dense diet additions. Eating a variety of foods is important. Choose a wide array of vegetables in many colors of the rainbow daily. If you are choosing healthful foods, you will likely be able to get enough protein but see how you feel as you adapt to this eating pattern.

I suggest making an appointment with a local Registered Dietitian who can better assess your nutrient status.

Jill Nussinow is a Registered Dietitian, culinary educator, cookbook author, speaker and consultant and all around proponent of a plant-based diet. She teaches vegetarian and vegan cooking at Santa Rosa Junior College in California and other places around the US. She has a son who is almost 15. One of her greatest joys is sharing her enthusiasm for vegetables and pressure cooking with anyone who will listen. Her cookbook The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment and her new DVD, Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look, Delicious Dishes in Minutes are both available on her website www.theveggiequeen.com.

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Visit Jill's website TheVeggieQueen.com and her blog theveggiequeen.blogspot.com.

Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.
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