What dietary labels can you filter to search for on recipes on My Accessible Kitchen? This post explains what you can find.
Plant Based | Vegan | Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Egg free | Nut Free | Seed Free | Soy Free | Low Histamine | Low FODMAP | Refined Sugar Free | Allium, Onion and Garlic Free | Nightshade Free | Gastroparesis Friendly
Plant based or Vegan
In order to make the majority of recipes naturally accessible to as many elimination diets and allergens as possible, all recipes are free from egg, dairy, meat, fish or shellfish. Recipes will be labelled as vegan when there is no honey/manuka honey and plant based if there is.
Plant Based Products
Across this platform, plant based milk / cream / butter etc is suggested for recipes. This is openly suggested as plant based so that you can choose an option that best suits your elimination diet. There are also different options and brands across different countries. A recipe may be labelled as nut or soy free but if you select a nut or soy milk for the recipe it will of course not make it free from this. Remember to check whether oat based products are gluten free as not all of them are. To make a recipe low FODMAP or low histamine ensure that the plant based products you select are suitable.
Gluten Free
All recipes are created and tested as free from gluten, predominantly using either a gluten free 1:1 all purpose flour blend or oat flour that’s blended using gluten free rolled oats. I use Schar Universal in all recipes so if you can get your hands on this flour that’s ideal, but if you can’t then choose a gluten free 1:1 all purpose flour that you know and trust and that’s been recommended in your region. Oat flour can be purchased in your supermarket (just check it’s gluten free), but use a high speed blender or food processor to grind the rolled (not steel cut) oats to a fine flour. I do this in batches once every few months and store in a large airtight kilner jar for use in recipes so I recommend doing this if you can.
Nut Free
All recipes are peanut free (they happen to be one of my trigger foods and make me sick). But I do have some recipes that use nuts – so when a recipe is nut free this will be specified.
Note that when plant based milk is suggested, it’s assumed that you’ll know to use a nut free milk if you are allergic or avoid nuts.
Seed Free
Some people don’t tolerate seeds, so whenever a recipe is seed free this will be clearly labelled.
Soy Free
Over the past few years whilst I’ve been developing the majority of these recipes, soy was one of the staples in many recipes to give flavour without any alliums, onion or garlic. But as I’ve developed worse mast cell issues, I noticed the negative effects soy can have on symptoms. Some recipes may contain soy but I’m making much more effort to avoid this in recipes from now.
Low FODMAP
Any recipes that are labelled as low FODMAP will be in quantities suitable according to Monash University App.
Allium, Onion and Garlic Free
Whilst onion and garlic are high in FODMAPS, you may be intolerant or allergic to all alliums, onion and garlic. Now, the low FODMAP diet allows types of alliums like chives and spring onions or garlic infused olive oil, which for me personally (and I’m sure many others) still isn’t suitable if you react to this family of foods. So ALL of my recipes (even if not low FODMAP in everything else) will ALWAYS be free from any alliums, onion or garlic
Low Histamine
Whilst there are many different lists for low histamine foods, the list I use is the SIGHI list. Please note that some foods will score in the middle and I’ll note this on the recipe description if they do. Remember that everyone is different in what they tolerate, so especially for diets like low histamine and low FODMAP, double check ingredients and confirm that YOU are okay with this certain food – although they’re a consensus lower ‘_’ food, you may still not tolerate that so please be conscientious that this isn’t medical or nutritional advice and a general guide to help you find more recipe inspiration for meals.
It’s also important to remember the Histamine Bucket Theory for managing Mast Cell Disorders or Histamine Intolerance. I partnered with Mast Cell Action Charity to share this graphic that explains the Bucket Theory a little better. So be conscientious that ‘some’ high histamine foods may be okay when your bucket is less full and not tolerated when it’s overflowing.
Refined Sugar Free
I use unrefined, more wholesome and lower glycemic index sugars in my recipes. This means that the sugar spikes your blood sugar a little less than regular sugar.
Coconut Sugar
Also known as Coconut Palm Sugar or Coconut Blossom Sugar. Although the calories and carbs are nearly identical, coconut sugar has a much lower glycemic index than white sugar. This means your blood sugar won’t spike as much as regular white sugar. Coconut sugar contains a small amount of minerals like zinc, iron, calcium, and potassium, whereas white sugar is ‘empty calories’.
Maple Syrup
High in antioxidants and other nutrients such as riboflavin, zinc, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Lower on the glycemic index than table sugar, meaning it doesn’t spike blood sugar as quickly.
Now a key thing to note for both low histamine and low FODMAP diets is that any sugar is often not always tolerated and steering as clear from sugar as possible (even non-refined ones) is often recommended.
But if you still want to make recipes that are free from refined sugar (of course eating in moderation if you’re following these diets) then I create all of my recipes with refined sugar free alternatives such as maple syrup, coconut sugar and medjool dates. I also sometimes use honey or manuka honey (which is low histamine) but please note the recipe will be labelled plant based and not vegan as honey isn’t considered vegan.
Maple syrup and dates are low histamine on SIGHI, but coconut palm sugar has a ? so sample these with caution and only if you know you tolerate them. According to Fig, coconut sugar is suitable – so the information out there may be a little contradictory.
Alcohol sugars like erythritol and stevia/steviol glycosides may be higher in histamine / FODMAPS and often reactive or result in further gut issues, so although these are ‘keto’ I don’t typically incorporate these in any recipes unless the recipe needs a light sugar alternative and would likely opt for erythritol.
Nightshade Free
Nightshades include tomatoes, bell peppers and chillies (including paprika, cayenne pepper and chilli powder), aubergines or eggplant, Potatoes (white, red, yellow and blue-skinned), Tomatillos, Husk cherries, Goji berries, Huckleberries, Pimentos.
People can often be sensitive to nightshades and need to avoid these. Where a recipe is nightshade free it will be noted on the labelling.
Gastroparesis friendly
Now with gastroparesis (a condition I have where the stomach becomes partially or fully paralysed and struggles to digest), there isn’t ‘one diet for all’. So when I note it’s gastroparesis friendly please again look tentatively and confirm the ingredients are safe foods for YOU. Typically it’s beige, neutral, not too rich foods that are delicate on sensitive tummies. Often dietitians suggest blending foods like fruits and vegetables when gastroparesis flares – so many of my smoothies and shakes would be labelled gastroparesis friendly because they’re naturally liquid. Many recipes may be softer or easier to chew and gastroparesis friendly in that regard (e.g. well cooked soft vegetables would be but a raw salad would definitely not be).
You can find more resources on my other website with strategies for managing gastroparesis that I learned when I was diagnosed a few years ago. This includes ‘The Step Ladder Strategy’ and the various stages / types of foods.
What dietary requirements would you like added?
Are there any dietary requirements that you’d like me to add to this list of filters that’s not currently on here? I’m constantly working to make this platform as accessible to as many people as possible, so if there are please leave a comment to let me know what you’d like to be added.
