Making a gluten-free diet eco-friendly can be both beneficial for your health and for the planet. Here are five tips to make it more sustainable:
1. Choose naturally gluten-free foods
Gluten-free foods often rely on alternative crops which are less taxing on the environment compared to wheat and other gluten-containing grains. These crops require less water, fertilizers, and pesticides, which means that their cultivation has a lower carbon footprint. Alternative grains such as buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa and millets are grown in many parts of Asia, Europe, Africa and South America, and most organic shops stock regional varieties of these grains. Check out this guide to gluten-free flours.
Every meal need not be flour/grain-based. Vegetables, salads, cheese, yoghurt and meat are some more examples of naturally gluten-free foods.
2. Consume less processed foods and reduce waste
It’s tempting to simply buy lots of processed food from the gluten-free shelf at your local supermarket. Most gluten-free goods use a lot of plastic packaging to avoid cross-contamination. I’ve realized I end up creating a lot of waste when I buy gluten-free bread or cookies, which are sometimes individually wrapped in plastic. For a pack of 10 cookies, this means 10 plastic wrappers that will eventually end up in a landfill. Where I live, a lot of plastic is recycled, but some of it is also burned or processed to decompose into its constituent parts.
A good alternative to buying less processed food is to prepare food at home, which brings me to the next point.
3. Prepare meals at home
Cooking your food or learning how to cook is a great way of saving energy, reducing waste and boosting your overall health. Cooking is a very creative exercise and can be very relaxing if you start with simple recipes. Here’s how to restock your pantry for a gluten-free diet. You could buy raw products like cereals, grains, meats and vegetables in bulk, thus saving on packaging. Buying in bulk and cooking at home are also huge money savers and you can be sure of the quality of the products you buy.
4. Prioritize local and regional produce
By choosing gluten-free foods, you are also supporting local businesses that specialize in alternative grains and flours. Small, independent mills that produce rice flour, buckwheat flour, and other gluten-free products are more likely to use locally-sourced ingredients and engage in sustainable practices such as water and energy conservation. Supporting these businesses helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transportation and encourages the growth of local economies.
5. Grow your own herbs and veggies
This one sounds ambitious, but it’s a really fun activity once you get into it. Most supermarkets stock little pots with herbs that you can buy and grow at home. I love decorating my bathroom with plants, because it’s warm, humid and very well lit. I also place my herb pots on windowsills so they get enough light in the winter and it’s great to have fresh, fragrant leaves to garnish my meals with.
Do you have any more suggestions? Drop them in the comments below!
Hi, I’m Manasi, owner of Food for Normal People, and a journalist and nutritionist-in-training. Do you have any questions related to starting a gluten-free diet? Write in the comments and I’ll get back to you! You can also follow me on Instagram.