By Seema Patel, Functional Medicine Practitioner
Healing Family Functional Medicine
HealingFamilyFunctionalMedicine.com | Phone: 216-440-5559

In my practice, I’m seeing more and more patients struggling with hidden food sensitivities—gluten, dairy, cane sugar, certain nuts, and even pea protein. These ingredients often hide in foods marketed as “healthy,” making clean eating feel like a constant battle. That’s why I created this comprehensive substitution guide: to help you navigate your pantry with confidence and choose ingredients that truly nourish and heal your body.

Whether you’re just getting started or fine-tuning your anti-inflammatory diet, these swaps can help you feel your best—without sacrificing flavor or variety.

🌾 Grains & Flours: Gluten-Free Substitutions

• All-purpose flour → Almond flour, cassava flour, coconut flour, tiger nut flour, or 1:1 gluten-free flour blend

• Bread crumbs → Crushed grain-free crackers, almond flour, ground flax, coconut flakes, sesame or sunflower seeds, pine nuts, or gluten-free panko

• Pasta → Chickpea pasta (check for pea protein), cassava pasta, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, rice noodles, konjac noodles, or mung bean pasta
  Try: Explore Cuisine’s black bean or edamame pastas

• Tortillas → Siete cassava or almond flour tortillas, coconut wraps, or lettuce wraps

• Pancakes & Baking → Buckwheat, millet, and sorghum flours work well in pancakes and baked goods. Use them in combination with almond flour or a 1:1 gluten-free mix for better structure in muffins, breads, and cakes.

Pro Tip: If you’re new to alternative flours, start with recipes specifically designed for them.

🍯 Sugars & Sweeteners: Low-Glycemic Options

• White sugar → Raw honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, allulose, or monk fruit

• Brown sugar → Coconut sugar or maple sugar

• Corn syrup → 100% pure maple syrup, date syrup, or honey

Sweetness Simplified: Cut sugar amounts in recipes by at least 50%. Your taste buds will adjust—and your body will thank you.

⚠️ Sugar Substitutes to Be Mindful Of:

• Erythritol: A sugar alcohol that can cause bloating and may pose cardiovascular risks. We do not recommend it for daily use.

• Agave: High in fructose, which can burden the liver and disrupt metabolic health. Despite its low glycemic index, it’s not ideal long-term.

• Stevia: A better option when pure or in liquid extract form. Avoid blends with dextrose or erythritol.

• Allulose: A standout choice for those managing insulin resistance or PCOS. Tastes like sugar with no glycemic impact and is generally well tolerated.
  Try: Kind Bar MAX, which uses allulose and packs 20g of protein.

🥚 Egg Substitutions in Baking

• Binding agents → Flax egg, chia egg, mashed banana, or Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer

• Moisture replacements → Applesauce, pumpkin purée, mashed avocado, bananas, or yogurt with lemon

🧂 Pantry & Cooking Swaps

• Canola or vegetable oil → Avocado oil, coconut oil, or extra virgin olive oil

• Mayonnaise → Avocado oil mayo (e.g., Primal Kitchen), mashed avocado, or cashew cream

• Broth → Bone broth or clean broths (free from MSG, soy, and yeast extract)

• Chocolate chips → Enjoy Life or Hu Kitchen dairy-free dark chocolate chips

🥜 Nuts, Legumes & Proteins

• Peanut butter → Almond, sunflower seed, pumpkin seed, cashew butter, or tahini

• Soy sauce → Coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari

• Protein powders → Collagen peptides, hemp protein, pumpkin seed protein, or egg white protein
  (Whey may work for some, but it’s not dairy-free.)

Watch out for pea protein—a common ingredient in plant-based products that can trigger sensitivities.

🥛 Dairy-Free Alternatives

• Milk → Coconut, almond, oat (certified gluten-free), hemp, tigernut, or flax milk
  Ripple milk is creamy and protein-rich but contains pea protein.

• Cream → Coconut cream, cashew cream, or thick canned coconut milk

• Creamer → Try Sown oat-based creamer

• Cheese → Nut-based cheeses like Miyoko’s or Violife, or use nutritional yeast

• Butter → Ghee (if tolerated), coconut oil, olive oil, or vegan butters like Earth Balance

• Yogurt → Choose unsweetened coconut, cashew, almond, or oat-based options
  Top picks for gut health: Cocojune and Coconut Cult.

DIY Tip: Make your own dairy-free yogurt with a probiotic starter and rotate your cultures monthly for microbiome diversity.

🌿 Final Reminder: Always Add Veggies

No matter what you’re eating, aim to include colorful vegetables at every meal. They support detox, gut health, and hormone balance—and make every plate more vibrant and healing.

🤝 Need Help With Your Nutrition Plan?

If you’re navigating food sensitivities or looking for deeper support with ingredient swaps, meal planning, or gut healing, we’re here to help. We can connect you with a trusted functional medicine dietitian who specializes in complex dietary needs.

📍 Healing Family Functional Medicine
📞 Phone: 216-440-5559
🌐 Website: HealingFamilyFunctionalMedicine.com

Eat with intention. Heal with confidence.
Start with these swaps and take one step closer to feeling your best every day.