At RecipeNet.ca, each recipe is categorized based on its compatibility with various diets. Some categories have more recipes than others depending on the interests of our members. If you have recipes you’d like to add to one of our categories consider joining our community!
Please note that not all diets are appropriate for all people. We recommend consulting with a qualified health practitioner before embarking on a new diet plan. As well, depending on your personal situation, a certain diet may be beneficial either for the short term or long term.
Here is a list of the diet categories with a brief explanation.
DAIRY-FREE: no milk-based products from animal sources.
Recipes in this category that contain alternatives to dairy products are also tagged as Alternative Dairy. Common foods used to make dairy-free milk, yogurt and cheese include soybeans, almonds, cashews and coconuts.
GLUTEN-FREE: no gluten-containing ingredients.
GRAIN-FREE: contains no grains or grain-based products.
Typical gluten-free flours include rice, quinoa and millet. Typical grain-free flours include coconut and almond. Coconut flour was used in the cake shown left.
WHEAT-FREE: this category is for people interested in trying alternatives to wheat but are not concerned about gluten. These recipes contain gluten-containing alternatives to wheat such as spelt, rye, barley and kamut (shown left).
Wheat-Free, Gluten-free and Grain-Free baked goods using special types of flours are also, tagged as Alternative Flours. This tag includes ANY flour that is not derived from wheat.
KETO FRIENDLY: compatible with the Ketogenic diet (low-carb).
PALEO FRIENDLY: compatible with the Paleo Diet.
As with the grain-free category, baked goods using flours compatible with these diets are crossed referenced as Alternative Flours.
PLANT-BASED: contains predominantly plant-based ingredients.
We used to call this category “vegan” but over the years that term has come to mean more than just a diet, so we now use “plant-based”. There may be small amounts of animal products but only if the ingredient is easily substituted with a plant-based alternative (for example, honey can often be replaced with maple syrup or agave nectar). Usually an alternative will be suggested in either the comments or the recipe itself.
Any recipe with the word “vegan” in the title will be completely free of animal ingredients.
VEGETARIAN: refers to the Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet which contains no meat but may have dairy, eggs or honey.
Plant-based and Vegetarian recipes that call for tofu, tempeh, soy-based meat analogues, etc. are also tagged as Soy Products. Recipes calling for whole soybeans are tagged as Beans & Lentils.
RAW FOODS: compatible with a Raw Food diet.
Raw recipes can also be useful for those doing a cleanse in the spring or summer, as well as those who just want to include a bit more raw foods in their diet.
REDUCED SUGAR: contains less sugar than ordinary recipes of that type.
Recipes are not necessarily low-carb. Please refer to Keto and Paleo recipes for low carb options.
Whether a recipe qualifies for this category depends not on how much sugar it has, but how much sugar is commonly used. For example, Dorothy W.’s Mulled Apple Cider recipe contains no added sugar. Cider itself is naturally high in sugar but a lot of similar recipes call for added brown sugar or maple syrup.
Recipes in this category that use alternatives to sugar will also be tagged as Alternative Sweeteners.
Recipes are categorized based on the actual ingredients list. Suggestions for alternative ingredients in the body of the recipe are not taken into account.
Either / Or Ingredients
Sometimes the ingredients list will call for either one ingredient or another such as:
Milk or Soy Milk – 1 cup
In this instance the recipe would be categorized as dairy-free. If the author only suggests a non-dairy milk as a footnote in the recipe, then it will not be tagged as dairy-free because it will not be obvious enough to the reader.
Optional Ingredients
If a recipe calls for an optional ingredient then the recipe is categorized as if that ingredient is not used. For example:
Oyster sauce – 1 Tbsp (optional)
would be categorized as plant-based if all other ingredients qualified.
Non-Specific Ingredients
If a recipe calls for a non-specific ingredient, then a judgement call is made based on the types of recipes generally submitted by that member, the availability of that ingredient for different diets, as well as other factors.
For example, if a recipe calls simply for “pasta”, it might be categorized as gluten-free since there are so many gluten-free options on the market today and it is very easy to substitute a gluten-free pasta for a gluten-based one. Usually there will be a note reminding readers that the recipe is gluten-free only if appropriate pasta is used. However, should such a note accidentally be absent, it is the responsibility of all visitors to ensure they are not consuming products that are not on their particular diet.
If a recipe calls for “one cup flour” without specifying the kind, then it will be assumed the author means wheat flour. The recipe will not be categorized as gluten-free because substituting ingredients in baking requires adapting other ingredients.
Questions?
Please feel free to leave a comment below or send us a message via our Contact Page.
Healthy Diet banner is a clip from an illustration by Moremar design / Shutterstock.com; Salmon with Greens & Nuts photo by Julija Dmitrijeva / Shutterstock.com; Seaweed Salad photo by Irina Rostokina / Shutterstock.com; Raw carrot cake photo by Ievgeniia Maslovska / Shutterstock.com; Vegetarian Quesadilla photo by Nina Firsova / Shutterstock.com; Kamut Flour & Grains photo by Moving Moment / Shutterstock.com
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