The next on my “Know Your Ingredients” posts is soy. It’s one of my worst and it’s partly because of how wide spread it’s used, like corn. It’s easy to get an overload of soy without even trying, especially when you have processed foods. It is required in the US and is a federal “Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act” that labels clearly list soy in the ingredients or it could be listed after the ingredients as “Contains: Soy”. Advisory statements like, “may contain soy” or “made in a facility with soy” are optional. Better to know what you’re reading just in case some of these words pop up on the list of ingredients. Let’s break down where soy can be found and what it’s used in.
Soy (or Soya) Products
- Bean curd
- Edamame (soy beans in pods)
- Miso (fermented soy)
- I use a chickpea miso that I’ve found.
- Soy sauce
- Soy based flours, nuts, or sprouts
- Soy protein
- Soy Lecithin
- Tamari
- Tempeh
- Tofu
Foods That Most Likely Contain Soy, and Will Need to Check the Label
- Plant based dairy products: plant based milk, yogurt, butter, cheese, etc.
- Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
- Canned Broths and Soups
- Canned Tuna and other Meats
- Processed Meats / Frozen Burgers
- Cereals
- High Protein Energy Bars and Snacks
- Plant-Based Protein Powders
- Infant Formula
- Vegetable Oils
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Soy Lecitin: often used in chocolate bars/candy, peanut butter, and margarine.
Other Names that May Use Soy Ingredients
- Glycine max
- Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)
- Mono-diglyceride
- Monosodium Glytamate (MSG)
- Artificial Flavoring
- Natural Flavoring
- Vegetable Broth
- Vegetable Gum
- Vegetable Starch
Something to always remember as well, although you might find a brand of, let’s say bread, that doesn’t have soy in the ingredients, it doesn’t mean that it won’t change. They don’t have to tell you when they change their ingredients. It can be a safe bet for a little while, but I always check from time to time to make sure the ingredients are the same as before.
Know your labels. Although it’s good that most packaged food will list if there is soy and clearly state, “Contains: Soy”, it doesn’t mean it won’t sneak in with the vegetable broth or plain “starch”. As with any allergy, especially if it’s severe, be aware and educate yourself. Knowing is half the battle. If you are just learning about this or another allergy, know that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed at first, because it is. But know that the more you learn and the more you adapt to the changes, the easier it becomes and reading labels won’t feel overwhelming and you’ll find your new products and recipes to make in no time!
A Different Beet Nutrition 