Soy Substitutes

Soy Substitutes
In case you’re a one-stop kind of shopper (like I am), you may not want to browse through my blog and then have to seek out additional resources just to know what foods have soy in them and how to substitute them.  Here you’ll find a list of soy’s aliases from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website above, as well as a list of common soy-infused ingredients in recipes and ways to replace them.

Soy: Also Known As…

Bean curd (dofu, kori-dofu, soybean curds, tofu)

Edamame

Kinako

Natto

Nimame

Okara

Soya, soja, soybean, and soyabeans

Soy protein (isolate and concentrate), vegetable protein

Textured soy flour (TSF), textured soy protein (TSP), and textured vegetable protein (TVP)

Yuba

Soy’s Closest Friends: Foods Commonly Laced With Soy

Bean sprouts

Bread crumbs, cereals, crackers

Breaded foods

Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP), hydrolyzed soy protein (HSP), hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)

Imitation dairy foods

Infant formula, follow-up formula, nutrition supplements for toddlers and children

Meal replacements

Meat products with fillers, for example, burgers and prepared ground meat products

Mexican foods, for example, chili, taco fillings, and tamales

Miso

Nutrition supplements

Sauces, for example, soy, shoyu, tamari, teriyaki, Worcestershire

Simulated fish and meat products, for example surimi, imitation bacon bits, vegetarian burgers

Stews, for example, in gravies

Tempeh

Vegetarian dishes

The Anti-Grocery List List: Avoid Purchasing These

Baked goods and baking mixes

Beverage mixes, for example hot chocolate and lemonade

Canned tuna and minced hams, for example, seasoned or mixed with other ingredients or flavor

Chewing gum

Cooking spray, margarine, vegetable shortening, and vegetable oil

Dressings, gravies, and marinades

Frozen desserts

Lecithin
(this is an emulsifier, and you will find it in most chocolate products, including chocolate chips)

Milled corn

Meat products with fillers, for example, prepared hamburger patties, hotdogs and cold cuts

Seafood-based products and fish

Seasoning and spices

Snack foods, for example, soy nuts

Soups, broths, soup mixes, and stocks

Soy pasta

Spreads, dips, mayonnaise, and peanut butter

Thickening agents

Mono-diglyceride

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) (may contain hydrolyzed protein)

Vitamins

Do Not Apply: Non-Ingestible Soy Sources

Cosmetics and soaps

Craft materials

Glycerine

Milk substitutes for young animals

Pet food

If Your Recipe Calls For…Replace With…

Vegetable oil…replace with…Canola oil (especially with baking) -or- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for most recipes)*

Margarine…replace with…Butter

Vegetable shortening (Crisco)…replace with…Lard or butter**

Chocolate…replace with…Soy-free chocolate or carob

Bread crumbs…replace with…Soy-free Panko crumbs

Cooking spray…replace with…Butter

A Note for my Vegetarian/Vegan Friends
If you are opting out of food from animals in any form, you might find it extremely difficult to follow your culinary lifestyle with a soy allergy.  Just a cursory glance at the lists above can leave even the most dedicated soy-allergic vegetarian or vegan feeling helpless.  But do not fear!  No, you do not have to choose between giving up your lifestyle or sacrificing your health in order to just get some protein.

Simply follow this one basic rule: avoid processed foods!  When you read your labels, you will find that many vegetarian- and vegan-friendly products “conveniently” come prepared with soy (tofu, tempeh, etc.).  In order to get your protein (because, let’s face it, we all have to have it to live–our muscles and immune system depend upon it!), rely on beans (just not soybeans or edamame) and grains.  The more you experiment with beans and grains, the more you will see that they are extremely filling (and delicious!).

Also, just as a side note, please take your vitamins as recommended by your physician.  If you’re not sure if your vitamins could contain soy (as an emulsifier or even as a candy-coating for the pills), don’t hesitate to ask your pharmacist for advice and alternatives.

And as another side note, for your sake do the research on the products you use (either as food or hygiene).  Just because you are devoted to your animal-free lifestyle does not mean that you should sacrifice yourself to your soy allergy.  Rather than live with any kind of discomfort, find out what products are animal-friendly while also soy-free.  Not only will be you be kind to this beautiful planet and all its creatures, you will also be kind to yourself.  And I would suggest that the latter is just as important (if not just a little more) as the former!

*I would not recommend baking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil unless you want your baked goods to taste like pizza.
**Some recipes will require shortening to be used as an ingredient rather than just as a non-stick substitute for pans.  In this case, you will need to convert the amount of required shortening to the amount of butter or lard you plan to use.

Helpful Websites

Soy-Free Friendly Companies