There Are More Soy Alternatives Out There Than You Think
Are you or others you know allergic to soy?
Are you here because you are looking for soy alternatives? (Maybe you read my previous article about The Dangers of Soy€¦)
Despite what you see and have heard, alternatives to soy are everywhere (and you can take advantage of these yummy foods whether you are eating Vegan, Paleo or somewhere in between).
First, let's do a bit of a recap.
Although many food manufacturers claim it is the healthiest thing around, soy is not safe to eat (especially over a long period of time).
Soy is a highly allergenic food.
Soy is often Genetically Modified (GMO) and if it is not organic, it is often packed to the brim with harmful herbicides. Most soy in the United States is Genetically Modified.
Soy is full of Phytic Acid, Goitrogens, and Phytoestrogens.
Phytic Acid keeps minerals in your body from being absorbed and can result in a mineral deficiency. This can be very problematic for babies drinking soy-based formula. They need their minerals more than ever at such a young age! And so do each of us.
Goitogrens can suppress your thyroid. Symptoms = weight gain, fatigue, inability to concentrate, decreased focus, feeling cold all the time, and so much more.
Phytoestrogens mimic Estrogen. Independent research (NOT sponsored by the soy industry) shows that high estrogen is related to breast cancer, infertility and low libido in women.
If all of that stuff above seems downright scary to you and you want to avoid soy (or if you have allergies), here's what you can do:
Check all labels. Soy is in many, many processed foods. Manufacturers will generally state on the label that the food product contains soy, but the best way to avoid it is to cook from scratch. It is known as €soy lecithin,€ €soya,€ €hydrolyzed soy protein,€ €soy protein isolate€ or €soy.€ It can even be used as a €natural preservative.€
Alternate milk sources:
Cow's Milk
Goat's Milk
Almond Milk
Rice Milk
Coconut Milk
Hemp Milk
All of these €milks€ are guaranteed to be at the health food store and are becoming very common at regular grocery stores, as well. You can even make your own milks with nothing more than a blender and a coffee filter. Homemade coconut milk and almond milk are very nutritious. If you are interested in making these milks (it's pretty simple to do), you can €Google€ it.
Alternative Protein Sources:
Whey protein
Meat (of any kind)
Eggs (super-easy to make)
Spirulina
Pea (sold as drink powders)
Rice (sold as drink powders)
Dairy Products
I thrive on a diet with adequate meat, and sometimes I'll cook up some extra hamburger (or something else) ahead of time for those times when I really, really need some protein. I add it to salads, to mix into a veggie stir-fry, or whatever else. I also like to keep some hardboiled eggs in the fridge for an €on-the-go€ snack. Of course, protein powders are handy too€¦
Fermented Soy Products. Now, these soy-containing foods are okay to eat. In fact, not only are they okay to eat, but because they are fermented (and contain LOTS of beneficial lactobacilli), fermented soy products can be a very important part of your diet. Here's what they are:
Tamari Sauce
Natto
Fermented Bean Paste
Tempeh
Miso
One of my favorite things to eat (especially first thing in the morning), is chicken broth with miso paste mixed in. I addteaspoon of miso paste to one cup of chicken broth. Miso can be quite salty tasting (so watch out!); add it a little bit at a time to taste. You can start out slowly€¦
Snacks. There quite a few snacks out there that contain soy. Some of these are made purely of soy (or have LOTS of it in there). If you are avoiding soy entirely, watch out for chocolate chips or chocolate (soy lecithin is usually in chocolate). Haha, chocolate is the trickiest one of all, I think€¦Here's where I have found soy-free chocolate:
Some Whole Foods brand organic chocolate bars
Enjoy Life makes chocolate without soy in it (but still look at the labels)
Here are some other soy-free snacks:
Cheese
Veggies and Fruits
Homemade roasted(or dehydrated nuts)
Most Larabars
Enjoy Life products
Homemade organic popcorn
If you have an infant and are not breastfeeding, it is very important not to feed a soy-based formula to him or her.
Sometimes formula fed babies can have problems with dairy (lactose or casein), and one of the next options is to switch him or her over to a soy formula. But sometimes, babies can tolerate (and thrive off of) homemade formula that is made with raw goat's milk or cow's milk. Here are some awesome homemade (and very nutritious) baby formula recipes:
http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/recipes-for-homemade-baby-formula
There are many alternatives to soy out there. What are you eating instead of soy?
Are you or others you know allergic to soy?
Are you here because you are looking for soy alternatives? (Maybe you read my previous article about The Dangers of Soy€¦)
Despite what you see and have heard, alternatives to soy are everywhere (and you can take advantage of these yummy foods whether you are eating Vegan, Paleo or somewhere in between).
First, let's do a bit of a recap.
Although many food manufacturers claim it is the healthiest thing around, soy is not safe to eat (especially over a long period of time).
Soy is a highly allergenic food.
Soy is often Genetically Modified (GMO) and if it is not organic, it is often packed to the brim with harmful herbicides. Most soy in the United States is Genetically Modified.
Soy is full of Phytic Acid, Goitrogens, and Phytoestrogens.
Phytic Acid keeps minerals in your body from being absorbed and can result in a mineral deficiency. This can be very problematic for babies drinking soy-based formula. They need their minerals more than ever at such a young age! And so do each of us.
Goitogrens can suppress your thyroid. Symptoms = weight gain, fatigue, inability to concentrate, decreased focus, feeling cold all the time, and so much more.
Phytoestrogens mimic Estrogen. Independent research (NOT sponsored by the soy industry) shows that high estrogen is related to breast cancer, infertility and low libido in women.
If all of that stuff above seems downright scary to you and you want to avoid soy (or if you have allergies), here's what you can do:
Check all labels. Soy is in many, many processed foods. Manufacturers will generally state on the label that the food product contains soy, but the best way to avoid it is to cook from scratch. It is known as €soy lecithin,€ €soya,€ €hydrolyzed soy protein,€ €soy protein isolate€ or €soy.€ It can even be used as a €natural preservative.€
Alternate milk sources:
Cow's Milk
Goat's Milk
Almond Milk
Rice Milk
Coconut Milk
Hemp Milk
All of these €milks€ are guaranteed to be at the health food store and are becoming very common at regular grocery stores, as well. You can even make your own milks with nothing more than a blender and a coffee filter. Homemade coconut milk and almond milk are very nutritious. If you are interested in making these milks (it's pretty simple to do), you can €Google€ it.
Alternative Protein Sources:
Whey protein
Meat (of any kind)
Eggs (super-easy to make)
Spirulina
Pea (sold as drink powders)
Rice (sold as drink powders)
Dairy Products
I thrive on a diet with adequate meat, and sometimes I'll cook up some extra hamburger (or something else) ahead of time for those times when I really, really need some protein. I add it to salads, to mix into a veggie stir-fry, or whatever else. I also like to keep some hardboiled eggs in the fridge for an €on-the-go€ snack. Of course, protein powders are handy too€¦
Fermented Soy Products. Now, these soy-containing foods are okay to eat. In fact, not only are they okay to eat, but because they are fermented (and contain LOTS of beneficial lactobacilli), fermented soy products can be a very important part of your diet. Here's what they are:
Tamari Sauce
Natto
Fermented Bean Paste
Tempeh
Miso
One of my favorite things to eat (especially first thing in the morning), is chicken broth with miso paste mixed in. I addteaspoon of miso paste to one cup of chicken broth. Miso can be quite salty tasting (so watch out!); add it a little bit at a time to taste. You can start out slowly€¦
Snacks. There quite a few snacks out there that contain soy. Some of these are made purely of soy (or have LOTS of it in there). If you are avoiding soy entirely, watch out for chocolate chips or chocolate (soy lecithin is usually in chocolate). Haha, chocolate is the trickiest one of all, I think€¦Here's where I have found soy-free chocolate:
Some Whole Foods brand organic chocolate bars
Enjoy Life makes chocolate without soy in it (but still look at the labels)
Here are some other soy-free snacks:
Cheese
Veggies and Fruits
Homemade roasted(or dehydrated nuts)
Most Larabars
Enjoy Life products
Homemade organic popcorn
If you have an infant and are not breastfeeding, it is very important not to feed a soy-based formula to him or her.
Sometimes formula fed babies can have problems with dairy (lactose or casein), and one of the next options is to switch him or her over to a soy formula. But sometimes, babies can tolerate (and thrive off of) homemade formula that is made with raw goat's milk or cow's milk. Here are some awesome homemade (and very nutritious) baby formula recipes:
http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/recipes-for-homemade-baby-formula
There are many alternatives to soy out there. What are you eating instead of soy?
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