Soy Allergy Diet

General guidelines for soy allergy:

The key to an allergy-free diet is to avoid giving your child the foods or products containing the food he/she is allergic to. The items that your child is allergic to are called allergens.
 
A soy allergy is an abnormal response of the body to the proteins found in soy. Soybeans are classified as a legume. Other foods in the legume family are navy, kidney, string, black, and pinto beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lentils, carob, licorice, and peanuts. Sensitivity to peanuts is the most common, but soybean sensitivity is also prevalent. Sensitivity to one legume can often be in association with sensitivity to another legume.
 

FOODS	ALLOWED	NOT ALLOWED
Breads & Starches	Breads, baked goods, cereals not containing soy ingredients   Potato chips or popcorn cooked in soy oil.  (NOTE: Most soy oil does not contain soy protein, which causes soy allergy, because the soy protein is removed during processing.  Thus, soy oil generally does not cause allergy symptoms.  However, those with soy allergies should check with their physician about consuming products containing soy oil or processed with soy oil.)   Plain macaroni, rice, barley, rye, wheat, oats, or grits	Breads, crackers, cakes, rolls, or pastries containing peanuts, peanut oil, soy flour   Process and "natural" cereals which contain soy ingredients   Soy pasta
Vegetables	Fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables (except those listed as not allowed) without sauces or breading containing soy ingredients	Soy beans, soybean sprouts   Any vegetables prepared with sauces or breading containing soy products
Fruit	All fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and juices process without soy products	Fruit drink mixed or sauces/toppings for fruit which contain soy ingredients
Beverages	Soft drinks   Tea, coffee   Fruit juice	Soy-based formulas, coffee substitutes with soy, instant coffee, hot cocoa mixes, malt beverages, fruit drink mixes made with soy ingredients
Meat & Meat Substitutes	Any fresh or frozen beef, chicken, lamb, pork, turkey, veal, or fish served without prepackaged sauces, breading, or gravy	Pork link sausage, deli/luncheon meats made with soy   Commercially prepared meats where soy is used as a meat extender   Meat or cheese substitutes which contain soy: tofu/bean curd, natto, miso   Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
Milk & Milk Products	Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt without soy products	Milk drinks or milk substitutes that contain soy
Soups & Combination Foods	Homemade soups and commercial soups that do not contain soybeans	Soy is used in many canned soups, commercial entrees, and combination foods
Desserts & Sweets	Ice cream, gelatin, cookies made without soy ingredients	Baked goods, such as cakes or cookies which contain soy flour   Soy products may be used in some commercial ice creams and other frozen desserts   Hard candies, nut candies, fudge, and caramels made with soy flour
Fats & Oils	Butter, margarines, shortening	Margarine and butter substitutes   Some salad dressings, mayonnaise, sauces, or gravies containing soy products   Roasted soybeans or "soy nuts"
Condiments & Miscellaneous	Sugar, honey, molasses, catsup, mustard, jelly, jam, plain sugar candies, syrup, pickles	Commercial vegetarian products and meat substitutes   Heinz® Worcestershire sauce, Lea & Perrins® sauce, fermented soybean pastes (miso and natto)   Soy sauce, tamari sauce, granola, or breakfast bars made with soy   Imitation bacon bits made with soy

How to read a label for a soy-free diet:

Be sure to avoid giving your child foods that contain any of the following ingredients:

• hydrolyzed soy protein
• miso
• shoyo sauce
• soy flour
• soy grits
• soy nuts
• soy milk
• soy sprouts
• soy protein concentrate
• soy protein isolate
• soy sauce
• tempeh
• textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• tofu

Other possible sources of soy or soy products:

• flavorings
• hydrolyzed plant protein
• hydrolyzed vegetable protein
• natural flavoring
• vegetable broth
• vegetable gum
• vegetable starch

To avoid soy and soy products:

• Contact the manufacture to identify the natural flavorings in foods. Ask if they use soy as a carrier protein for the natural flavoring.
  
  
• Flavorings may be soy based.
  
  
• Hydrolyzed plant and hydrolyzed vegetable protein in the US are likely to be soy.
  
  
• Contact the company to identify vegetable broth, gums, and starches, as they have the potential to be soy.

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