My food list

So besides not eating beef, pork, and tomatoes I also had some really bad reactions around Christmas that I attributed to the protein powder I was using, which was made of mostly soy.  So I cut out soy from my diet, which is easier said than done.  Do you know how many items contain soy?  Pretty much everything that comes in a package, box, can, bottle, or jar.  

Chocolate, bread, salad dressing, soup, salsa...I challenge you to read a package and NOT find soy or a soy derivative on the ingredients list.  And it might not say soy.  It could say:

Bean curd

Bean sprouts

Edamame (fresh soybeans)

Kinako

Miso (fermented soybean paste)

Natto

Nimame

Okara

Shoyu

Soy sauce

Soya

Soybean (curds, granules)

Tamari

Tempeh

Tofu (dofu, kori-dofu)

Yuba

AND ingredients on a label are not always recognizable as soy. These ingredients are created from soy that has been processed in some way:

• Hydrolyzed soy protein (HSP)
• Mono- and di-glycerides
• MSG (monosodium glutamate)
• Soy (albumin, cheese, fiber, grits, milk, nuts, sprouts, yogurt, ice cream, pasta)
• Soy lecithin (see above)
• Soy protein (concentrate, hydrolyzed, isolate)
• Soybean oil (see above)
• Teriyaki sauce
• Textured vegetable protein (TVP)

AND these ingredients may or may not contain soy. You need to call the manufacturer of the product of interest to find out the source of the ingredient. Which I spent hours phoning and e-mailing my favorite products to make sure they were safe.

• Bulking agent
• Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP) or hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
• Gum arabic
• Guar gum
• Lecithin
• Mixed tocopherols
• Natural flavoring
• Stabilizer
• Thickener
• Vegetable gum, starch, shortening, or oil
• Vitamin E

PLUS these foods often contain soy. You should be extra cautious about eating these foods if you are unable to get a complete ingredient list.

• Asian cuisine (Korean, Japanese, Thai, Chinese, etc.)
• Baked goods and baking mixes
• Bouillon cubes
• Candy
• Cereal
• Chicken (raw or cooked) that is processed with chicken broth
• Chicken broth
• Chocolate
• Deli meats
• Energy bars, nutrition bars
• Imitation dairy foods, such as soy milks, vegan cheese, or vegan ice cream
• Infant formula
• Margarine
• Mayonnaise
• Meat products with fillers, for example, burgers or sausages
• Nutrition supplements (vitamins)
• Peanut butter and peanut butter substitutes
• Protein powders
• Sauces, gravies, and soups
• Smoothies
• Vegetable broth
• Vegetarian meat substitutes: veggie burgers, imitation chicken patties, imitation lunch meats, imitation bacon bits, etc.

So soy is out.  I eat fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, plain yogurt, greek yogurt, fish, chicken, turkey, olive oil and balsamic vinegar on my salad., I only use butter, olive oil, and canola oil when I cook.  Pickles and olives are safe (check the label).  I bake my own treats-muffins, cupcakes, etc. 

I still haven't mentioned soaps, shampoos, lotions, chapstick...the list goes on and soy is in everything! Ugh.