Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

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 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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Contact Information

Caplin, James A., M.D. . . . . . . .(361) 888-6782
Smith, Gary, M.D. . . . . . . . . . . . .(361) 882-3487
Stafford, Wesley, M.D. . . . . . . . .(361) 992-8500

Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

Soy Allergy Diet

General guidelines for soy allergy:

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

Other possible sources of soy or soy products:

To avoid soy and soy products:

Click here to view the
Online Resources page of this Web.

Contact Information

Further Reading

For Patients and Parents

Additional Resources

Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

Soy Allergy Diet

General guidelines for soy allergy:

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

Other possible sources of soy or soy products:

To avoid soy and soy products:

Click here to view the Online Resources page of this Web.

Contact Information

Further Reading

For Patients and Parents

Additional Resources

Click here to view the
Online Resources page of this Web.