Can you be vegan without soy?

By Tammy Russell, RD

 

 When the vegetarian diet began to gain lots of popularity in the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s, there was a significant emphasis on soy products such as soy milk, tofu and tempeh.   Nearly suspicious “meat” substitutes were birthed with the additional processing of soy into things like soy protein, soy curls, soy burgers, etc.  Gluten was also becoming a popular protein to make “meatable.”  I remember buying a meat slicer from a garage sale so we could slice our home-made seitan.  I also remember my toddler getting a runny nose and eyes, sneezing and coughing within 20 minutes after eating tofu.  These were red flag signs of a sensitivity to soy. 

 It was hard to believe that a health food could be something one is sensitive to, but soy allergy is estimated to affect 0.4% of all children. Most grow out of it by age 10.  (1)

  Luckily, an allergy to soy is rarely serious and the side effects can include:  

  • Tingling in the mouth

  • Hives; itching; or itchy, scaly skin (eczema)

  • Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat or other body parts

  • Wheezing, a runny nose or breathing difficulty

  • Skin redness (flushing)

  • Abdominal pain

 A severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to soy is rare and is more likely to occur in people who also have asthma or who are allergic to other foods besides soy, like peanuts. (2)

 Signs and symptoms of a more severe (anaphylaxis) reaction include:

  • Difficulty breathing, caused by throat swelling

  • Shock, with a severe drop in blood pressure

  • Rapid pulse

  • Dizziness, lightheadedness or loss of consciousness

Again, that reaction is extremely rare.

 Awesome recipes abound with all kinds of new things to make.  You hear that local restaurants offer vegan cuisine and you feel all set but…you remember that you don’t always feel well after eating tofu.  Sometimes you cough, your eyes water and your belly feels worse.  But soy products are so healthy and full of good protein, right?  How can one not eat soy on a plant-based diet? 

 When you consume food containing protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids.  The true goal in meeting protein needs is to get the right amount of essential amino acids which your body cannot make on its own and must get from food.  Animal proteins are known to contain all essential and non-essential amino acids.  Soy protein is largely advantageous for those looking to meet protein needs on a plant-based diet since it is considered a complete protein (contains all of the essential amino acids) and is even high in branched chain amino acids (which is rare for a vegetarian protein source). 

 The nine essential amino acids are:

  • Phenylalanine

  • Valine

  • Threonine

  • Tryptophan

  • Isoleucine

  • Methionine

  • Histidine

  • Leucine

  • Lysine

 Your body has an amino acid pool that it contributes to all day and draws upon to make much needed things like hemoglobin that carries oxygen, components of the immune system or enzymes that help transform nutrients.  People generally need about .8g/kg body weight (.36 pound). 

 Thus, a woman who weighs 150 pounds will need about 54 grams of protein per day.  If a person is active, they generally need a little more protein, so it is important to apply a range of 1.2-2.0 by multiplying this factor by the estimated protein needs.  So, if our 150-pound woman is actively training for a marathon (considered very active), you would take the 54 grams of protein per day estimation and multiple that number by 2.0 to get about 110 grams of protein per day. 

 Generally, the recommended high protein foods for a plant-based diet are soy, legumes, nuts/seeds, whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables, and fruits.   Soy is also a good source of vitamin B6, B1, B2, calcium and zinc.  By foregoing tofu/soy products, a resultant emphasis should be placed on legumes (such as lentils, black beans, chickpeas), whole grains (wheat, quinoa, etc.), nuts/seeds (cashews, almonds, brazil nuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds) and lots of dark green leafy vegetables as well as fruits. 

 Plant-based food sources of branched chain amino acids (important energy source for the muscles) are:  

  •  Legumes (black beans, chickpeas, lentils)

  • Nuts (pistachios, peanuts, almonds, cashews)

  • Brown rice, whole grain bread    (3)

 The goal of eating nutritiously on a plant-based diet is to get everything you need.  In our days of epidemic gut health issues, some people can have malabsorption issues related to vitamins, minerals and protein, so it is extra-wise to eat the healthiest foods that are available.  In avoiding soy, the best thing to do is to put an extra focus on other plant-based proteins and aim to have them a few times a day. 

 That can look like:

Breakfast  

  • Smoothie with hemp seeds and/or plant-based protein powder

  • Bean-based breakfast burrito

  • Hash browns with meat substitute

  • Breakfast sandwich with egg substitute (Just Egg)

 Lunch

  • Lentil soup with spinach salad sprinkled with pumpkin/sunflower seeds

  • Bean burritos

  • Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

  • Black bean chili with Beyond Meat crumbles

 Dinner  

  • Bean-based pasta with ratatouille

  • Lasagna with cashew ricotta and steamed kale

  • Kale salad with roasted chickpeas and sweet potato

  • Vegetable stir fry with hemp/bean/chickpea tofu and quinoa

 It is always advisable to work with a well-trained nutritionist who can assist with proper meal planning for a plant-based diet for allergies/sensitivities.  This is especially important if you are dealing with some gut health issues, as there may be malabsorption involved and a higher need for supplementation. 

 Tammy Russell is a Registered Dietitian and Reiki Master based in Portland, Oregon who offers a plant-based approach for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, gut health problems, obesity and a myriad of other chronic illness conditions.    

 References

 1.      American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Soy Allergy. Retrieved online on August 22, 2014 from http://www.acaai.org/allergist/allergies/Types/food-allergies/types/Pages/soy-allergy.aspx.  The preceding page is no longer available, but its replacement page can be found at https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/food/soy/ as of May 2022.

2.      Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, March 25). Soy allergy. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved April 24, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/soy-allergy/symptoms-causes/syc-20377802

3.      Cudmore, D., & Cudmore, D. (2021, September 10). The top vegan BCAA sources [data-based list]. VegFAQs. Retrieved April 24, 2022, from https://vegfaqs.com/vegan-bcaa-sources/