In the recent past, people who decided to adopt a vegan lifestyle were deprived of many food items, this fact often turned off others who may have been thinking of going vegan.
Thankfully, this is not the case anymore. You can now enjoy plant-based burgers , hotdogs, and even seafood.
Along with some of the other food stuff that are rich in protein, this relieved the concerns of many who worried about becoming protein deficient.
However, and since vegans’ diet is mostly composed of plant-based foods, most of their meals are soy-based. As a result, patients with soy allergy may find it challenging to consume many of these foods.
For this reason, we will cover some recipes to make delicious and soy-free plant-based protein meals. But before we do that, let us see the most common symptoms seen in patients with soy allergy.
How Do You Know If You Have Soy Allergy
Unfortunately, soy allergy is on the most difficult food allergy to deal with today. This is mainly because soy is an integral part of a wide range of foods.
Usually, this allergy is more seen in children under the age of 3, and patients tend to outgrow it. However, for a small subset of patients, the condition persists to adulthood and causes several problems.
Similar to other allergies, soy allergy may present with mild symptoms, which makes it challenging to diagnose; here are the most common symptoms:
- Abdominal cramping
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Congested nose
- Dyspnea (difficulty breathing)
- Hives
- Swollen lips
In rare cases, patients may even develop what’s known as an anaphylactic shock, which is a life-threatening medical condition that’s characterized by severe blood hypotension, fast heart rate, and loss of consciousness.
Anaphylactic shock requires immediate medical care, which is why you see patients with known allergies carrying an EpiPen –epinephrine injection–.
In short, soy allergy can present with a variety of signs and symptoms that range from mild cases to life-threatening conditions.
Because soy is integrated into many foods, vegans often find it difficult to get sufficient amounts of protein since most of the protein-rich foods also contain soy.
Now, that you are conscious about the danger of soy allergy, let us discuss some alternatives:
9 Soy-Free Plant-Based Meals
Legumes
Legumes can be a great alternative for soy-based proteins; they are loaded in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals along with protein.
Black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentils all make up for great protein-rich meals, and they can be incorporated in salads, soups, and even nachos.
Additionally, legumes are rich in antioxidants, which as you may know, prevent a multitude of disease processes.
Spinach
Spinach contains up to 51% protein, which adds up to be 5 grams per cup. It is also loaded in vitamins and minerals (e.g. iron, vitamin C).
If that isn’t enough, spinach also contains folic acid, which is an essential compound for female reproduction, especially during pregnancy .
You can add spinach to your salad, soup, or wrap to sneak in a couple of grams of protein without the need for artificial powder.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a rich source of protein and contains little to no calories. This green vegetable also provides the body with fiber, vitamin D, and iron, which improve your cognitive function.
Additionally, broccoli has large amounts of antioxidants that decrease oxidative stress in the cells. As a result, several studies showed that broccoli has anti-cancer properties.
Seitan
Seitan is the primary ingredient of many vegan 'meats'; it is used in burgers, hotdogs, and other meals that have meat-like texture.
This food provides a considerable amount of protein and many vegans find it the best substitute for meat.
However, seitan contains gluten, which can pose a problem for patients with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.
Aside from that, seitan is a perfect alternative for meat and a rich source of protein.
Nuts And Seeds
When people think about nuts and seeds, they often associate them with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), healthy fats, and antioxidants.
However, nuts and seeds are a great source of protein, especially for those following a plant-based diet .
In addition to protein, the active compound, omega-3, is found in abundance in almonds, cashews, and pistachios.
Therefore, you’ll be getting sufficient amounts of protein, as well as the various benefits of omega-3 (e.g. improved cardiovascular system, metabolism, and liver function).
Plant-Based Milk
Most plant-based milk is made up of soy; however, there are some other choices for patients with a soy allergy.
The two most common compounds to make soy-free milk are almonds and coconuts. But in reality, you could make milk out of numerous ingredients, including peas and tiger nuts.
Dairy-Free Cheese
Over the past few years, many companies started to heavily invest in the field of soy-free cheese to provide a healthy alternative for vegans who have a soy allergy.
Many companies located in the US, UK, and Australia make cheese products out of garlic, almonds, and herbs .
These products are extremely healthy and nutrient-rich for both vegans and non-vegans.
Soy-Free Vegan Meats
Now we arrive at the meat of the article (pun intended).
Soy-free vegan meats that are readily available at Beyond Meat are soy and gluten-free, which is the perfect combination for celiac disease patients on a vegan diet .
Field Roast’s products, on the other hand, do contain gluten, and therefore, should be avoided by celiac disease patients.
Dairy-Free Ice Cream
Dairy-free ice cream does not contain any soy or gluten, but it contains a decent amount of protein. Of course, you shouldn’t expect to cover your daily protein requirement with ice cream, but it’s still a great occasional snack.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you’ve gathered some useful information and now, you are ready to prepare soy-free meals and get sufficient protein in your diet at the same time.
If you are interested to learn about plant-based protein in general, we have covered this topic in this article (insert link of the first article).
Finally, if you have any questions about this topic and/or you want to share new recipes with us, feel free to do so in the comment section below.
Thankfully, this is not the case anymore. You can now enjoy plant-based burgers, hotdogs, and even seafood