Soy Allergy Diet for Children

March 21, 2017

Soy Allergy Diet for Children

General guidelines for soy allergy

If your child has been diagnosed with an allergy to soy it means that your child's immune system overreacts to soy proteins. The allergy may go away when your child is older. But, as long as your child has the allergy, you will have to avoid giving your child the foods or products containing soy (allergen). Soy is a common ingredient in infant formulas and processed foods. The list below describes foods that your child can have and foods to avoid. The list may not include all foods that contain soy proteins.

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 doctor 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 Processed and "natural" cereals that 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 processed without soy products	Fruit drink mixed or sauces and toppings for fruit that 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 that 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 that 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 Some Worcestershire and other sauces, 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:

Edamame
Hydrolyzed soy protein
Miso
Natto
Shoyo sauce, Shoyu
Soy albumin
Soy cheese
Soy fiber
Soy flour
Soy grits
Soy ice cream
Soy nuts
Soy milk
Soy sprouts
Soy protein concentrate
Soy protein isolate
Soy sauce
Soy sprouts
Soy yogurt
Soya
Soybean (curd, granules)
Tamari
Tempeh
Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
Tofu

Other possible sources of soy or soy products

Asian cuisine
Flavorings
Vitamin E, which contains soybean oil
Hydrolyzed plant protein
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Natural flavorings
Vegetable broth
Vegetable gum
Vegetable starch

To avoid soy and soy products

Contact the manufacturer to identify the natural flavorings in foods. Ask if the company uses soy as a carrier protein for the natural flavoring.
Contact the company to identify vegetable broths, gums, and starches, because they have the potential to be soy.
Please note: The risk for an allergic reaction to soy lecithin and soy oils is low, but a reaction can occur. Studies show that most people who have an allergy to soy may eat products that contain soy lecithin and soy oils. This is because these substances are fat-based, and people with allergies react to the protein portion of the food.

Updated:

March 21, 2017

Reviewed By:

Blaivas, Allen, J., DO,Godsey, Cynthia, MSN, APRN, MSHE, FNP-BC