Why soy-free?
First of all, let me clarify one thing. I shy away from all types of highly processed products. Not just soy. A home cooked meal, with whole plant based ingredients is what I wish for everyone to eat. I do get though, that we all live pretty busy lives today and processed fast foods is part of our daily lives and budgets. So why is Soy such a big no-no for me?
Why soy-free?
The words "vegan food" for so many people implies that you should eat meat & dairy substitutes. Although I see them as great transition products for carnivores going herbivores, fake meats and dairy gives in to the mainstream idea that our food should be planned around the protein.
Soy does offer a great source of protein, but I believe it's not the health food some would like to believe. If I really want a fake chicken nugget, a cheese or a hot dog I'll go for it! But, some people seem to eat faux-meat product because they think "it's good for you", I simply think it's the opposite.
Soy product, like wheat products, are mucus forming in the body. Soy is one of the top dietary allergens causing problems like acne, asthma and eczema. Personally, my body doesn't handle it well. The only soy I will include in my diet is organic fermented soy sauce like miso or tamari.
If you're going to eat soy products keep these two things in mind- make sure you're choosing organic soy, since over 90 %of the non organic soy is GMO, and know that soy has a lot of estrogen.
Lastly, if I have to eat a processed faux meat or dairy product, I always choose the soy free options anyway, this is just to avoid the risk of eating GMO-soy and the estrogen in soy products.
Photo: allaboutveganfood.com
What I use instead?
Melted cheese: I found a recipe for melted cheese that is really easy to make, the main ingredients are cashews, water and tapioca flour. Get the recipe here.
Pileable cheese: I prefer the coconut based options.
Milk: I prefer almond, coconut or oat milk.
Sour cream/sandwich bread: There are great oat based products.
Meats: Pulled jack fruit or seitan (rather gluten than soy) products.