How to Do a Soy Elmination Diet

Packed with fiber, isoflavones, and all the essential amino acids, soybeans are a nutritious food -- especially for vegetarians. Unfortunately, some people experience adverse allergic reactions when they consume this plant. Only about 4% of adults are allergic to soy, but the allergy is much more prevalent in children. A soy allergy may present with a rash, eczema, digestive trouble, itching, wheezing, or swelling and tingling around the mouth. If you suspect you have a soy allergy, you can go on a soy elimination diet to make sure that soybeans are the true culprit.

Instructions

• 1

  Stop eating anything that contains soy. Check the labels of all the food you consume very carefully, because soy comes in many products that you would not suspect. Most processed foods contain an ingredient called soy lecithin, which helps emulsification. Since it is derived from soy oil instead of soy protein, some people with soy allergies can still tolerate it, but it is best at first to eliminate even products with soy lecithin. Other foods or ingredients to avoid are hydrolyzed vegetable or plant protein; texturized vegetable protein, TVP; isolated vegetable protein; vegetable broth; shoyu or tamari soy sauce; tofu; tempeh; miso, and "natural flavoring."

• 2

  Keep avoiding soy products for the next seven to fourteen days. Continue checking the labels of everything you eat, and avoid eating out, since restaurants do not generally disclose all of their ingredients. Keep a journal of all the foods that you eat and how much you consume, and note to what degree your allergic symptoms subside. Some no-soy websites offer meal suggestions for people with soy allergies.

• 3

  Slowly reintroduce soy foods back into your diet. Begin with a small amount of soy, and note in your journal how much you ate and how your body reacted. If you do not feel adverse effects, introduce a little bit of a different soy product on the next day.

• 4

  Continue to introduce a variety of soy products a little at a time until you can eat soy normally or until you begin to experience adverse effects again. Stop consuming soy immediately if you feel any of your previous symptoms returning, and call your doctor to discuss treatment for your allergy. Consult your journal to determine what types or quantities of soy products contribute to your allergy, and devise a plan to avoid these.