Vegan but hate soy products?

ChasingStarlight
ChasingStarlight Posts: 424 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Is anyone vegan but hates soy? Do you think you can be vegan without soy?

I have been vegetarian since I was 6. I am interested in going vegan and soy milk is ok, but I can't stand products like tofu- it is the texture. Don't even to talk to me about fake meat products because I can't even think of eating them.

I use protein powder, but would it be too hard if I don't have soy products? I can't really eat heaps of beans either as I do MA and it is really not fair on my training partner!

Replies

  • risenonlytofall
    risenonlytofall Posts: 74
    There are lots of other things with protein in them that aren't soy based. Quinoa, almonds, sesame, etc. Almonds and coconuts have milk products that lots of people enjoy. Sesame or flax seeds can be hidden in or sprinkled on lots of stuff. Quinoa can be made into things like burgers. Or you could try other legumes like lentils or chickpeas.
  • violet976
    violet976 Posts: 310 Member
    I don't mind soy, but I think I may have a slight allergy to it. Whenever I have soy yogurts my throat gets sore.

    That being said, I just work around it. I get half of my protein from a multivitamin, and the rest I can pick up throughout the day. Nut butter will get a pretty fair amount for me.

    As for improvising foods, I don't find it a concern. There are many other products that are not soy based out there, and I truly prefer to make my own of most everything these days. I make my own nut or oat milks when needed, my own vegan burgers from beans (chickpeas are my fave), and use my vitamix or food chopper to make variations of any other favorite food. You have to get a bit more into cooking, but the food is usually ten times better than what you would buy anyway.
  • lesliemk
    lesliemk Posts: 382 Member
    I'm soy-free due to an allergy/intolerance. And seriously, soy is SO not healthy for you!!
    http://realfoodeater.com/why-soy-is-not-a-real-food/

    With that said, yes, I think you can be vegan w/o soy. I'd focus on healthier protein sources like hemp, pea, sacha inchi, brown rice, etc...
  • tanzmitpalmer
    tanzmitpalmer Posts: 124 Member
    If you're not too hot on soy milk, try almond milk. It's has a much better flavor than soy, and it's very easy to cook with - you don't have to worry about curdling at high heats, like you do with soy.

    Some other things I really liked were mushrooms, seitan (wheat gluten), and different nut butters (peanut, hazelnut, almond, etc). If you don't want all the fat of nut butters, you could try PB2, which is peanut butter powder (mixes very well into smoothies and protein shakes, too).

    Veggie burgers are good too. Not the flavoured faux-meat ones, but the ones that are just chopped vegetables and brown rice.
  • katealbright
    katealbright Posts: 134 Member
    Without soy it does become difficult to get protein without having too much fat or carbs. People don't realize that almonds have like 5x as many calories from fat as they do from protein. And quinoa and beans have about 4x the carbs. However I didn't eat soy products my whole life (not even soy sauce!) so when I first became vegan I didn't even think about it and I was fine. But now tracking everything, I find myself turning to soy to get enough calcium and an extra bit of low-carb and lean protein.
  • tishka11
    tishka11 Posts: 76
    If you dont like the texture of tofu and thats whats stopping you from eating it, there are a few other things that are bean curd products, super tasty, but have very different textures:
    eg - bean curd puffs (the ones that are NOT deep fried are way better though)
    bean cakes
    Special bean cakes (sounds weird but its like little pieces of bean cakes in this amazing marinated sauce
    Even using silken tofu as a sauce base for pasta and things

    Ive found these to be delicious but it is all up to you. Theres nothing wrong with protein shakes though and i use these quite often as i am allergic to nuts and mushrooms and a few other things, and am also not a huge fan of tofu either
  • MindfulVegana
    MindfulVegana Posts: 38 Member
    I'm a newbie vegan anybody have any ideas besides salads rice beans almond milk and stuff recipes anyone or add me please
  • tishka11
    tishka11 Posts: 76
    Try going to vegweb.com

    theres HEAPS of foods on there!

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