Is There Soy in Bacon?

The following ingredients all mean soy: hydrolized soy protein, edamame, soy protein isolate and soybean oil. Another thing to keep in mind is that soy is often found in vegetable oil, hydrolized vegetable protein, vegetable broth, and artificial flavor. Here are the top 10 foods the average person probably doesnt realize contain soy.

There are 123 different kinds of salad dressing in my grocery store aisle. All of them contain soy or soy bean oil. This includes brands like Kraft, Newman’s Own, and Presidents Choice, which is the Canadian grocery store chain Loblaw’s own brand. Advertisement.

Only one of the 82 kinds of bread, even the fancy-looking home-baked ACE bakery goods, did not list soy as an ingredient. That one did, however, list vegetable oil. And when I called, they confirmed that they did use soy oil in their vegetable oil.

Kids love crackers, and yay! I found two kinds that don’t have soy in them: Stoned Wheat Thins and Presidents Choice brand stone milled crackers. Unfortunately, Goldfish and the other 16 kids branded crackers all contain soy. Advertisement.

If you don’t eat soy, you won’t be able to get a cake or cupcakes at the store for your next event. All items in the bakery department at Walmart contained soy or a soy byproduct. I was glad to see that all of the School Safe brand products in the bakery department were peanut-free, but they all have soy in them.

You won’t be able to find a soy-free breakfast bar if you need something quick in the morning. A check at a large grocery store (with a variety of brands such as Nutrigrain, Kelloggs, etc. ), and at our local health food store left us empty handed. Advertisement.

The variety of chips seems to have ballooned over the past 10 years. Our local grocery store had 82 varieties of chips available. Presidents Choice brand tortilla chips and Cape Cod brand kettle-cooked chips were the only ones that did not have soy in them.

The go-to for many families is a store bought bag of cookies. Oreos, Goldfish cookies, Mr. Christie chocolate chip cookies and most other varieties contain soy. Fortunately, Enjoy Life brand makes a variety of cookies and snack bars that are all soy free!.

IHOP used to be our family Sunday morning ritual when we lived on the west coast. They have a 17-page allergy menu, and we were glad to see that some of the simpler items, like oatmeal and yogurt tubes, were soy-free. Pancakes, French toast, egg dishes, all bread products and all the breakfast meats (bacon, ham, sausage) contained soy.

Burger King Canada has an eight page allergy menu with a list of all the items they carry. There were two breakfast and lunch items (French fries and chicken fingers) that did not have soy or share a fryer. Unfortunately, on the first page they noted that the fryer oil contains soy oil.

The Keg has a great allergy menu, so you could start the night with bread and share a French onion soup. For your main course you choose a steak, Caesar salad and baked potato. For desert, a slice of cheese cake. And as you are leaving, you grab a mint. You can see on the allergy menu that all of these options contain soy, even the mint. Advertisement.

Bacon is a popular breakfast food enjoyed by many However, for those with soy allergies, it’s important to know if bacon contains soy The short answer is sometimes bacon can contain soy, but often it does not. Let’s take a closer look at soy in bacon.

What is Soy and Why is it Used in Foods?

Soy comes from soybeans, which are legumes. Soybeans contain a high amount of protein, so soy is often used as a protein source in vegetarian foods or to add extra protein to meat products. Soy can be found in many forms such as soy flour, soy protein isolates, soy lecithin, soy oil, tofu, edamame, soy milk and more.

Soy is used in food manufacturing for many reasons:

It boosts the protein content in foods like vegetarian burgers or sausages.
It can act as an emulsifier and binding agent in processed meats like hot dogs
Soy lecithin helps evenly distribute fat in foods like chocolate.
Soy oil is used for frying and baking.
Soy protein isolates are used as meat extenders in products like ground beef.

So soy serves both functional purposes and nutritional purposes in food manufacturing.

Why Do Some Bacons Contain Soy?

While pure pork bacon contains just pork belly meat and salt, many mass-produced bacons contain other ingredients like soy. Here’s why:

Meat extender – Soy protein isolates may be added to bacon to reduce costs and extend the meat content. This allows companies to produce more bacon from less pork.
Binding and emulsifying – Soy lecithin may be added to help bind and emulsify the fat in bacon to produce a more uniform, smoother texture and appearance.
Flavor enhancer – Soy sauce or soy protein hydrolysates are sometimes added to bacon for flavor enhancement.
Faster production – Feeding soy to pigs may allow them to gain weight quicker for more efficient bacon production. Traces of soy may be present in the meat.

How to Know if Bacon Contains Soy

To know if a particular bacon contains soy, check the ingredient list on the packaging. Bacon without soy will contain just pork and salt, maybe sugar, preservatives or flavorings. Look for the following soy-based ingredients:

Soy protein isolate
Soy protein concentrate
Hydrolyzed soy protein
Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
Soy lecithin
Soy oil
Soy sauce
Vegetable broth or gum (may indicate soy)

You can also look for voluntary labeling statements like:

Soy-free
No soy ingredients

This indicates the manufacturer has confirmed the bacon contains no soy.

When eating out, ask your server if the bacon is soy-free. Many restaurants now offer soy-free menus.

For commercial bacons that may contain soy, check the company website or contact them directly to inquire. Most will have allergen information available if soy is present.

Finding Soy-Free Bacon Options

The good news is you can definitely find soy-free bacon options! Here are some places to look:

Niche bacon brands – Boutique or specialty bacon makers are less likely to use soy. Look for brands focused on all-natural, preservative-free ingredients. These are often available at health food stores.
Farmers markets – Local pig farmers who make their own bacon are a great soy-free source. You can ask how their pigs are raised and what’s in their bacon.
Butcher shops – Many butchers make their own bacon in-house without soy fillers. They can tell you exactly what’s in their bacon.
Online – Several online stores specialize in soy-free and preservative-free bacons. Just double check the labels.
Make your own – If you can’t find soy-free bacon to buy, make your own at home! Buy pork belly and cure it yourself with basic curing ingredients.

While it takes some label reading, calling companies, and checking sources, soy-free bacon IS out there. With the growing awareness of soy allergies, soy-free options are becoming more widely available. Do some searching and you can find bacon you can enjoy, even with a soy allergy.

Tips for Avoiding Soy with a Bacon Allergy

If you have a soy allergy, here are some helpful tips for navigating bacon:

Check all ingredient labels carefully for soy-based ingredients.
Look for soy-free labeling or markings.
Inquire about ingredients when eating out.
Stick to high quality bacons from niche producers or butchers.
Make your own bacon at home when possible.
If in doubt, contact the manufacturer. Many list allergens online or can tell you over the phone.
Optionally, do a skin allergy test by applying a small dab of bacon grease to your skin and looking for any reactions before eating.
Consider avoiding bacon flavored products like bacon bits as they likely contain soy. Stick to real bacon.
When purchasing pork, opt for meat from pastured pigs not fed soy-based feed.

With care taken to source and check ingredients, people with soy allergies can often still enjoy delicious bacon! It may take some extra sleuthing to find soy-free bacon, but it’s worth it to safely indulge in this tasty treat.

is there soy in bacon

For Our Partners

By Allison Venditti for HypeFoodie

Its not an exaggeration to say that soy is in nearly everything today.

The following ingredients all mean soy: hydrolized soy protein, edamame, soy protein isolate and soybean oil. Its also important to note that the following ingredients often contain soy as well: vegetable oil, hydrolized vegetable protein, vegetable broth and artificial flavour. Here are the top 10 foods the average person probably doesnt realize contain soy.

1. Salad Dressing

2. Bread

Out of the 82 varieties of bread, including the very fancy home made looking ACE bakery products, only one did not list soy as an ingredient. That one did, however, list vegetable oil. And when I called, they confirmed that they did use soy oil in their vegetable oil.

3. Crackers

4. Premade Dessert

5. Breakfast Bars

6. Chips

7. Cookies

8. Sunday Brunch

9. Burgers for Lunch

10. A Steak Dinner

A night out at the Keg (who has an excellent allergy menu) could include bread to start and a French onion soup to share. For your main course you choose a steak, Caesar salad and baked potato. For desert, a slice of cheese cake. And as you are leaving, you grab a mint. Looking over the allergy menu you find that every single one of these menu choices contain soy — even the mint.Advertisement

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Making BACON from SOY SKIN the Easiest Vegan Bacon Recipe!

What kind of meat is Bacon made from?

Bacon is a popular meat typically made by salt-curing pork. However, bacon comes in various forms and can be made from different meats like turkey and beef. There are also different cuts of bacon available, including back bacon, reduced-fat options, low-sodium varieties, and even meatless alternatives.

Can one have soy?

Yes, soy is one of the most complete foods of vegetable origin. It can be consumed in the form of cooked grains, flour or through textured protein. In addition to the grain, other ways to consume soy are through soy milk, tofu, yogurt, cheese and sauces, for example.

Is Bacon made of coconut?

Yes, bacon made of coconut! These vegan bacon bits are gluten-free and have zero sugar alcohols. For only 15 calories, they are the perfect crunchy addition to your lunch salad. Per 1 1/2 tbsps: 30 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 115 mg sodium, 2 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 0 g sugar alcohol), 3 g protein That’s right!

Is Bacon a good meat?

Bacon is the rare meat so well-loved that we invite it into both sweet and savory foods. Both traditional and pork-free options offer robust salty and smoky flavors and the crisp or chewy textures we just can’t get enough of. So let’s put bacon on everything!

Does plant-based Bacon have meat?

Many of the ones I tried included wheat gluten and plant-based proteins like soy protein isolate in their ingredients list. What all the plant-based bacons evidently have in common is that they aren’t made with meat or meat products. So why try plant-based bacon?

Is vegan Bacon healthy?

The existence of vegan bacon is proof of how much of bacon’s allure is salt- and smoke-related, though a crisp and chewy texture doesn’t hurt either. There are store-bought varieties made from soy and tempeh, but you can make your own plant-based bacon from thinly shaved carrots, or use this wild recipe to make bacon from banana peels.