Waterfall diet FAQ: soy and soy products

Posted by Linda Lazarides on March 12, 2009 under Waterfall Diet FAQs | 2 Comments to Read

From time to time I get enquiries from people on soy-free diets, asking about alternatives to soy.

Although the Waterfall Diet list of Yes foods does include soy, it is by no means a compulsory item. Soy milk, tofu and soy yoghurt are great for vegetarians seeking a good protein alternative to meat and dairy products. They are also beneficial in many ways for adult women, but they do not have to be consumed.

However the Waterfall Diet does exclude cows’ milk, so I will suggest some alternatives for those who are not able to use soy milk as a substitute.

1. Sheep and goat’s milk and yoghurt. These are becoming easier to find in supermarkets and health food stores.
2. Nut and rice milk. These are found in health food stores and in larger supermarkets. They can be quite expensive, and their palatability varies a lot. The Rice Dream brand is very good, and includes a variety flavoured with almonds and hazelnuts.
3. Oat milk. Worth experimenting with. I have personally not tried it, so would be interested to get feedback on whether it is good with gluten-free cereals, for instance.
4. Fruit juice. Some cereals can be pleasant with fruit juice instead of milk.

NB: You should not rely on any plant-derived milk as a good source of protein. Meat, fish and poultry are good protein sources. You can also get high quality protein by mixing ground-up or grated nuts (e.g. Brazils, cashews, pecans, hazelnuts) into bean or lentil soup, or combining them with mashed beans to make patties.