Cage-free, free-range, pesticide-free, and other “-free” labels on eggs, what’s another one to add to your list, right? Unlike other egg labels, soy-free eggs actually have an underlying health reason and purpose as to why it was created. Soy sensitivity is a huge problem nowadays and some people may have very harsh soy allergies from consuming regular eggs. The reason? GMO soy products that make up the bulk of feeds being given to egg-laying hens in commercial egg factories. Soy-free eggs are sourced from chickens that have not been fed or given access to any soy-based food. So if you or anyone you serve food to has a soy allergy or sensitivity, then soy-free eggs are your eggs of choice.
Soy Free Egg Trivia
- Soy-free eggs come from chickens with a soy-free diet.
- Soy-free eggs have higher levels of Omega-3 than eggs that come from chicken fed with soy products.
- Most of the time, people who are allergic to eggs aren’t really allergic to the eggs, but the soy inside the eggs.
- While eggs are usually lumped together with dairy, it’s actually not a dairy product.
Soy Free Egg Buying Guide
In our entry on eggs, we’ve explained the different labels that egg products have, so there’s no reason to revisit them here. In this buying guide, we’ll tell you the reasons why it’s just better to get soy-free eggs.
- Soy is one of the most common food allergens. An egg’s soy content may be the one responsible for allergic reactions and not the eggs itself. This is one of the reasons why pastured eggs are tolerated by a large number of people, due to the lack of soy in the chicken’s diet.
- Chickens are not vegetarian by nature, they eat grub, insects, bugs, and small meaty creatures, so a chicken raised on only corn and soy will be unhealthier than those who are allowed to pasture. Unhealthy chickens = unhealthy eggs.
- Soy isoflavones are transferred to the yolks of eggs that come from chickens whose diets consist mainly of soy. These isoflavones can mimic estrogen which can cause health problems when large amounts are accumulated. Not only that, these estrogen-mimicking hormones can cause serious hormonal imbalances in men and women.
- Soy that is fed to chickens is usually genetically modified. GMO products have been shown to cause abnormalities in laboratory hamsters after several generations.
- Soy farming is also one of the reasons of massive deforestation in many South American countries.
Are those more than enough to convince you to seriously consider shifting to soy-free eggs? As a side note, some eggs while not labeled soy-free, are actually soy-free, like many pasture-grown eggs.
Soy Free Egg Production & Farming in Texas
A majority of small egg-producing farms in Texas are soy-free since most of the farms are producing organic and pastured eggs. Many farmsteads also have a lot of space which allow chickens to roam freely and without the need for soy-based feeds. Of course this may mean that the eggs may cost much more than your typical factory-produced eggs, but they’re worth every penny.
If you visit farmers’ markets around Texas, you can also ask the producers there if their eggs are soy-free because that’s the best way to determine if eggs are truly soy-free, by asking the farmers themselves.
Packaging:
Just like most eggs, soy-free eggs are packaged in egg cartons that can either be made from plastic or biodegradable carton.
Enjoying Soy Free Eggs
On the surface, soy-free eggs are exactly the same as regular eggs. On the inside? Aside from being soy-free, they’re exactly the same as well. Soy-free eggs can be prepared and enjoyed just like regular eggs.
Storage:
Just like regular eggs, store soy-free eggs in the condition that you bought them in. If they’re refrigerated on the store shelves, then refrigerate them at home. If they were at room temperature, then store them at room temperature at home. While eggs last for a long time, they’re a lot better when fresh, so just get enough eggs that you can finish in a week or so.
How to Make Deviled Eggs:
While not exactly exclusive to soy-free eggs, we love deviled eggs so we’ll share our favorite recipe here with you.
Ingredients
Soy-free eggs, 6 pieces
Mayonnaise, ¼ cup
Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon
Salt, 1/8 teaspoon
Freshly ground black pepper
Smoked Spanish paprika for garnish
Step 1:
Hard boil the eggs.
Step 2:
Carefully peel the eggs and slice lengthwise. Remove the yolks and transfer to a separate bowl.
Step 3:
Mash together yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and black pepper until well incorporated.
Step 4:
Add heaping teaspoons of the yolk mixture on the egg whites and add a pinch of paprika to garnish and give it that classic deviled egg look.
