Eggs are the backbone to a healthy, complete diet, and obviously you want to eat the best quality eggs available. But not everyone can raise backyard chickens and control the diet of the hens. The FDA lists soybeans as one of the top 8 allergens in the US, and eating eggs from hens fed soy can be allergenic. There are also many other reasons why one might want soy-free eggs, as the soy that hens are fed actually changes the nutrition of the eggs, depleting vitamin D content, and adding hormone-disrupting phytoestrogens.
Unfortunately, most grocery store eggs are not soy-free. However, as this issue becomes more widely known, soy-free eggs are found in some health food stores, Whole Foods, and farms across the country. The following is not a complete list, as some of these small farms are hard to identify, but hopefully makes locating soy-free eggs near you easier.
Soy Free Eggs
Bee Heaven/Rachel’s Eggs – South Florida
PNS Farms – South Florida
Bethesda Farms – Florida Whole Foods & Publix
Chino Valley Ranchers – West, South, Midwest
World’s Best Eggs/Coyote Creek Farm – The South
Dream Farm – Madison WI Area
OrgaNick Pastures – Upper Midwest
Mission Mountain – Western Montana and Nationally
Crown S Ranch -Seattle/Methow Valley Region
Misty Meadows Farm – Seattle and Bellingham Regions
SOVA Farm – Stores in CT, online in CT, NJ, & NY
Utopihen Farms – NY, NJ, CT, MA, VT, PA, DE, MD
Stoltzfoos Layers Eggs – PA, NY, MD, VA, NJ, Washington DC
Hidden Camp – New York and Upstate NY
Oliver’s Organic Eggs/Can-Am Farms – New York
Apricot Lane Farm – Southern CA
Why To Avoid Soy
Soy products have been found to be
- hard to digest
- too low in two essential amino acids to count as complete protein.
- very high in phytic acid, which binds to minerals, such as zinc, calcium and magnesium, and slows or stops their absorption in our bodies
- contains potent enzymes inhibitors (and phytic acid) which are not neutralized by just soaking, only traditional fermentation
- contain phytoestrogens – plant hormones which disrupt our own hormones and depress thyroid function
- commercially grown GMOs and are heavily sprayed, including with glyphosate
How Does Soy Change Eggs?
Soy is high in isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen (plant estrogen) found mostly in legumes and beans. When hens eat soy, the eggs have high amounts of this phytoestrogen, as opposed to hens that don’t eat soy. Studies show that phytoestrogen is present in the yolks of eggs from hens that eat soy. It’s thought that phytoestrogen can contribute to hormonal imbalances in humans, male and female. This endocrine disruption can be especially detrimental to children and adolescents.
Diets high in soy have been shown to deplete Vitamin D stores in animals and humans. Accordingly, eggs from hens fed soy have been shown to contain up to 6 times fewer the amount of Vitamin D than eggs from pastured hens that did not have any soy in their diet.
Are Vital Farms eggs soy-free?
No, Vital Farms eggs are not soy-free. Their website states: “The supplemental feed consists primarily of corn and unprocessed soybean meal.”
Are Organic Valley eggs soy-free?
No, Organic Valley eggs are not soy-free. According to their website, the hens eat: “Feed blends usually consist of corn, soy, and various small grains like oats or barley, as well as mineral supplements.”
Are Happy Egg Co. eggs soy-free?
No, Happy Egg Co. eggs are not soy-free. From their website: “Their feed contains corn and soy mixed with all-natural vitamins and minerals.”
Are Land O Lakes eggs soy-free?
No, Land O Lakes eggs are not soy-free. From their website, they state: “The hens are fed a premium all-vegetarian diet rich in corn and soy protein — with no animal fat or animal by-products.”
Hopefully more brands will go soy-free in the future. Let me know if there are any other brands I missed, I know there are definitely more out there.
