The soybean is a legume like the peanut. It has a high protein content and is a good alternative to meat. Both tofu and soy milk made from soya bean and are often recommended as a substitute if you can not tolerate milk.
What is soy allergy?
Soy allergy is a common food allergy. Soy allergy is getting body’s immune system reacts against the proteins in soy. It appears that soy-allergic people also are allergic to other substances. Peanut allergy people can react to soya and if you have extremely severe peanut allergy, you should also avoid food products containing soy.
Soy allergy symptoms
The most common symptoms are stomach pain, diarrhea, swelling of the face, chest irritation, hives or eczema. Some can react to minute amounts, while others develop symptoms only after having ingested large quantities. For very severe soy allergy can react so strongly to have an allergic shock and need immediate medical attention because it can cause life-threatening reaction.
Diagnosis
One can make a diagnosis in several ways. The most common way is that together with doctors exclude all soy products from your diet and then test a small amount. There should then be a clear difference in how you feel when you remove and then add soy products.
You can also do allergy testing, through skin tests or blood tests. Your skin should give a reaction when exposed to soy protein. However, it is not an entirely safe method because not everyone has an effect on allergy tests. The safest way is to listen to your body – you feel bad when you consume soy products so you should avoid it.
Products containing soy
Certain foods always contain soy. These include edamame, Shoyu, tamari, tofu, tempeh, miso and natto. Soy is also sold as soy nuts and are used as health foods in the grain and meal replacement bars. If you see isoflavones advertised on a health food, watch out for soy on the label.
Soy lecithin and soy oil
Soya lecithin (E322) is an emulsifier used to mix fat and water, for example when producing margarine and some chocolate. It is extracted from soybean, but the amount of soy protein in the finished product is so small that it hardly can be measured. Therefore, lecithin supporting most soy-allergic people. Refined soy oil should not contain soy proteins. But if you are extremely allergic, it is best to avoid soy oil.
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