The miracle health food, soy comes from soybeans which are included into the legume family and unfortunately some people are allergic to specific one or more than one types of legume.
Since soy is a common ingredient for different types of infant foods and processed foods, it has also been observed that allergy to soy is more frequent in infants and kids than the adults. However, it can be developed at any age.
What is Soy Allergy?
When someone has this type of food allergy, his body’s immune system which is more likely to combat with infections, excessively reacts to the protein in soy. Now, when a person allergic to soy eats some foods made of soy, his body considers its proteins as the harmful invaders and reacts adversely.
What are the symptoms of Soy Allergy?
After getting attacked by soy allergy, the body immune system hardly works to fight off the intruder. It leads to the allergic reactions for which chemicals like histamine are discharged into the body.
Therefore, the person suffering from this allergy has these symptoms such as:
Wheezing or trouble breathing
Itching in the mouth
Rash or hives (in urticaria)
Vomiting, nausea or diarrhea
Severe Soy Allergy – Anaphylaxis
Since the allergic reactions may differ from person to person, it is possible that while most of the reactions are mild and may affect one of the body systems like skin or throat, few cases it can be severe and affect more than one body parts.
In rare cases, soy allergy can lead to anaphylaxis, a severe kind of allergy with fatal reaction where the blood pressure drops, throat swells up and breathing system is damaged. In such cases, immediate treatment with epinephrine can recover from that serious condition.
Common Triggers of a Soy Allergy
In order to combat with this allergy, it is essential to stay away from the foods that contains soy, such as –
Soy fiber, nuts, flour, grits or sprouts
Soy milk, cheese, yogurt or ice cream
Soy sauce and shoyu sauce
Tofu and so on
Foods Containing Soy Products
Canned broth and soup
Baked foods like cookies, breads and cracker
Canned tuna and meat
Infant formula and so on
How To Deal Soy Allergy
It is highly advisable to deal soy allergy that once a person finds that he is allergic to soy product, he should stay away from all types of food products containing soy.
Always read the levels before eat.
As per the rules in the U.S., ‘soy’ must be mentioned on the level of the food product if it is there in the food.
Before eating at any Asian restaurants, people prone to soy allergy should be careful. In fact, even if you choose a soy-free dish, still you would have the chance to be exposed to it since this ingredient is frequently used in Asian cooking.
Take consultation from doctor about soy oil and lecithin since it has been seen that many people who are allergic to soy food can handle soy oil and soy lecithin. Your doctor or allergist can help you to figure out whether these stuffs are safe for you.