SOY ALLERGY
Soy beans are legumes. Soy and peanut (peanut belongs in the same botanic family as soy) are the most allergenic of the Leguminosae family which has over 30 species including fresh and dried peas, fresh and dried beans, all types of lentils, carob, and licorice. Research studies indicate that developing symptoms to more than one member of the legume family is rare. A person who is allergic to peanut and/or soy will not necessarily be allergic to both or other members of the family. Each type of legume must be investigated individually to determine sensitivity to it; avoiding all legumes when only one causes allergy will place unnecessary restrictions on a person’s diet. This can be especially detrimental to the nutritional health of vegetarians, and even more so to that of vegans.
If you have been diagnosed with an allergy to soy, or if you suspect that you may have soy allergy, it is important that you follow a completely soy-free diet, at least for a short period of time. At first glance, this may seem fairly straight-forward-avoid tofu, soy-based beverages (soy milks), and soy sauce, and don’t eat in Oriental restaurants. No big deal! But wait; let us look at the subject of soy a little more carefully. It may not be as simple as you think!
Traditionally, soy is an important part of the Oriental diet, being consumed as tofu in many Chinese and Japanese dishes and, in its fermented form, as soy sauce, miso soup, and similar foods. Tofu and other soy products are an important and necessary part of the vegetarian diet, providing essential protein and other nutrients to replace those found in foods from animal sources. Although soy itself is not a common part of the traditional Western diet, it may surprise some people to realize that all of us have been consuming an increasing amount of soy as an ingredient in many manufactured foods. In fact, it is very difficult to avoid soy entirely. Because it increases the nutrient value of any manufactured food, and adds flavor and texture to the product, it is a very popular addition to many processed and convenience foods. Take a look at the ingredient labels on the packaged foods you have on your shelf-you may be surprised at how many of them list soy. Many breads, pancake mixes, baking mixes of all types, breakfast cereals, packaged soups, and packaged entrees contain soy. Luncheon meats, “cold cuts,” frozen dinners, hamburger patties, meat pies, and sausages contain soy. Soy is often used as a “meat extender,” making the product less expensive (an important selling point in some markets). It is often disguised as “vegetable protein” and other terms in which soy is not immediately apparent. You need to be aware of all of these terms. In some areas, soy-based infant formulas have become very important as alternatives to cow’s milk based formulas when a child has been diagnosed as allergic or suspected to be allergic, to cow’s milk protein. Such formulas are inexpensive, and with the addition of certain essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) may provide an acceptable substitute to cow’s milk formulas for feeding in infancy, as long as the child is not allergic to soy, of course.
As you can see, we need to look a little more closely at this food which is becoming so important in our daily lives.
Why Is Soy Important as an Allergen?
Unlike its relative, peanut, soy is a rare cause of anaphylaxis, but it can cause symptoms such as asthma, rhinitis (stuffy nosy), urticaria (hives), angioedema (tissue swelling), and gastrointestinal disturbances. An estimated 43% of babies who are allergic to cow’s milk develop an allergy to soy when given soy-based infant formulas. Allergy to soy protein has many features similar to those of allergy to cow’s milk protein. Like cow’s milk, soy is a frequent contributor to atopic dermatitis (eczema) in atopic children. In infants, soy allergy can cause loose stool and diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, irritability, crying, intestinal blood loss, anemia, and slow or nonexistent weight gain (failure to thrive). Respiratory tract symptoms include cough, wheeze, asthma, and rhinitis. Symptoms in the skin include hives and angioedema, as well as eczema.
How Can I Know When Soy is Present in a Food?
Most manufactured foods that contain soy will indicate the presence of soy protein on the label. However, sometimes, the word “soy” may not appear on the label, so persons who are soy-allergic need to become familiar with terms that indicate the likely presence of soy.
On a food label, soy may be indicated by terms such as “textured vegetable protein” or “hydrolyzed plant protein.” Lecithin is often derived from soy and oriental foods such as tempeh, tofu, miso, and bean curd are made from soy which may not be obvious to the consumer who is unfamiliar with oriental foods.
Unlabeled products such as bulk foods, unwrapped breads, and baked goods may contain soy, especially if flour is an ingredient. Persons who are allergic to soy are advised not to purchase these products unless they can find out the specific ingredients.
Table Terms indicating the presence of soy in food products lists the terms most commonly used to indicate the presence of soy.
Table Terms indicating the presence of soy in food products
Terms That Indicate the Presence of Soy Protein
| Tofu | Kyodofu (freeze-dried tofu) | Miso |
| Okara (soy pulp) | Shoyu | Sobee |
| Supro | Tamari | Tempeh |
| Yuba | Soy milk | Soy beverage |
| Soy nuts | Soy sauce | Soy sprouts |
| Soybean | Soybean paste | Soy flour |
| Soy grits | Soy albumin | Soy protein |
| Soy protein isolate | Soy lecithin | Textured vegetable protein* (TVP) |
Ingredients That May Contain Soy
| Emulsifiers* | Sprouts (source unspecified) | Vegetable broth* |
| Stabilizers* | Bean sprouts | Vegetable gum* |
| Lecithin* | Hydrolyzed plant protein | Vegetable paste* |
| (HPP)* | Vegetable protein* | |
| Hydrolyzed vegetable protein | Vegetable shortening* | |
| (HVP)* | Vegetable starch* | |
| Monosodium glutamate | ||
| (Monosodium glutamate)* |
The Soy-Free Diet (Table The soy-free diet: foods allowed and foods restricted)
The soy-free diet omits soybeans and all soy products. Soy is widely used in commercial food preparation. People who are soy-allergic need to examine labels carefully as certain brands of the foods listed may not be soy-free. Soybeans are legumes; however, cross-reactivity with other legumes, including peanuts, is rare and should not be assumed without careful investigation. Food-specific diagnosis is necessary to avoid overly restricting the diet.
Table The soy-free diet: foods allowed and foods restricted
| Type of Food | Foods Allowed | Foods Restricted |
| Milk and
Milk Products |
• All except those on the
restricted list |
• Cheese substitutes
• Soy cheese • Tofu cheese • Ice cream, frozen desserts, and dessert mixes unless labeled soy free • Milk or cream replacers • Soy-based infant formula • Soy milk • Soy beverage • Soy yogurt |
| Breads and Cereals | • All except those on the restricted list | • Homemade and commercial breads and baked goods containing soy
• Pancake mixes • Soy grits • Soy flour • Baking mixes • Cereals containing soy • Mixed grain cereals • Multigrain breads • Granola and granola bars • Infant cereals containing soy • High-protein flour and bread • English muffins • Stuffings |
| Vegetables | • All pure, fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables and
their juices |
• All vegetable dishes made with soy or unknown ingredients
• Soy sprouts • Mixed sprouts • Salads with sprouts • Salad dressings containing soy • Some frozen french fries • Commercial vegetable products • Some commercial soups • Commercial dry soup mixes • Some bouillon cubes |
| Fruit | • All pure fresh, frozen, or
canned fruits and their juices |
• Fruit dishes made with soy products
• Some commercial canned fruit products |
| Meat, Poultry,
and Fish |
• All fresh or frozen meat,
poultry, or fish • Fish canned in water |
• Meat, poultry, or fish dishes with
soy • Tuna and other fish canned in oil • Tofu (soybean curd) • Miso • Meat extenders • Textured vegetable protein • Vegetarian meat replacers (analogs) • Veggie burger • Meat products that may contain soy include - Cold cuts - Luncheon meat - Frozen dinners - Hamburger patties - Meat paste - Meat pate - Meat pies - Minced beef - Sausages - Imitation bacon bits |
| Eggs | • All plain eggs | •Egg dishes prepared with soy products |
| Legumes | • All plain legumes except
soy and tofu • Dried peas and beans • All green beans and peas • Lentils • Split peas • Peanuts |
• All legume dishes containing soy
or tofu • Any soy products • Mixed beans • Bean mixtures (e.g., 12-bean soup) • Mixed bean salads |
| Nuts and Seeds | • All packaged plain, pure nuts
and seeds • All pure nut and seed oils and their butters, e.g., tahini, almond butter • Peanuts • Peanut butter |
• Soy nuts
• Soy butter • Nuts or mixes containing soy derivative • Any oils or nuts of undisclosed origin |
| Fats and Oils | • Butter
• Cream • Pure vegetable, nut, or seed oil with source specified • Lard and meat drippings • Gravy made with meat drippings • Pure olive oil spray • Peanut oil |
• Salad dressings that list “oil”
without revealing the source • Soy oil • Margarine unless sources of all oils are revealed and margarine is soy-free • Vegetable oil • Vegetable oil sprays • Shortening |
| Spices, Herbs,
and Seasonings |
• All pure herbs and spices
• Blends of herbs and spices, without added oils |
• Seasoning packets with
undisclosed ingredients • Sauces containing soy, such as - Barbecue - Oriental -Soy - Tamari - Worcestershire • Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) • Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP) • Texturized vegetable protein (TVP) |
| Sweets and
Sweeteners |
•Plain sugar, honey,
molasses, maple syrup • Corn syrup • Pure chocolate • Pure cocoa • Cocoa butter • Artificial sweeteners • Pure jams and jellies • Homemade cookies and candies with allowed ingredients |
• Chocolate
• Chocolate bars • Marzipan (almond paste) • Cookies and candies • Cake icing, unless sources are revealed and are soy-free |
Soy Oil
Pure soy oil is not considered to be allergenic, unless contaminated by soy protein in its manufacture. This latter source of soy allergen is difficult to detect in a manufactured product. Therefore, people who are very allergic to soy are advised to avoid soy oil also, although most will tolerate a small amount of the oil in manufactured foods (perhaps up to a teaspoon) without any difficulty.
Soy oil and soy lecithin do not contain detectable soy protein and therefore are not usually antigenic. However, sometimes the refining process does not exclude all soy proteins, so a person who is highly sensitive to soy is advised to avoid soy oil and soy lecithin also. Cold-pressed soy oils (also referred to as “pure-pressed,” “expeller-pressed,” or “unrefined”) are very likely to contain soy proteins.
People who are highly sensitive to soy, or who are in the process of identifying soy allergy, should avoid all products containing soy oil, especially when it is the main ingredient (e.g., soy oil, soy-based margarines, cooking sprays).
Nutrients in Soybeans
Soybeans contribute thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, folacin, calcium, and zinc to the diet. However, soy is typically used in commercial products in amounts that are too small to be considered a significant source for these nutrients. Therefore, elimination of soy from the diet does not compromise the nutritional quality of most diets.
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