Soy allergies can trigger symptoms that vary from minor to severe. It is important to note that soy and soy-related products can instigate a variety of allergy types.
Close look on the types of soy allergies
Soy lecithin
Soy lecithin is a non-toxic food additive that is utilized in foods that need a natural emulsifier. It helps regulate the crystallization of sugar in chocolates, lengthens the shelf-life of some products and lowers splashing while frying certain foods.
Many individuals who have soy allergies might be able to tolerate soy lecithin.
Soy milk
Almost half of cases with the slow-onset type of cow’s milk allergy are considered highly sensitive to soy. In case a child is on formula, it is recommended to shift to a hypoallergenic variant.
When it comes to expansively hydrolyzed formulas, proteins were degenerated so that they are unlikely to trigger a reaction. As for the elemental formulas, the proteins are in their simplest form and not likely to trigger a reaction.
Soy sauce
Aside from soy, soy sauce also includes wheat which might make it difficult to determine whether the symptoms were brought about by one allergen or the other. Additionally, soy sauce also includes histamine which can result to histamine poisoning that triggers symptoms strikingly resembling an allergic reaction including dermatitis and inflammation around the mouth.
In most cases, a skin prick test is used to determine which allergen is responsible for the symptoms.
It is important to note that there are at least 15 proteins present in soybeans that are known to trigger soybean allergies. Always carefully check the labels for any type of soy if allergic.