Soy allergy occurs when the immune system overreacts to soy proteins, but soy lecithin allergy is a separate condition. Lecithin is a by-product of soy processing and is used as an emulsifier in the food industry. People with soy allergy may tolerate soy lecithin. Soy lecithin allergy can be difficult to avoid as it is present in many products, including cosmetics and medications.
Food allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to specific components of a food, causing symptoms such as hives or rashes, swelling and trouble breathing. Soy allergy is a condition in which a person is allergic to proteins that occur naturally in soybeans, but soy lecithin allergy is a separate allergy. Lecithin is a by-product of soy processing and consists of fatty substances useful as emulsifiers in the food industry. People who have a soy allergy may not show allergy symptoms when they eat soy lecithin, as fewer allergens tend to be present.
Soybeans are common ingredients in Asian cooking. Besides being edible whole, they are also commonly processed into different forms. The main forms include soybean meal, tofu and soybean oil. Lecithin is a byproduct of the oil extraction process and can impart various desirable characteristics to processed foods such as stabilizing and emulsifying, although it is not a food product itself.
Soy has a relatively high protein content, compared to many other vegetables. It is soy protein that can negatively affect the human immune system. When people with soy or soy lecithin allergies eat soy products, the immune system mistakenly identifies the proteins as dangerous to health, triggering a potential adverse reaction. The immune system triggers a strong inflammatory process, which produces the swelling, redness and hives that are characteristic of allergies.
People with a soy allergy typically need to avoid all soy-based foods, but products with soy lecithin may not pose a problem, since there isn’t as much protein in them. Those who have allergic reactions to lecithin have soy lecithin allergy, which is a distinct condition from soy allergy and can be much more difficult to avoid. Many regular products contain soy lecithin as a secondary ingredient, which may not be apparent from the type of food.
Often, those allergic to soy lecithin also have allergies to other substances because the immune system recognizes similar proteins found in related foods or unrelated substances. An example of an allergy that can be present along with allergies to soy components is birch pollen allergy. Common allergies such as tree nut allergies do not appear to be related to soy allergies. People suffering from soy lecithin allergy should also be aware that lecithin is not only found in foods, but can also be found in cosmetics and medications.
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