Soy protein: hidden ingredient, hidden danger
Almost all processed foods in the US contain soy and / or soy protein. Soy protein (concentrated soy) is used to spread meat, emulsify foods, and as a thickener. These uses have transformed the food industry. Foods that never contained soy protein (shakes, ice cream, frozen potatoes, and baked goods) can now contain it.
Most companies list soy protein on their labels, but they don’t. In March 2005, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued an allergy alert for “undeclared soy protein” in a specific brand of cheesecake. All eight cheesecake flavors contained soy protein, but it was not on any of the labels.
“Consumption of these products can cause a serious or life-threatening reaction in people with allergies to soy protein,” the alert said.
Soy protein is often a hidden ingredient. This is because soy protein goes by many names: hydrolyzed vegetable protein, isolated soy protein, soy protein concentrate, textured soy protein, plant protein, soy flour, soy flour, textured soy flour, and tofu. . Even if you weren’t allergic to soy protein before, you may be allergic to it now.
Have you felt uncomfortable after eating fast food? Have you had a stomach ache after eating at a restaurant? Have you had “indigestion” after eating foods made with gravy or rice mix? Symptoms of a soy protein allergy include colitis (inflammation of the colon), bloating, and severe stomach pain. These symptoms can last 24 hours or more.
Few adults are allergic to soy, according to The Cleveland Clinic, but times are changing. More people are allergic to soy protein due to the number of products that contain it. You would not be the first person to see a doctor because you are concerned about ulcers and discover that you are allergic to soybeans.
If you can’t eat soybeans, you may not be able to eat similar foods. The Center for Food and Environmental Diseases says soy is a member of the legume family, so it can “cross-react” with peas, chickpeas, lima beans, black beans, lentils, peanuts, and even wheat. What can you do?
You can become a food label detective. Before putting a product in the supermarket, read every word on every label. Shopping will take longer, but it is a good decision to avoid getting sick. Recipes change, so keep reading the labels even for products that have been safe in the past.
Keep a running list of foods to avoid. Do this on a computer, if possible, because your list will grow from dozens of items to hundreds in a few weeks. Take the list with you when you go shopping. When eating out, don’t be afraid to ask your server if there’s soy protein in a recipe.
Because the only way to “treat” a soy protein allergy is to avoid foods that contain it. The best thing you can do for yourself is to prepare meals from scratch. Set aside a few hours each weekend (or when appropriate) for meal prep. Make a large batch of soup, for example, and freeze most of it. You can also freeze dinners and individual servings in aluminum molds.
Lastly, always have a gas-reducing product on hand, such as Beano or Gax X. Your doctor can help, but the ultimate responsibility for a soy protein allergy rests with you. Although this requires vigilance, your health and well-being are worth it.
Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson. For more information about her work, visit www.harriethodgson.com.