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 meats, emulsify foods, and as a thickener. These uses have transformed the food industry. Foods that never contained soy protein (smoothies, ice cream, frozen potatoes and baked goods) can now contain it.
Most companies list soy protein on 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 listed on any of the labels.
“Consumption of these products may cause a serious or life-threatening reaction in people with allergies to soy protein,” the alert said.
Soy protein is often a hidden ingredient. That’s because soy protein goes by many names: hydrolyzed vegetable protein, isolated soy protein, soy protein concentrate, textured soy protein, vegetable protein, soy flour, soy flour, textured soy flour, and tofu. . Even if you weren’t allergic to soy protein before, you may be now.
Have you felt uncomfortable after eating fast food? Have you had stomach pain after eating in a restaurant? Have you had “indigestion” after eating food prepared with a sauce or rice mixture? Symptoms of 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 wouldn’t be the first person to see a doctor because you’re worried about ulcers and find out you’re allergic to soy.
If you can’t eat soybeans, you may not be able to eat similar foods. The Center for Food and Environmental Illness says that soybeans are a member of the vegetable family, so they may “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’s a good start to avoid getting sick. Recipes change, so keep reading the labels even on 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 you eat out, don’t be afraid to ask the waiter 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 make meals from scratch. Set aside a few hours each weekend (or whenever it’s convenient) to prepare food. Make a large batch of soup, for example, and freeze most of it. You can also freeze dinners and individual servings in foil pans.
Lastly, always have a gas-reducing product on hand, like 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. To learn more about her work, visit www.harriethodgson.com.