If you have issues with food allergies, you probably know all about “the Big Eight” – the list of the top allergy-causing foods. Soy protein is on that list, but the results of some recent studies suggest it may not belong there.
Foods on the Big Eight list must be labeled on all food products sold in this country. The reason, of course, is to make it easier for people allergic to these foods to avoid them. That’s a good thing, but it is important to understand that the foods on that list are not created equal.
In the largest U.S. survey of its kind to be conducted, which involved nearly 40,000 children, the prevalence of allergy to peanuts and milk was about 5 times greater in comparison to soy protein. Furthermore, strawberries were just as likely to cause allergic reactions as soy, even though strawberries are not one of the Big Eight.
In a survey of near 5,000 adults, allergic reactions to cow milk were nearly 30 times more common than reactions to soy protein. And reactions to peanuts and eggs were about 10 times more common than soy, which was at the bottom of the list. Furthermore, if you are allergic to peanuts, chances are you won’t have a problem with soy, even though both foods are legumes. A recent study found that only 2 of 64 children who were allergic to peanuts also reacted to soy.
