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Soybeans are legumes. Other foods in the legume family
include navy beans, kidney beans, string beans, black
beans, pinto beans, chickpeas (garbanzo or chichi beans),
lentils, carob, licorice, and peanuts. Many people are
allergic to more than one legume. If your doctor is
unable to identify which soy product is causing your
allergy, it is best to avoid them all. But, it is not
always easy to avoid these foods since many unsuspecting
products may contain soy.
Who
Gets Soy Allergy?
Soy
allergy is more common in infants. The average age at
which the allergy manifests is 3 months but the majority
of infants outgrow it by the age of two. Although adults
do suffer from soy allergy, it is rare.
What
Are the Symptoms?
Symptoms
of soy allergy are many and may include:
Acne
and other skin conditions, like eczema
Swelling
Nasal congestion
Anaphylaxis
Asthma
Canker sores or fever blisters
Colitis and other gastrointestinal problems, including
diarrhea
Conjunctivitis
Shortness of breath
Fever, fatigue, weakness, and nausea
Low blood pressure
Itching
Hay fever
Hives
How Do I Avoid Exposure?
Always
check the label ingredients before you use a product.
In addition, check the label each time you use the product.
Manufacturers occasionally change recipes, and a trigger
food may be added to the new recipe.
Reviewed
by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of
Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine.
Edited
by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD, Feb. 2004, WebMD.
Portions
of this page © The Cleveland Clinic 2000-2004
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