A soy intolerance diet is similar to a soy allergy diet because both diets are based on avoidance of products that contain soy. Soy intolerance and soy allergies are two conditions with similar symptoms that are commonly confused. Soy allergies are caused by a malfunction of the immune system while soy intolerance is a defect of the digestive system, according to MayoClinic.com. Your doctor may recommend that you participate in an eliminate diet to determine how much soy you can tolerate.
Soy Intolerance
Soy intolerance is the inability of your intestines to properly digest the proteins found in soy, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. When you eat any food, your small intestines produce certain enzymes that help to breakdown complex sugars and proteins in the food so that they body can easily absorb them. If your intestines do not produce enough of the needed enzymes to breakdown the proteins in soy, your digestive system can become inflamed and irritated. Soy intolerance symptoms will not cause any damage to the digestive system.
Elimination Diet
An eliminate diet is a common method of determining how much soy your body can tolerate. Unlike a soy allergy, you may be able to eat a certain amount of soy without developing any symptoms. A soy elimination diet will require you to completely remove all soy from your diet for two weeks. After the two weeks, you slowly begin to introduce soy products again in a controlled manner, according to AskDrSears.com. Use one soy product, such as soy milk. Ingest 1/2 cup of soy milk and write down any symptoms that you develop. The next day drink 1 cup of soy milk and observe how your body reacts. Discuss your findings with your doctor.
Avoidance
Identify soy ingredients and avoid consuming them. Many processed foods contain soy, such as hot dogs, ice cream and cereals. Some ingredients to be aware of include: hydrolyzed plant protein, soy protein, textured vegetable protein, vegetable gum, natural flavoring, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and vegetable starch, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Soybeans are a legume and you may be intolerant towards other legumes, such as lentils, beans and peanuts, with a soy intolerance.
Consideration
An elimination diet is not intended to diagnose a condition, but it is used identify which foods are causing an adverse reaction. Do not implement any diet modifications without first talking with your doctor.
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