I have a sensitivity to soy. Is soy lecithin safe for me?
This is a great question and one that gets asked frequently, so here’s your answer:
Many doctors and experts will tell you that soy lecithin is perfectly safe for people with soy allergies. This answer is usually based on the fact that an allergy is a reaction to the protein in the food, and in the process of making soy lecithin, the protein is been altered or eliminated. So, in theory, soy lecithin should be safe for you to eat if you have an allergy to soy.
However… anecdotally many people find they have reactions to foods items which contain soy lecithin.
This reaction is probably caused by one of the following reasons:
1 – The protein wasn’t completely removed during the production process and even traces of the protein can cause a reaction.
2 – The items which contain soy lecithin (baked goods, sauces, dressings, cheap chocolate, etc.) are processed and you could be reacting because you are eating a product which is made from processed (a.k.a. “unhealthy” or “altered”) ingredients.
3 – Soy is the #1 most genetically modified food. You could be reacting to the fact that the soy was derived from a plant that has been genetically altered from it’s natural state. Just because it looks like a soy plant and tastes like a soy plant doesn’t mean that the body will react to it as a natural unaltered soy plant created by nature. The body knows when science messes with Mother Nature.
Therefore, I recommend against eating items which contain soy lecithin for anyone with a reaction to soy. And frankly, I don’t recommend it to anyone even if they don’t have a negative reaction to soy. The word “lecithin” is a great indicator that the item you are about to eat is processed, manufactured, and otherwise, unhealthy.
~ Kirstin Carey, Certified Holistic Nutritionist
Owner, Nourish
