What Is Saponins?
Saponins are plant toxins found in many plants including beans, peas, lentils, peanuts and other legumes. They are produced when certain microorganisms such as fungi or bacteria eat the saponin from the plant. These organisms produce a chemical called pepsin which breaks down the protein in your body’s digestive system causing diarrhea and vomiting. If you have eaten these foods, it may cause severe allergic reactions.
How Are People With Saponine Allergies Treated?
The most common way to treat a person with a saponine allergy is to eliminate the offending food. However, if that doesn’t work, then the next step would be to give them a drug known as pyridoxine HCl (vitamin B6). Pyridoxine HCl is given orally to prevent the production of pepsin in the first place. This prevents the development of a reaction. You will need to take this pill daily until the reaction goes away completely. There are several types of pyridoxine HCl available, but they all contain similar amounts of vitamin B6.
Another option is to use a nasal spray containing pyridoxine HCl. This is not a treatment in the traditional sense. It does not prevent the allergic reaction, rather it helps to decrease the symptoms.
You should only use this if you do not react after taking the pyridoxine HCl pill, or if the reaction goes away before doing so.
Some people may experience a severe reaction if they are bitten by an insect (usually a mosquito) after eating a food that contains saponins. If this happens, seek medical attention immediately. You may be administered an injection of epinephrine (adrenaline) and then taken to the nearest emergency room.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Saponin Allergy?
The symptoms usually begin within a few minutes to 1-2 hours after eating foods containing saponins. The most common symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting. Some people also experience tingling or itchy skin, low blood pressure, anxiety, headache, breathing difficulties (including feeling like you can’t catch your breath), and swelling (especially of the lips and face). In rare cases a person may also have a very severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. This requires immediate medical attention.
If you suffer from any of these symptoms, you should seek medical attention. You can also look up the foods that cause these symptoms using an allergist tool such as this one.
You may also use this tool to determine whether you have a quinoa allergy or not. Many people have found this to be extremely accurate. If your allergy is confirmed, make sure to visit your doctor and explain your condition.
This will allow them to help you adjust your diet and make sure that you get all of the nutrients that you need.
How Can I Prevent A Saponin Allergy?
There is currently no known way to prevent a saponin allergy. However, if you suffer from this condition, make sure to always carry an EpiPen® with you at all times. Also, inform medical professionals about your condition so that they can be prepared in case of an emergency.
What Is The Difference Between An Allergy And An Intolerance?
A food allergy is caused by the body’s immune system incorrectly identifying a particular food as a threat. It attacks the food and creates symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. A food intolerance doesn’t involve the immune system. It is when the digestive system has a negative reaction to a particular food. The symptoms may be different from one person to the next.
A lot of people use the term “allergy” to describe any reaction they have to a particular food. Technically this isn’t correct. To put it simply, if the reaction is within two hours of eating a particular food and it causes your throat to itch or makes you vomit, it’s likely to be an allergy.
If the reaction is later than two hours after eating the food and/or causes cramping, bloating or a discharge, it is unlikely to be an allergy.
A very small number of people are allergic to quinoa. If you suffer from a severe allergic reaction after eating quinoa, you should visit an allergist to find out what the best diet is for you.
You may find this article interesting: “Can You Be Allergic To Quinoa?”
What Are The Major Differences Between White, Red And Black Quinoa?
White quinoa has a very mild flavor and it looks similar to couscous. It can be used in a variety of dishes. It usually takes about 15-20 minutes to cook.
Red quinoa has a slightly stronger flavor than white quinoa. It has a deeper hue and it holds its shape better when cooking. It usually takes about 12-15 minutes to cook.
Black quinoa is the newest type of quinoa on the market. It has the strongest flavor of all types of quinoa. It also takes the longest to cook.
Where Can I Find Quinoa?
Quinoa is now available in most grocery stores across North America. Most large chains (such as Safeway, Kroeger, Publix, etc.) carry several types of quinoa in their bulk section. This is often cheaper than the packaged varieties. If you have a hard time finding quinoa, try looking in the natural foods section. In my experience, this is where quinoa is usually located in North American grocery stores.
Most quinoa sold in North America is cultivated in the US. Imports are rare and only consist of a small amount of quinoa that is grown in South America.
Quinoa can be found at most health food stores and at most Whole Foods locations. You can also find it online here .
Why Is Quinoa So Expensive?
Quinoa does have a high protein content (compared to other grains) and it is gluten-free. It can be used as a substitute in many recipes that call for grains such as rice, wheat, corn and more. Quinoa is also very healthy and can be eaten by people with gluten allergies. Both of these reasons drive up the price of quinoa.
With that being said, there are ways to cut down the cost of quinoa. One way is to buy it in bulk. The bag will cost more upfront, but you will be able to make the cost per serving much lower.
Another way to cut down the cost of quinoa is to buy it when it’s in season. Prices tend to fluctuate throughout the year as this crop is very popular.
Is Quinoa Gluten-Free?
Yes, quinoa is gluten-free and it’s often recommended for people who cannot have gluten. Quinoa has a lot of benefits and rarely causes any sort of allergic reaction. It is also high in nutrients such as magnesium, manganese, folate and more.
What Can I Make With Quinoa?
One of the best things about quinoa is that it can be used in place of other grains in many dishes. You can use it in place of rice, couscous, oats, barley and more.
You can also eat quinoa as a side dish or by itself. Quinoa has a very mild flavor and is often compared to the taste of alfredo pasta. It’s very easy to make and takes a fairly short amount of time to prepare.
Quinoa can be eaten as a breakfast cereal when mixed with milk, fruit and nuts.
Sources & references used in this article:
Low glycemic index and increased protein content in a novel quinoa milk by LLO Pineli, RBA Botelho, RP Zandonadi… – LWT-Food Science and …, 2015 – Elsevier
Gastrointestinal Effects of Eating Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoaWilld.) in Celiac Patients by VF Zevallos, IL Herencia, F Chang… – American journal of …, 2014 – journals.lww.com
42. Quinoa–is the United Nations’ featured crop of 2013 bad for biodiversity? by E Small – Biodiversity, 2013 – Taylor & Francis
What’s New and Beneficial About Quinoa by M Adams, T Activists, A Council, B Clinton, BH Initiative – truthwiki.org
