If you’ve considered switching to a more plant-based diet, whether for environmental or health reasons, you’ll find that many meals contain some type of soy. From tofu and tempeh to the soy protein isolate found in fake meat, there are many different forms of soy available.
Despite soy’s ubiquity, there are many rumors floating around about whether or not it’s good for you. To get answers, luck I spoke with the experts, here’s what you need to know.
What is soy?
Soy products are derived from the soybean plant, which belongs to the legume family, and whose seeds you may recognize as the popular edamame food. The United States is the world’s largest soybean producer, according to Department of Agriculture.
It is arguably one of the most important crops, providing protein for animals and humans, as well as being processed into biofuel, vegetable oils and other food products.
Some common soy food products include: tofu, edamame, tempeh, miso, soy milk, soy sauce, isolated soy protein, soybean oil, and vegetable protein.
Is soy bad for you?
Concerns about soy stem primarily from two studies published in 1987 and 1998,” says a registered dietitian Lauren MacNeilHe specializes in plant-based nutrition. The researchers were investigating how raw soybeans consumed by mice affected hormone levels and health outcomes. They found that soybeans increased cancer risk in mice and stimulated mammary growth.
Soy contains phytoestrogens, which means it has a chemical structure similar to estrogen and can mimic and increase the activity of estrogen in the body. This has left people concerned that plant estrogens, such as those found in soy, would put you at increased risk of developing breast cancer, because estrogen activity can act as a trigger for cancer growth.
Other concerns about soybeans included how this might be possible Inhibits thyroid function Based on animal and test tube studies.
But McNeil says these studies are fundamentally flawed.
“Soy is not inherently what mice generally eat, and it’s not a good study to do to translate to humans,” McNeil says. luck. There is actually evidence to suggest soy’s overall benefits to human health.
@tastingtothrive_rd Reply to @chubaga Is soy bad for you? #vegandietian #Soy myths #Vegan soy myths ♬ original audio – plant-based nutritionist | Lauren
A number of recent studies and reviews of research have debunked concerns about soy being harmful to your health. Research has found that soy has no significant effect on… Thyroid function– It is believed that this relationship is still under investigation. A 2010 study Also test what effect soy has on male reproductive hormones. They found that there was no effect of soy on testosterone or other sex hormones in men.
“We now have very clear human data that shows there is no relationship between soy consumption and increased cancer risk and increased cancer recurrence,” says Dr. Neil Iyengar, a breast medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Potential health benefits of soybeans
“There are a lot of advantages to including soybeans in your diet,” says McNeil.
In reality, Several studies Researchers have indicated that eating soy not only helps reduce the risk of cancer, but can also help on a broad scale Improving health outcomes.
Soy foods like tofu, edamame, and tempeh are full of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, with the added bonus of being vegetarian, which Iyengar finds beneficial to his patients because of the overall health and longevity benefits that come from soy. Vegetarian diet.
“The good thing about soy is that it’s a rich source of nutrients… and I certainly wouldn’t tell people to avoid soy,” he says. “In fact, I would tell people to incorporate soy as part of a healthy diet to prevent cancer.”
A 2009 study Among 5,042 breast cancer survivors in China — women ages 20 to 75 who were diagnosed between March 2002 and April 2006 — they found that those with diets higher in soybeans had a significantly lower risk of death and cancer recurrence. Meanwhile for men, soy consumption appears to help reduce the risk of prostate cancer as well, according to A 2018 study.
Meanwhile, A 2019 review Phytoestrogens — found in soybeans — have been linked to a number of benefits, including cardiovascular and cognitive function, skin health, aiding weight loss, and reducing menopausal symptoms, he explains.
Other soy benefits include:
- Reducing total cholesterol
- Reduced high blood pressure
- Reducing blood sugar levels during fasting
- Appetite suppression
- Reducing skin aging
The best way to consume soy
Some forms of soy are more processed than others, such as isolated soy protein or textured plant protein — common in protein powders and plant-based meat substitutes — and soybean oil, which is found in many processed food products and used as a cooking oil in many restaurants. It’s best to stick to minimally processed soy foods to maximize the benefits of the protein, fiber and other nutrients found in soy.
Here are some soy foods you can incorporate into your diet:
- Tofu
- Edamame (including dried and crunchy edamame snacks)
- Tempeh
- I milk
McNeil’s favorite way to prepare tofu is to mix it with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, paprika and nutritional yeast, then put it in the air fryer or oven to add to stir-fries, salads and wraps. She’s also a fan of steaming edamame and seasoning it with salt.
“The less processing, the better,” Iyengar says.
Iyengar recommends eating one to two servings of soy daily for the health benefits observed in numerous studies. But this recommendation does not mean that it is bad to consume more than that. Because foods like tofu and edamame are so high in protein and fiber, you’ll likely fill up easily from soybeans — and eating more than one or two servings may mean you won’t have room for other nutrient-dense foods, he says.
“You can eat soy daily if you want,” Iyengar says.
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