Soybeans have been a part of our diet for thousands of years. It wasn’t until 1999 that the FDA began allowing select companies to label health benefits on their products containing soy.
With genetically modified ingredients popping up everywhere, where do we turn to for safety benchmarks? Is consuming soy as a whole food any different than eating it as processed isolated soy protein in bars, powders and veggie burgers?
Both the USDA and the American Heart Association recommend an intake of 25 g per week of soy.
Are soy sources equals?
Dr. Stephen Barnes of the University of Alabama Birmingham “warned researchers hoping to use soy that not all soy is created equal… This collection [of compounds] is not constant and varies with the strain of the soybean—where it’s grown and when it’s harvested, rather like a wine. Consumers are exposed to a range of soy products that come from a variety of origins.”
“Barnes also said trying to compare the soy found in Asian diets versus American diets would be like comparing apples to oranges. In Asia, many soy products are fermented variations of the protein, whereas they are often not fermented in the U.S. While U.S. food manufacturers include soy proteins containing isoflavones in their products, their processing alters the chemical composition.”
“Not all soy is the same.” “And not all soy is soy.” According to Valerie Lambros of the NIH Record
Health benefits of soy
- Soybeans are high in protein and have minimal carbohydrates. Many vegetarians enjoy both the quality protein soy offers but also enjoy its taste and adaptability from its raw state to intricate recipes.
- Soy is a known cholesterol reducer.
- Many women report reduced symptoms of menopause with a daily influx of soy in their diets.
- Soys benefits and hazards have been up for debate in relation to hormone sensitive cancers such as breast, uterine and prostate.
Soy Allergies
If you live with an allergy or a food intolerance you know just how tedious but important label reading can be. Soy like gluten and corn is found in so many prepared foods. I have always had my hunches about processed foods and our over consumption of these few ingredients attributing to the spike in allergies to them. Just another plug for eating whole foods…
Organic vs. Conventional Soybeans
“You can save yourself and your family some potential problems by limiting soy use to fermented products like tempeh or miso. (An estimated 70 percent of supermarket products contain soy and it is a component of animal feed.) Fermentation reduces the phytate and antinutrient levels of soybeans, making their nourishment available to the human digestive system. However, make sure you are using products that originate with organic soy beans, since most of the North American soy crop is genetically modified and treated with dangerous chemicals.“ According to Natural Life Magazine
Does soy affect early maturation in kids?
The jury seems a bit hung on all of the effects soy can and does have on our bodies. Soy does have estrogen effects and therefore some worry about it speeding up puberty in kids. We hear the same argument about milk laced with antibiotics and hormones. Are kids really maturing any faster than they ever have- there are plenty of arguments erupting on both sides of this topic as well.
And while beneficial if eaten at any age, soy’s positive influence seems to pack a greater punch if included as part of a lifelong diet.