Soy: yes or no?

[blueskyhawk]

I'm slowly becoming vegetarian (I have been in the past but end up falling off the wagon, so to speak) and eventually I would like to become vegan. I have noticed a lot of products out there mention that they don't contain soy - forever I was under the impression that soy is a good thing, such as tofu, but I'm starting to find out that its not.

Comments

[krisssa]

I suggest using almond milk instead... lots of good nutrition without the risk factors. I have read about soy in a lot of places, but one of my favorite books that goes into vegetarian/vegan eating and also talks about the research on the dangers of soy is The Beauty Detox Solution http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&cp=13&gs_id=24&xhr=t&q=beauty+detox+solution&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1310&bih=759&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=5594289314962221559&sa=X&ei=EfKITrHDDqPK0AHkuLn4Dw&sqi=2&ved=0CCoQ8wIwAQ

[squid_ink]

I use almond milk in my coffee, I love it.

I actually can't tolerate soy (or tofu or edamame, sadly). I'm not lactose intolerant, I'm soy intolerant if you get my drift. it bothers not just me but everyone else in the room :(

[blueskyhawk]

Thank you so much for the link - I will check it out and most likely pick up a copy. I have used almond milk and I like it just as well as soy so perhaps I will switch to that.

[krisssa]

PS we use hemp milk. Not sure if you can find it where you are, but it has a lot of nutritional benefits that are better than some of the other alternatives. We get unsweetened because then it doesn't have sugar in it... (another benefit!) My two year old drinks it instead of regular milk.

[blueskyhawk]

I haven't seen hemp milk in the places I have checked out, but I have seen hemp butter (and it was incredibly expensive). I'll have to keep looking because I'm sure its not that horribly priced everywhere.

[krisssa]

the hemp milk is pretty expensive. :-/ It's $3.79 for a quart... so it's pretty crazy. I have been considering getting her the almond milk instead because of that.

[cherry_faery]

The products that specifically mention that they contain (or don't contain) soy anything is usually to alert people who have allergies to those things. I haven't heard anything specific or really conclusive about soy being bad for you but if you would like any additional information, I think that it's best to talk to a dietitian or a doctor for specifics. For one, a doctor will have access to your medical history and be able to tell you if there is a reason you should avoid soy or not. As someone who is lactose intolerant, I've never had any issues at all with soy products and if nothing else, it makes it easier on my system when they are available.

Hope this helps!

[arrowwhiskers]

This. I think there are certain food products (nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, eggs, etc) that need to be listed apart from other ingredients under US law because they are common allergies.

[blueskyhawk]

Thanks cherry faery (love your screen name and picture). I haven't had any issues with soy (that I've noticed) but I will certainly keep my eyes open to all of the products that contain it just to ensure I keep my diet varied.

It makes sense now that the reason there is soy listed on products is due to potential allergies.

[cherry_faery]

You're very welcome! :)

If for any reason you want to just mix it up, I will say this about some of the other 'milk's that I've tried. I like Rice milk but I found the consistency to be very thin. Using it in baking or for stuff that it doesn't matter how thick it is won't matter but if you are cooking with it, I would suggest something else. I think almond milk is a little thicker but soy is definitely my choice when it comes to using something that needs a little more body to it. If you are just adding it to your coffee and cereal, by all means experiment though. :)

[macula_densa]

I think soy is probably just fine in moderation. The trap that veggies fall into is relying on it too much, and too much is potentially a bad thing. That said, there really hasn't been much borne out in the literature showing soy is actually bad for you. Yes, there are phytoestrogens that could potentially affect you if you're consuming a WHOLE bunch, and it could potentially interfere with your thyroid, again, if you're consuming a lot. But in moderation? Unless you're allergic, there's just no reason to get all panicked over it, IMHO. I think there are still a number of health benefits to soy if consumed in small doses, particularly the fermented products like tofu.

[katatonic_state]

This.

I also have read in a variety of places that like anything else that's processed, the fake soy-based meats are worse for you than a more "pure" form (like tofu). I also have read in several places that flax is actually worse for you phyto-estrogen-wise than soy is.

I have a degree in biology and have read the studies and I'm not convinced that there's much to them. I still use flax and soy. However, I do try to not rely too heavily on the fake meats and limit how often I use tofu/tempeh in a given week. (We're ovo-lacto veggies at my house, so we still use organic cow's milk for our coffee and cereal. With that said, almond milk is actually pretty darn tasty in coffee. I just don't always think to pick some up at the store). I'm a big proponent of eating a varied diet with a minimum of processed food.

[blueskyhawk]

That's interesting about flax - I didn't know that. Thank you for input!

[inquiet]

thirded

[eqfe]

I buy organic tofu and other soy products to avoid GMOs