Is soy good or bad for you? Soy products are often suggested as healthy substitutes for dairy or meat products. Sure, soy milk makes a logical alternative for milk for someone with lactose intolerance (because it is a plant-based beverage and not actually a “milk”), but it makes much less sense for someone with a soy nut allergy.
The market for soy products in America has been growing over the last couple decades. Of course, the rise of soy has been followed by a slew of studies that point to possible concerns about it.
Isoflavones are the hot topic within the world of soy nutritional analysis. At first, the isoflavones were purely touted for their health benefits. Isoflavones can have estrogen-mimicking effects; studies described soy as having “anti-aging” properties and the ability to combat the symptoms of menopause. The isoflavones are also said to help reduce bad cholesterol levels.
There have been warnings about consumption of soy for pregnant and nursing women due to unknown long term affects of the soy isoflavones on babies. There are also studies that name soy as a possible cause of fertility problems. Of course, supporters of soy like to point out that studies that have a negative outcome are typically funded by companies in the dairy business. So what’s the deal?
Unfortunately, it seems that the jury is still out on whether or not soy is good for you. Natural forms of soy have played a significant role in Asian cuisine for many centuries; it’s fairly safe to assume that moderate consumption of natural forms of soy should do no harm. In fact, many studies against soy refer specifically to the synthetic soy forms (meats, cheeses, and soy bars) that have popping up in American grocery stores.
Conversely, one can assume that studies in favor of soy were performed on more natural forms. If you’re looking to collect on the possible health benefits of soy, you might at least want to stick to the following traditional forms, which undergo only basic processing:
- Edamame – boiled soybeans
- Tofu – soybean curds
- Natto – fermented soybeans
- Miso – fermented soybean paste
- Kinako – soy flour
Moderation is always key in one’s diet. If you’re thinking about drastically changing the amount of soy in your diet, it would be best to consult your doctor about your decision.
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