by: Matthew Krajewski
What is Soy?
There is no such thing as a miracle food. Anything consumed in excess can pose a hazard to your health. Soy does have many wonderful attributes, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, but has also been marred by claims that range from feasible (soy may block essential nutrients from being absorbed in your digestive track) to ludicrous (claims that soy can make children gay or that soy can shrink the size of your brain). So what is the wonder that is soy?
Meet Soy
In 1999 the FDA started to allow soy food products to feature labeling promoting the claim that soy decreased cholesterol and risk of heart disease. The soybean is the most widely grown and utilized legume in the world, and traces its roots to 11th century BC China. Soy is widely regarded as “health” food due to benefits associated with soy’s high protein content, being rich in vitamins and minerals, containing essential fatty acids, and being high in fiber.
The Good
Even though soy is not a miracle food, research has shown that soy may be effective in alleviating the risks of breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, as well as making the transition of menopause easier. Protein rich soy is also a healthy alternative to eating meat, especially since soy lowers cholesterol whereas meat products tend to increase cholesterol levels.
The Bad
Soy contains phytic acid which may block the absorption of certain minerals, including magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc. Soy may also contain enzyme-inhibitors which may inhibit normal digestion. Proponents of such claims insist that only after fermentation of soy, as in the case of miso or tempeh, do the benefits of soy become available for human consumption. The nature of isoflavones in soy, while attributed to alleviating the risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis, is also cited as behaving too much like estrogen and posing a risk to children if substituted with milk.
The Wonder of Soy
The reality of soy is that there is that the jury is still out on both the good and the bad, and how soy will benefit your individual diet is largely dependent on your own physiology and what you require and can handle in your diet. Do research on how soy affects whatever condition you want to target through adding to your diet, and decide for yourself if it is appropriate for your nutrition needs. Soy is found in a wide array of foods and supplements, and nutritious additions to you diet can include miso, tempeh, tofu, edamame, soy milk, or soy yogurt.
