“Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” -Albert Einstein
Soy is not poison.
I’m not gonna lie, I use to be afraid of any soy (thanks mainstream media). I’ve now realized that soy isn’t really that scary after all! Mainstream media had put out that eating soy could trigger breast cancer due to them containing isoflavones, plant estrogen. High levels of estrogen in the body has been linked to breast cancer. But food sources don’t contain high enough levels of isoflavones to increase your breast cancer risk.
So where did this come from? Well, studies have suggested that there is a link between isoflavone supplements and women at risk for breast cancer increasing their odds. My biggest piece of advice: use your critical thinking skills & listen to your gut. Don’t relay on supplementation to get your nutrients, just eat them in your foods! Your body absorbs them better than way anyhow. 😉
Why you should eat soy
Soy is a bean and edamame is a young soybean that has been harvested. These are not a ‘super foods’ nor is it evil. Soy beans and edamame are packed full of protein, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and other vitamins and minerals. It is also called a ‘complete protein’ with omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.Even though soy contains plant estrogens, according to the American Cancer Society, it may actually lower your risk of breast, prostate, & endometrial cancers. Now, I’m not saying go out and eat all the soy, but keep your intake to 1-2 servings per day. Also, avoid processed soy! Read your labels to see what it’s added into. Soy milk and tofu are actually not as processed as I once thought. Soy milk is made by grinding down soy beans, boiling them, then straining them and using the resulting liquid. Tofu is made from pressing curdled soy milk.
What’s a serving?
- 1 cup soy milk
- ½ cup cooked beans
- ⅓ cup or 1 oz nuts
Soy farms cause deforestation
This is one I’ve heard over and over again. But look into who is cutting down the trees. It’s not our yummy, organic farming farmers causing the Amazon rainforest to be cut down. The production of beef is causing this.
Brazil is one of the highest exporters of beef & many cows are fed with pesticide covered soy. The Yale School of Forestry and Environmental studies believe that 80% of the soy being grown is for cattle feed, not human consumption.
A balanced, healthy diet includes soy
If you’re not allergic and wanting to add soy to your diet, go for it! Find it in the least processed forms. Do you want to eat those soy nuggets every day? Probably not, especially considering it may contain soy protein isolates, which means the soy protein was concentrated & has IGF-1 (this is unhealthy).
Like with any plant food, enjoying it in it’s least processed state is good for you! Don’t be afraid to try something new. I never knew I liked edamame until last year. I will even eat it plain if we have it. It’s a bean and you reap the benefits from eating soy beans and edamame as you do from any other bean.
What are your views on soy? Do you eat it?
Thank you so much for reading! I appreciate you so very much.
Please note, this is not to be taken as dietary advice. Please, go to your own research platform (Pub Med, etc) & speak to your healthcare provider to determine if soy is appropriate for you
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