Is it harmful to eat soy or tofu? - What is the real truth?

Question

I've recently freaked out after reading a web site claiming that it causes cancer. I wasn't sure if they were referring to processed foods- which are loaded with a lot of junk, but can't imagine that they'd mean fresh soy or organic tofu. I thought these foods were the healthiest thing a person could eat. What's going on? I'm a vegetarian and therefore have been eating soy (veggie burgers) for a while. Now I don't know what to do. Does this bother anyone else& how are you handling this news? Thanks!

Answer 1

Yes, it's just propaganda.

Let me remind people: it's just a bean!

There are SO many beans in the world, so why all this propaganda etc. regarding this one bean? Because of money. It's a huge food crop for animals in N. America because it's cheap. The majority of soybeans in the world goes to animals. Now some smart people have started to sell it to humans in N. America seeing how everyone in Asia is eating it and living healthy lives, and are making lots of money. Not only that, but the products which people are making from the soybean are also being marketed as good replacements for meat and dairy. Oops. Now here comes the propaganda against soybean products. Yes, the propaganda is generated by the meat and dairy industry. , who else? Nobody.

My Japanese friends eat lots of tofu, miso, natto, soybeans, shoyu, and all sorts of stuff made from soybeans, and they are fine. Actually, they are usually 10 times healthier than their N. American counterpart. What about my Chinese friends? They eat even more soyabean products than my Japanese friend. Are they all ill after each meal? No. They are fine.

Sure, I can agree that "soy" can be bad in the form of highly processed products, sure. But so is anythng that is highly processed. In Japan and China they are not consuming soyprotein powders, soyprotein isolate, or other such ingredients. Their soybean products are only one step removed from the natural bean.

The word "soy" is slang for soysauce, it's not really a real word.
The soybean (U.S.) or soya bean (UK)

Answer 2

I do not believe that eating a reasonable amount of soy or tofu can cause cancer. In foods containing these it is far more likely to be the other additives which could cause problems. I think your belief that soy and tofu are the healthiest things a person could eat is quite correct - I think that organically grown fruit and vegetables are better for you than either soy or tofu. I'm not a vegetarian but I will continue to eat products containing soy or tofu.

Answer 3

this is my personal experience with soy. I am a veggie, too, and was eating alot of soy. I developed an allergic reaction to it, so I had to stop using it. Since I am allergic to wheat and eggs also, this caused a huge void in my diet. I have replace wheat and soy with rice, potato, etc. I learned that MOST soy and soy based products are made from GENETICALLY modified soy, which means that a protien from another source, such as wheat, has been spliced into the soy, altering it from its natural state. Therefor, it is no longer the healthy product it once was, after all-we shouldnt fool around with mother nature. If you continue to eat soy, I would recommend it in its natural, unmodified state only. The veggie burgers are mostly modified. I have made a decent replacement veggie burger by blending canned beans with celery, onions, etc. and grill that instead.

Answer 4

The sight that you are referring to has
compiled a lot of data based on test
done on laboratory animals. They also
found that toxins in broccoli and cabbage
cause death to the same lab animals.
However they've found no cases of this in
humans.

Because mice, monkeys and humans have such
different body chemistries these results
have been deemed unreliable by many
eminent physicians and scientists.
This is one of the reasons why the
medical world is so adamant about
stem cell and genome research.
These methods give a more accurate
prognosis on what certain substances,
drug treatments etc. will do to the cells
of the human body.

It should also be noted that Asian cultures
have been eating soy for centuries without
recording any negative side effects.

Answer 5

I agree with some that say the truth is most likely somewhere in the middle. Realize that if we are comparing risk, meat products are much less safe than soy for a variety of reasons. Also a vegetarian (Vegan ) diet is very high in anti-oxidants, even if soy proves to be harmful, and that has not been proven, by eating a Vegetarian (Vegan) diet, you are most likely mitigating some of the negative effects. In conclusion, the golden rule applies, everything in moderation. As long as it's not an animal product.

Answer 6

There is a websitre claiming pretty much EVERYTHING causes cancer, including sodium laureth which is the foaming agent in all soaps and shampoos...you better just stop cleaning yourself.

This is something you will have to decide for yourself, look at the studies, who funded the studies, and if they were scientific studies (which are held to higher standards), as well as where were the studies conducted and on who..for all the information you see.
Also look for falicies in the information before making your decision, one I commonly see states how the Japanese have a much lower risk of many diseases and have lower rates of cancer and they eat lots of soy, a counter to this claims they don't really eat much soy. However, having studied the Jpapanese and had 3 Japanese exchange students I knew that the Japanese do eat a fair amount of soy, more then then anti-soy page claimed they did. The anti-soy page tried to claim they eat very little soy, and Americans eat to much but they do eat a fair amount of soy. (for the Korean, Tofu is ALL soy.)

As well there are lots of claims about the estrogen in soy, some people claim its bad but others state that is has no effect on a humans hormones because it is not the same form of estorgen as it is plant derived. Let me put it this way,
1. there are tons of women taking birth control pills monthly and theses hormones do effect their estrogen levles but they are considered safe.
2. there are all sorts of natural soy based menopause products for women, Corperations claim these natural remedies don't work because they are plant derived, if they don't work because they are plant derived (or if you don't believe these natural remedies work) then why would you believe soy has any effect on the body. Or in contrary if you do believe these remedies work then you must believe that soy as well would have an effect on the body.
3. even if you are not vegetarian soy is in pretty much everything you eat. Fake soy meat is mixed in with real meat at the chicken in McDonalds, In Hot Pockets, and most TV Dinners. Soybean oil is used in most sauces, mustards, mayonaises, bakes goods, snack cakes, and many fried foods are cooked in soybean oil. You consume MUCH mroe soy then you think...are you dying?

Personally I don't think consumming soy frequently is bad for you but I don't think I could Handle soy milk, soy cheese, soy yoguurt, veggie nuggets, and tofu all in the same day.

Answer 7

The conclusion that Soya may cause cancer is premature as also perfuncotry since not much research has been done on the subject till now to arrive at such a drastic conclusion, whereas soya is being used as a food product since a long time.However experience shows that some people find soya difficult to digest.

Answer 8

In my country (korea) we eat tofu all the time, but we sometimes avoid soy.
I heard that tofu is good for your health, and it was picked as the best 5 foods in the world. Eat Tofu :) It does not cause cancer.

On the other hand, little soy is okay, but too much soy is not good for your health. We, koreans say that soy damages your
in-testines, stomach ..

Answer 9

It normally is good for you but some people are allergic to it. Also heavily processed soy products such as some kinds of faux meat, are often unnatural and sometimes contain a lot of sodium and stuff, but otherwise traditional soy products like tofu are pretty good for you.

Answer 10

No it's not, it's just propaganda from the meat and dairy industries because more and more people are going vegetarian and they realize that they're going to lose money.