is it safe to consume soy ??? I am so confused?

Answer 1

i'm confused too, i'm fairly new to this vegan stuff and i too have heard some bad stuff about soy. I've heard that the way it's produced in the west differs from the way it is produced in the east and that, like dairy, it should be avoided like poison! I can't remember what it supposedly does, i think it brings about early degeneration of the brain, stuff like parkinsons and alzymers (spelling)... alledgedly any way...

To top it off how much can you trust food studies anyway, i mean because of the way the soy products are made here in the west, compairing them to the effects of soy on the populous in the east is usless, and think about the people initiating the research? The soy based companies like "silk" aren't going to release anything about soy being bad for people... and why would they when you can essentialy engineer research to have whatever outcome you want?!?!

I dunno, i doubt your going to get a solid answer one way or the other, not one that's backed up anyway. I do take some soy products but try to limit it. i have rice/oat milk instead of soy etc... and i take omega 3 suppliments (vegan) to hopefully offset any negative effect it mite have on the way my brain ages, or whatever it is soy is supposed to do to it...

sigh... good luck.

Answer 2

In moderation, it's fine. Just make sure your soy is organic to avoid GMOs.

A lot of the studies saying soy is dangerous are put out by antisoy and antivegan organizations.

Answer 3

I dont eat much of it and if i eat any it all it will be fermented, like in either tempeh or miso.

most of what comes in a carton of milk with 'soy' on the container is processed junk food. they extract the beans into a powder and make the powder into milk, using chemicals to emulate traditional processes and skipping certain processes that remove bad stuff from it.

most of the soy thats in food is much the same, its not a bean as an ingredient, its things like soy protein isolates, soy protein concentrates, hydrolyzed soy protein, partially hydrogenated soy oil, etc..

which are pretty much chemicals, they are that processed. chemicals arent food :/

lol krister, being one of the most populous nations doesnt necessarily mean they are healthy, it just means they make lots of babies :/

I also dont know where you got the belief that unfermented soy was used traditionally because i have never read a substantiated claim that it is. it has always been fermented to neutralize phytic acid (which blocks minerals like zinc and calcium), enzyme inhibitors (which block digestion) and goitrogens (which inhibit thyroid function).

even if it was traditionally used unfermented it doesnt mean its safe and we now know fermentation neutralizes the bad stuff.

and just like you said about the dairy industry downplaying soy, the soy industry is out there inflating thier own claims and selectively sponsoring research to put soy in a good light. i wouldnt trust either of them, becuase i doubt either of them has my health or diet goals in mind.

One of the other things that i instinctively dont like about soy and tofu is that its bland and colourless.

leafy green vegetables are vibrant and flavourful.

A lot of the time what gives food its nutritional content is what gives it its colour. beta-caretaniods in oranges and reds, chlorophyll in greens...

The bottom line is that there is nothing in soy that cannot be found in safer unproccessed plant based alternative.

Leafy greens are a better source of bioavailable calcium and iron (they add unnatural calcium to the milk anyway because soy doesnt have any :/ )

And legumes, nuts, seeds and grains are a much better protein source.

these things have been consumed whole for years and years and years and can be eaten raw and whole with no fear of side affects what so ever.

why take the risk? until some serious unbiased evidence comes forth to confirm it for good or bad im not taking the risk.

Answer 4

If I can just add my 20 year personal study; My kids are vegan and have had soy their whole lives. They are not sick never have been sick, the doctor on check ups told us to leave and never come back. This next bit comes from the link below, It is unlikely that you can "overdose" on estrogen by adding soy products to your diet. Soy is a good source of phytoestrogens, estrogen-like compounds from plants. Phytoestrogens are not estrogen; in some ways and in some tissues of the body, they act like estrogen (decreasing hot flashes and lowering total cholesterol, for example), but in other areas, they act the opposite way (in the breast, perhaps, which may lower risk of breast cancer).

Answer 5

China has been consuming fermented AND unfermented soy for thousands of years and they are the most populous nation on the planet.

http://www.foodrevolution.org/what_about_soy.htm

The meat and dairy industries make billions off of the use of animals for food. They HATE soy and are not afraid to use scare tactics against competitors and threats such as soy alternatives.

Answer 6

Moderation is key.

I think about 100 grams of soy a day is fine...and actually very good for you.

Answer 7

as long as you're not allergic to it it should be fine, lots of people have soy allergies though...

Answer 8

soy on a daily basis suppresses the thyroid

Answer 9

Hallelujah, can I get an Amen here?
confused about WHAT? it's good 4 U? Period.

Answer 10

Everything is good if eaten in moderate levels.

http://www.fda.gov/Fdac/features/2000/300_soy.html