What has happened to soy?
Why has a food which has a long history of being a heathy food, especially in parts of Asia, become bad for us?
There's been a myriad of research and perplexing info surrounding the consumption of soy. I'm going to start this blog by relaying to you that I don't know the right answer for you either. We are all different and have individual health stories. Research is ongoing and often conflicting.
Many people are avoiding soy these days, and the reasons for this, in some regions are valid.
Personally, I enjoy some good quality tofu, tempeh & Tamari and other phytoestrogen foods. They are great for keeping estrogen levels up in menopause, when estrogen drops, which impacts digestion, skin and cholesterol.
Here's some info that may help you decide if it's right for you or to look into it further.
There's a major difference between tofu, edamame or tempeh served on the Japanese meal table (grown from non GMO plants and served closer to their natural state) and the GMO soy used as a filler in much of the processed food in the USA, India, China, Brazil and other countries, which is heat treated and grown in depleted soils, with herbicides and pesticides.
We could be talking about the difference between chalk and cheese!
In Japan, where tofu & natto are staple foods, the rate of breast cancer is one of the lowest in the world. There's a 1 in 38 chance of developing breast cancer.
In the USA, this rate is 1 in 8, where far less less tofu is consumed per person than in Japan. In Australia this figure is 1 in 7. Tofu & Tempeh are not common in the average Aussie home.
There are significant amounts of processed GMO soy consumed in the USA. This is creeping into many products, such as sauces, yoghurt and pre-packaged foods in Australia too.
Tofu & Tempeh are also quite different from the powdered soy used to create soy milk. If you drink soy milk, look for non-GMO, organic.
Did you know that there are chemicals known to mimic estrogen? They can be found in herbicides, plastics, personal care products and non-stick cookware.
The country ranking number 1 for breast cancer is Belgium, where very little traditional soy is consumed and the diet is centred around meat, deli meats & fish.
Pic: Some Tempeh for my dinner the other night - sautéed over a low heat with a little avocado oil & real pasture-raised butter. TBH, it is an acquired taste! however I've enjoyed experimenting. It's nicer in curries and patties!
Many years ago a friend said eating soy made her hair fall out. I was drinking soy milk at the time and thought this to be true for me too, then realised later my hair problem may have been due to recent pregnancy - who knows.
At least 6 other friends have developed a thyroid disorder called Hashimoto's and have been told to avoid phytoestrogen containing foods, such as soy.
Note, these are all Australian women who typically didn't eat soy products such as tempeh, edamame and miso.
Another friend (who was super healthy) developed breast cancer at the age of 50 and explained it was due to having too much estrogen.
Her cancer may well have caused by too much estrogen in her body. There are so many factors, such as endocrine disrupting toxins etc in our lives it's hard to know.
NOTE: Many health disorders
can be attributed to
depleted good gut bacteria
or toxins
However, it's pretty alarming that foods with naturally occurring phytoestrogens are being blamed for causing cancer, before the blame falls, potentially, on endocrine disrupting chemicals, BPA's, the contraceptive pill, modern farming methods & GMO foods.
Breast cancer may be caused by many other things, including endocrine disrupting chemicals, commonly found in cosmetics and plastics (BPAs), shopping receipts, parabens, and pesticides in food.
**I recommend you check out "The environmental toxins nerd" Lara Adler, on instagram or fb if you'd like to know more about the impact of toxins in our lives laraadler.com
I've read studies in favour of phytoestrogen foods, (such as soy, tofu, cruciferous veggies, sesame and flax), suggesting that they have health benefits including reducing cancer risk and and I've read studies against these foods, suggesting they increase cancer risk and potentially thyroid disorders by increasing estrogen in the body.
Most of these studies were not on humans.
In recent years, soy has been partly held responsible for the increase in breast cancer in some countries. This is odd, since the country with the largest tofu consumption is Japan and they have one of the lowest rates of breast cancer.
*(sadly the rate of cancer in Japan is increasing recently, believed to be due to the influence of Western diets & processed foods)
A major part of this issue is likely to have its roots at how soy became a highly processed food, grown from genetically modified seed, in depleted soils, surrounded by toxins.
Healthy soy products include:
Soy beans (which are high in phytates and require soaking and cooking. They are highly nutritious and contain all 9 essential amino acids.
Edamame: Baby soy beans which are sold in their pods (the pods are not intended to be eaten). They do not require soaking, just regular cooking. They also contain all 9 essential amino acids.
Tamari: A sauce made from fermented soybeans. (This is a better option than soy sauce)
Natto: A fermented soy bean dish. It is a traditional Japanese dish - which is sticky in texture.
Tempeh: Made from fermented soy beans- they considered a more healthy option than tofu, since it is fermented, which is good for digestion and gut health.
Tofu: It is made from soy bean curd and is not usually fermented.
**Always buy non-GMO soy products - organic.
At 29 g per 100 grams, is possibly the richest source of protein. A staple of Asian diets for many years, it is made into tempeh, miso, soy sauce, Tamari and tofu. Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian dish, natto is Japanese fermented tofu and in Vietnam they have a fermented tofu dish called chao. Edamame are immature soy beans.
High in omega 3, soy has been a rich nutrient source for thousands of years across many Asian countries
Soy beans are one of the few plant sources which contain the 9 essential amino acids which can't be made by the body.
Other phytoestrogen foods include flax, linseed (a similar, but shorter plant than flax), sesame, cruciferous veggies, dried apricots, prunes, apples, carrots, pomegranate.
As mentioned above, breast cancer rates are more likely to be attributed to the following listed below, rather than traditionally grown soy beans:
The contraceptive pill
Endocrine disrupting toxins - in fragrances, plastics, pesticides & cosmetics, deodorants, tinned food liners, inks on shopping receipts.
GMO foods: Even if you aren't concerned about the genetic modification of foods, the pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers and depleted soils, which epitomise the growing conditions of GMO crops are enough to put anyone off!
The addition of GMO soy to many processed foods, often used to emulsify fat and bind to water, (to stabilize processed foods), and as a filler, along with other fake ingredients. This is a completely different product from non GMO, fermented soy. The heat treatment of these filler-soy products also destroys some of the amino acids. Again, who knows, but it is it possible that heat-treating destroys crucial elements which hold the benefits of soy.
Another factor contributing factor would be that women in Western cultures are delaying pregnancy or having no children, which increase breast cancer risk.
A wide range of research shows that all of the above have strong potential to contribute to breast cancer risk.
USA breast cancer rate: 1 in 8 women will develop cancer over their lifetime
Australia breast cancer rate: 1 in 7 women will develop cancer over their lifetime
Japan breast cancer rate 1 in 38 women will develop cancer over their lifetime.
Of course statistics can be interpreted in many ways. It does seem bizarre that we so quickly believed that soy products could be causing breast cancer, when the number 1 ranked country for breast cancer is Belgium, where they eat limited amounts of tofu. Belgians typically consume a heavy meat- based diet, including processed meats. There are also reports of high rates of HRT use in Belgium.
In Japan, where they eat large amounts of soy products, the cancer rate is low.
Another anomaly; The top 5 countries for Thyroid cancers, are
USA
China
Korea
India
Brazil
These countries have widely varying diets, so it is difficult to see a link between tofu, soy beans and thyroid cancer.
Alarmingly, all these countries include GMO soy products in various foods. As described above, there's a multitude of problems with GMO crops.
In summary:
Perplexed about soy? - There is a raft of conflicting info about this humble bean. It is purported to be both beneficial and detrimental to health!
Potential negatives include: Causing thyroid problems and breast cancer, contributing to Autism. Likely to be from GMO soy.
Potential benefits include: Reducing menopause symptoms and breast cancer.
How confusing!
Whether eating soy is generally good or not and if it is right for you, is individual It would make sense to read widely, do your own research and tailor soy consumption to your particular needs.
Two key potential issues with Soy.
1. Modern Farming methods Most soy produced in the USA is genetically modified, a majority of which is grown for its oil and animal feed. These crops can be reliant on the use of pesticides and other chemicals, grown in depleted soils. Soy is likely to be a changed product from how it used to be. It is unclear how much of the issue is to do with GM soy, or the pesticides etc that go hand in hand. I'm no expert in this field, however, my instinct is to avoid GMO products.
Interestingly, most soy in Japan is grown for food and is not genetically modified.
This is purported to be due to the farming practices, rather than the bean itself. It's important to do your research and gain medical advice where necessary.
So, it makes sense to source, fermented, non GM soy products, organically grown when possible.
2. Soybeans contain phytoestrogens.
Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring compounds in plants. Identifying these has led to soy (and some other plants), being purported to possess both negative and positive health benefits!
These phytoestrogens have been labelled in some arenas as "anti-nutrients", or in others, applauded for health benefits.
Phytoestrogens, are key nutrients in certain foods, which have helped Japanese women manage menopause and reduce breast cancer.
Whilst most people can gain enough protein without tofu, it is an important part of a vegan diet. If you eat soy products, here's some tips:
*Consume fermented soy, in the form of Tamari, Tempeh, tofu and miso. Fermenting and cooking these foods reduces the phytoestrogens, makes digestion easier and increases bioavailability of nutrients.
*Avoid GMO produced soy and the soy used as a filler ingredient for many pre-packaged foods.
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