Too much soy?

Mom_of_X

MOVED:

So, I'm a former vegetarian - although, since I started lifting, I've had to incorporate fish/seafood into my diet, both to feel good and to hit my macros. I do soy protein powder, and I personally can't stand the taste of whey/casein. I've recently started having intolerance issues with the crazy amount of dairy I'm ingesting (crazy in that I previously didn't eat these things with any sort of regularity).
My question to you: is switching from cow's milk to soy milk adding TOO MUCH soy to my diet? I've heard of headaches and dizziness occurring in people who consume too much soy, but is this an 'individual consumption' thing, or a general daily allotment thing?

Thanks in advance!

Galatea_Stone

I'm not sure how much soy you're ingesting, but generally the consumption would have to be very high to trigger responses.

Some other vegetarian alternatives for protein, like seitan, can help you limit your other soy foods to allow for the switch to soy milk without worrying about overconsumption.

MB2MN

I don't know much about soy of if it's too much or whatever, I just know that lots of people have bad reactions to it so I stay away from the stuff. I use PlantFusion protein powder (about $30 for 2lbs on Amazon)...and its really good. It uses a variety of vegan proteins and does not contain whey, soy or dairy. It might be worth a shot for you...I use it protein pancakes, shakes and any of the protein baking that I would have used whey in. I switched since I started reacting badly to whey.

MyChocolateDiet

NO. It sounds like you had tooo much.. POTATO!


...



...

TheGymGypsy

Unless you're eating a ton of soy, it really won't hurt. Of course the most important thing is to listen to your body. If you feel any different after eating soy, cut down on it. I eat a fairly large amount of tofu and edamame regularly and have no ill effects. You could always drink almond milk if you're worried about it!

Also if you eat seafood you're not vegetarian. You just don't eat chicken or red meat.

sugarlips1980

I don't eat dairy generally and worry about consuming too much soya because you read different things about how healthy it is. So I have alomd milk instead of soya milk and I use nut butters (almond, cashew, peanut) in place of dairy spreads and to make sauces. There are alternatives.

marymack427

I try to stay away from soy and whey proteins for health reasons, and have found a really great vegan, gluten free protein line my friend introduced me to. It's made by Arbonne, the skin care company. I didn't know but they do a whole line of body essentials as well. I am in the middle of their 30 day challenge right now and drink two shakes a day with the protein powder. It's really quite good, doesn't have much of an aftertaste!

Yogarunner21

Too much soy (especially the processed kind in milk and even tofu) can be bad for your thyroid levels, making you tired & dizzy, giving you headaches, and also affecting your ability to gain or lose weight, although as another poster said. I'm not sure how much you have to consume before these bad effects happen but there is a concern if you're exclusively drinking soy milk and using only soy protein. There are many other milks and dairy-free protein powders out there that are without soy.

I'm personally an almond milk fan who uses Vega protein powder (dairy-free and soy-free), but I've also heard good things about RAW Protein powder and the Perfect Fit powder made by Toneitup.com. If you're looking for a more economical option, there are protein powders made of hemp, brown rice and even pea protein, so you don't have to stick to soy only (and risk the issues with high-soy consumption).

On a side note, I've read that fermented soy (in soy sauce, miso, and tempeh) doesn't affect your thyroid levels the way that commercially processed soy products do, and of course you can still have soy in moderation without getting all those symptoms.

techgal128

I think a lot of these studies you read about "Too much of this" or "Too little of that" is a bunch of hooey. You can always find one study that conflicts another. If you are concerned, go without soy for a few days. If you feel better, maybe you are sensitive to it. Otherwise, don't worry about it.

Oh, I'd also like to mention that I've gotten my thyroid checked many times and despite eating a lot of soy, they are always fine. You can look at my diary if you want.

techgal128

Unless you're eating a ton of soy, it really won't hurt. Of course the most important thing is to listen to your body. If you feel any different after eating soy, cut down on it. I eat a fairly large amount of tofu and edamame regularly and have no ill effects. You could always drink almond milk if you're worried about it!

Also if you eat seafood you're not vegetarian. You just don't eat chicken or red meat.

I believe the term for that is pescatarian as well.

blink1021

I had discussed soy with my doctor and she said that ingesting a lot of soy can cause breast pain and to be careful with how much you take in. Try almond milk based products I personally am not a fan of them but a lot of people I talk to love it.

Lesa_Sass

Too much soy (especially the processed kind in milk and even tofu) can be bad for your thyroid levels, making you tired & dizzy, giving you headaches, and also affecting your ability to gain or lose weight, although as another poster said. I'm not sure how much you have to consume before these bad effects happen but there is a concern if you're exclusively drinking soy milk and using only soy protein. There are many other milks and dairy-free protein powders out there that are without soy.

On a side note, I've read that fermented soy (in soy sauce, miso, and tempeh) doesn't affect your thyroid levels the way that commercially processed soy products do, and of course you can still have soy in moderation without getting all those symptoms.

This.

Try using almond milk instead. I made the switch when I did more research on soy because I have thyroid issues. I was also a vegetarian and made the switch from processed fake meat products to organic meats because it is actually better for the body. Someone in my life, who did not believe me, is a hard core vegan that is now a vendor for Trader Joes and had to do a bunch of research in GMOs because she had to provide a GMO free product to them, found out the same thing, and is now trying to incorporate less fake soy food and more real foods into her diet.

My issues with the processed foods are due to the fact that I have an auto immune disease and when I eat them I get inflammation and that leads to pain. So far by cutting them out of my diet, I have brought my pain levels down and my lasts visit to my rheumatologist I had blood work in the normal range, my ANA was not elevated.

And people offering their opinions on what is "a bunch of hooey" should stick to giving advice on things they actually have experience in. If you dont know, keep your mouth shut.

HerbertNenenger

soy can mess with women's cycles, and also 99% of it, like corn, is genetically modified, so not sure what, if any, long terms effects genetic modification has... if you're concerned about that kind of thing. I worked with this woman who was having one endless period because she had soy every day.

childhoodshour00

I've been a pescetarian for 3 years now and about two months ago, i gave up dairy and soy as well. I was noticing that i was eating too much vegan "junk " food (like morningstar meat-like products, etc. ) I can tell you that I don't eat anything with dairy in it at all, as I believe i have a milk protein allergy vs just lactose intolerant (google it). I am not as strict with the soy but i try to avoid it. I can tell you since eliminating the large amounts of soy the weight finally started coming off and my fibromyalgia has been better, with less headaches. So I am now an "ovo-pescetarian" and it sounds like you are an "ovo-lacto-pescetarian" ((i usually just say vegetarian because people always give me the blank "huh" stare and it sounds so pretentious) I use almond milk and use nut based products for my butter and cheese replacements. I know everyone is different, but too much of any one thing is never good. Variety is key. Good luck.

techgal128

Too much soy (especially the processed kind in milk and even tofu) can be bad for your thyroid levels, making you tired & dizzy, giving you headaches, and also affecting your ability to gain or lose weight, although as another poster said. I'm not sure how much you have to consume before these bad effects happen but there is a concern if you're exclusively drinking soy milk and using only soy protein. There are many other milks and dairy-free protein powders out there that are without soy.

On a side note, I've read that fermented soy (in soy sauce, miso, and tempeh) doesn't affect your thyroid levels the way that commercially processed soy products do, and of course you can still have soy in moderation without getting all those symptoms.

This.

Try using almond milk instead. I made the switch when I did more research on soy because I have thyroid issues. I was also a vegetarian and made the switch from processed fake meat products to organic meats because it is actually better for the body. Someone in my life, who did not believe me, is a hard core vegan that is now a vendor for Trader Joes and had to do a bunch of research in GMOs because she had to provide a GMO free product to them, found out the same thing, and is now trying to incorporate less fake soy food and more real foods into her diet.

My issues with the processed foods are due to the fact that I have an auto immune disease and when I eat them I get inflammation and that leads to pain. So far by cutting them out of my diet, I have brought my pain levels down and my lasts visit to my rheumatologist I had blood work in the normal range, my ANA was not elevated.

And people offering their opinions on what is "a bunch of hooey" should stick to giving advice on things they actually have experience in. If you dont know, keep your mouth shut.

If you had read my post, you would see that I do have experience. I eat a ton of soy and not once have had thyroid issues. Soy affects people differently. I do not agree that soy is as bad as everyone says. Especially when there are studies that also prove it to be beneficial. Look at Japan for example. People consume soy there a lot because that's part of their normal diet.

SpicesOfLife

Too much soy (especially the processed kind in milk and even tofu) can be bad for your thyroid levels, making you tired & dizzy, giving you headaches, and also affecting your ability to gain or lose weight, although as another poster said. I'm not sure how much you have to consume before these bad effects happen but there is a concern if you're exclusively drinking soy milk and using only soy protein. There are many other milks and dairy-free protein powders out there that are without soy.

I'm personally an almond milk fan who uses Vega protein powder (dairy-free and soy-free), but I've also heard good things about RAW Protein powder and the Perfect Fit powder made by Toneitup.com. If you're looking for a more economical option, there are protein powders made of hemp, brown rice and even pea protein, so you don't have to stick to soy only (and risk the issues with high-soy consumption).

On a side note, I've read that fermented soy (in soy sauce, miso, and tempeh) doesn't affect your thyroid levels the way that commercially processed soy products do, and of course you can still have soy in moderation without getting all those symptoms.

as far as i know, only people who have thyroid issues and are taking medication for it need to be careful, as soy affects the way the medication is absorbed.

as long as you eat soy in form of pure natural products like tofu, tempeh and soy milk (but make sure that the only ingredients are water and soybeans - that is the only good soy milk), its not bad for you. the stuff you should avoid is processed food like soy sausages, other faux meats and cheese.

here is a good source of information:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/soy-good-bad-and-best

Mom_of_X

good food-for-thought responses. thanks all!

*note: i'll have to change my terminology; FORMER vegetarian (as in, no meat, no fish, no seafood), to CURRENT pescetarian. yes, i'm familiar with the difference, i was simply trying to set the foundation for the question. ;-)

techgal128

Too much soy (especially the processed kind in milk and even tofu) can be bad for your thyroid levels, making you tired & dizzy, giving you headaches, and also affecting your ability to gain or lose weight, although as another poster said. I'm not sure how much you have to consume before these bad effects happen but there is a concern if you're exclusively drinking soy milk and using only soy protein. There are many other milks and dairy-free protein powders out there that are without soy.

I'm personally an almond milk fan who uses Vega protein powder (dairy-free and soy-free), but I've also heard good things about RAW Protein powder and the Perfect Fit powder made by Toneitup.com. If you're looking for a more economical option, there are protein powders made of hemp, brown rice and even pea protein, so you don't have to stick to soy only (and risk the issues with high-soy consumption).

On a side note, I've read that fermented soy (in soy sauce, miso, and tempeh) doesn't affect your thyroid levels the way that commercially processed soy products do, and of course you can still have soy in moderation without getting all those symptoms.

as far as i know, only people who have thyroid issues and are taking medication for it need to be careful, as soy affects the way the medication is absorbed.

as long as you eat soy in form of pure natural products like tofu, tempeh and soy milk (but make sure that the only ingredients are water and soybeans - that is the only good soy milk), its not bad for you. the stuff you should avoid is processed food like soy sausages, other faux meats and cheese.

here is a good source of information:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/soy-good-bad-and-best

Ohhhhh, but I love my veggie burgers! Lol

Anybody try Daiya cheese? I've eaten soy cheese and rice cheese and both were mediocre.

enchantedgardener

I think soy in moderation is fine. How many servings a week would you be consuming and in what forms? (soy protein powder, soymilk, tofu, etc)

If you are concerned, try getting your protein from a variety of other sources.

Almond milk has very little protein and, as such, makes a poor substitute for dairy milk or soymilk, It's darn tasty, and I like it, but I need a beverage with protein! I'm not sure about other 'milks' like oat or rice.

There are lots of non-dairy, non-soy protein powders. The one I buy on a regular basis is Manitoba Harvest HempPro 50. It's great in a smoothie with fruit and/or veggies, not very yummy on its own. I tried the VegaOne Nutritional Shake powder because it's vegan and sounded really good based on reviews. I absolutely hated it. Chalky texture, horrible flavour, and it often made me feel nauseated. Maybe their protein powder is better. Not sure. There are also rice, pea, and egg-based protein powders. I haven't tried them, but it might be worth looking into.

Edamame beans: my favourite way to incorporate soy protein in my diet. Higher in protein and lower in carbs than all other peas/beans. Buy organic/GMO-free and you know you're eating a yummy and healthy high-protein veggie.

SpicesOfLife

i wish i had, but its not available here. its supposed to be amazing.

if you love your veggie burgers, try making your own! here are 2 recipes i found today (not tried yet) that im going to make soon. i think they are mouthwatering

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2011/10/colleens-chickpea-burgers-with-tahini-sauce.html

http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2012/02/easy-sweet-potato-veggie-burgers-with.html

milileitner

Rice, pea, egg and hemp protein powders are pretty decent. Get a blend if you can. That way you don't need to worry about your soy intake. Personally I eat a ton of soy yoghurt and milk, and sometimes tofu too, so I just like to mix it up with my protein powder bc frankly too much of *anything* in your diet is probably not a great idea.