Is Soy Truly Bad For You?

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OMGeeeHorses
OMGeeeHorses Posts: 732 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am wondering if I should venture into soy burgers and such. I recently just found out I am severely allergic to Gluten and Milk. I have no allergies to Soy, but have heard from so many doctors that soy is bad for you and also from other doctors that soy is good for you....

So does anyone know? Is soy bad or good for you? lol
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Replies

  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    Eat it if you want, the research is scattered on the topic, but most that say it's bad for you are studies funded by dairy and meat companies so the results are take it or leave it. Truth is: Soy is a cheap, complete lean protein. If people knew that they might eat it more considering how much animal proteins cost and how bad the economy is.
  • Nimnyn
    Nimnyn Posts: 69 Member
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    In moderation it's likely okay. Soy is a source of phytoestrogen, which can act just like regular estrogen in your body (breast growth and an increased chance of getting breast cancer). Also, soy is one of the most genetically modified crops grown in the world, so there is a lot of concerns about that too.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    In moderation it's likely okay. Soy is a source of phytoestrogen, which can act just like regular estrogen in your body (breast growth and an increased chance of getting breast cancer). Also, soy is one of the most genetically modified crops grown in the world, so there is a lot of concerns about that too.

    What about animal products that contain animal estrogen? Wouldn't that if anything be more likely to act like estrogen (because it is estrogen) in your body more so than a plant estrogen?
  • annekka
    annekka Posts: 517 Member
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    Soy by itself is not bad for you. Ask the millions of Asians who eat a lot of it daily in terms of both tofu and soy milk. Fresh soy milk is a must here in the morning in China. Last time I checked there weren't a huge number of fat, overweight and miserably sick Asians. However.

    Keep in mind that many studies against soy have been funded by the dairy industry who happen to have some interest in the area to keep you drinking milk and eating beef. While I'll never give up cheese, I avoid milk/beef for lactose and other intolerance reasons.

    I would avoid some of the more processed soy products such as fake meats etc., but if you're just doing tofu or soy milk you should be okay. I would try to buy non-GMO and organic though. You'd be shocked how much hidden soy there is in your foods though!

    You can make some really yummy veggie burgers that only have a few ingredients yet are completely soy, dairy and gluten free.

    In terms of milks you could consider almond milk or coconut milk if you wish to avoid soy milk. Not sure if rice milk contains gluten or not.

    edited for clarity
  • albertine58
    albertine58 Posts: 267 Member
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    There's very little to no evidence that soy is bad for you- the studies with soy phytoestrogens fueling tumor growth in rats was at absurdly high doses that no human could possibly consume, AND it was only in rats. Tons of things we consider safe cause tumors/problems in rats, but we see no adverse effects in humans- we are not the same. The only grey area in the research has been with women already diagnosed with breast cancer, but current medical advice is that soy is fine for breast cancer patients and may actually have positive effects.
    The current consensus I've drawn (and many scientific review articles have also) is that there are more proven benefits than negatives (reduces risk of several types of cancer, especially breast, as well as heart disease.

    As always, the less processed, the better. Tofu and tempeh are the way to go. Experiment with recipes- if you need tips on how to cook them, message me or...google. Try freezing tofu and then thawing before cooking- gives it a better texture. Fake deli meat, sausage and bacon are not the best way to go and ideally should be more of an occasional treat. Most frozen soy veggie burgers and fake chicken products are delicious but are still very processed- I do include them in my diet, but I also love homemade veggie burgers and some of the veggie burgers that are a little less processed & made of actual veggies, like Dr. Praeger's (delicious!).

    That said...I drink almond milk rather than soy milk. It's all about balance- although I don't have a problem with soy, I don't want to consume too much, plus almonds have tons of health benefits. Almond Breeze Almond-Coconut Milk, Unsweetened- 45 cals a cup and delicious!
  • albertine58
    albertine58 Posts: 267 Member
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    In moderation it's likely okay. Soy is a source of phytoestrogen, which can act just like regular estrogen in your body (breast growth and an increased chance of getting breast cancer). Also, soy is one of the most genetically modified crops grown in the world, so there is a lot of concerns about that too.

    NO, FALSE. phytoestrogens do NOT act "just like regular estrogen in your body" and "cause breast growth and increased chance of getting breast cancer." They do not work the same way as natural estrogen, and increased soy intake is correlated with LOWER breast cancer risk. This sounds like something out of a spam email...
  • HollisGrant
    HollisGrant Posts: 2,022 Member
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    I am wondering if I should venture into soy burgers and such. I recently just found out I am severely allergic to Gluten and Milk. I have no allergies to Soy, but have heard from so many doctors that soy is bad for you and also from other doctors that soy is good for you....

    So does anyone know? Is soy bad or good for you? lol
    Here

    Some women being treated for breast cancer are advised not to eat soy because it acts like estrogen in the body. Estrogen drives some types of cancer. There are many articles online. Here's one:

    http://www.cancer.org/cancer/news/expertvoices/post/2012/08/02/the-bottom-line-on-soy-and-breast-cancer-risk.aspx

    Lentils and other beans have protein, if that's what you're looking for (1 cup of lentils has the protein of 3 eggs, plus you don't have to soak them). Lentils that you cook yourself are better than processed soy burgers because they don't have the sodium, which retains water weight. You can make your own bean burgers and avoid the sodium.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    In moderation it's likely okay. Soy is a source of phytoestrogen, which can act just like regular estrogen in your body (breast growth and an increased chance of getting breast cancer). Also, soy is one of the most genetically modified crops grown in the world, so there is a lot of concerns about that too.
    total myth from the school of dodgy science. I'd be more worried about the levels oestrogen in dairy and milk. If your worried about gm there are many non gm sources
  • soupandcookies
    soupandcookies Posts: 212 Member
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    I actually try not to eat a lot of soy, because I have some hormonal problems, and have found that when I lower my soy consumption, my problems are alleviated. I don't think soy is inherently bad, though.

    I used to love veggie burgers, and I ate them constantly, before I decided to experiment with eliminating soy. Many of the processed ones (Boca, Morningstar Farms, Gardenburger) have gluten in them. Dr. Praeger makes a gluten free California burger, that's pretty good. Honestly, I love the ones I have made at home. They can be labor intensive, so I like to make a big batch, and freeze some of them, raw. If you are looking for good veggie burger recipes, try Pinterest. There are tons of bean burgers and soy burger recipe options. Good luck!
  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
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    In moderation it's likely okay. Soy is a source of phytoestrogen, which can act just like regular estrogen in your body (breast growth and an increased chance of getting breast cancer). Also, soy is one of the most genetically modified crops grown in the world, so there is a lot of concerns about that too.

    NO, FALSE. phytoestrogens do NOT act "just like regular estrogen in your body" and "cause breast growth and increased chance of getting breast cancer." They do not work the same way as natural estrogen, and increased soy intake is correlated with LOWER breast cancer risk. This sounds like something out of a spam email...

    Interesting, because that's NOT what my oncologist told me. Or what my friends' oncologists told them either for that matter.

    If you have a history of breast cancer, I'd watch your soy intake. If you don't, you're most likely fine.
  • AnnaMarieDinVa
    AnnaMarieDinVa Posts: 162 Member
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    I think you should ask your doctor for your particular situation. My doctor highly recommended it to me, so I eat tons of it and drink soy milk (which I like better than cow milk). I only buy organic, GMO-free, etc. and I feel great and enjoy the health benefits of it.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Options
    In moderation it's likely okay. Soy is a source of phytoestrogen, which can act just like regular estrogen in your body (breast growth and an increased chance of getting breast cancer). Also, soy is one of the most genetically modified crops grown in the world, so there is a lot of concerns about that too.

    NO, FALSE. phytoestrogens do NOT act "just like regular estrogen in your body" and "cause breast growth and increased chance of getting breast cancer." They do not work the same way as natural estrogen, and increased soy intake is correlated with LOWER breast cancer risk. This sounds like something out of a spam email...

    Interesting, because that's NOT what my oncologist told me. Or what my friends' oncologists told them either for that matter.

    If you have a history of breast cancer, I'd watch your soy intake. If you don't, you're most likely fine.

    So have these oncologist also told you to limit your meat, dairy and egg intake? Because those sources have animal estrogen in them.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
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    It's not "BAD" for you....

    But you will find that many people choose not to consume it (and corn) due to the "GMO/political/as$hats at Monsanto" reasoning behind it.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
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    There's very little to no evidence that soy is bad for you- the studies with soy phytoestrogens fueling tumor growth in rats was at absurdly high doses that no human could possibly consume, AND it was only in rats. Tons of things we consider safe cause tumors/problems in rats, but we see no adverse effects in humans- we are not the same. The only grey area in the research has been with women already diagnosed with breast cancer, but current medical advice is that soy is fine for breast cancer patients and may actually have positive effects.
    The current consensus I've drawn (and many scientific review articles have also) is that there are more proven benefits than negatives (reduces risk of several types of cancer, especially breast, as well as heart disease.

    As always, the less processed, the better. Tofu and tempeh are the way to go. Experiment with recipes- if you need tips on how to cook them, message me or...google. Try freezing tofu and then thawing before cooking- gives it a better texture. Fake deli meat, sausage and bacon are not the best way to go and ideally should be more of an occasional treat. Most frozen soy veggie burgers and fake chicken products are delicious but are still very processed- I do include them in my diet, but I also love homemade veggie burgers and some of the veggie burgers that are a little less processed & made of actual veggies, like Dr. Praeger's (delicious!).

    That said...I drink almond milk rather than soy milk. It's all about balance- although I don't have a problem with soy, I don't want to consume too much, plus almonds have tons of health benefits. Almond Breeze Almond-Coconut Milk, Unsweetened- 45 cals a cup and delicious!


    QFT... have some reading. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074428/

    *Edited to remove an extraneous period.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I am wondering if I should venture into soy burgers and such. I recently just found out I am severely allergic to Gluten and Milk. I have no allergies to Soy, but have heard from so many doctors that soy is bad for you and also from other doctors that soy is good for you....

    So does anyone know? Is soy bad or good for you? lol

    Doctors told you soy was bad for you? For you personally, or for everyone?

    Like gluten and dairy, it is not uncommon to have a soy intollerance or allergy. But natural soy products like soy milk, tofu, dried soy beans, edamame, etc. are safe for most people. Processed products like pre-made soy burgers can have just as many additives as any other processed food. Most research that has suggested soy is harmful was done with high dose supplements or on soy-based food additives and not natural soy.
  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
    Options
    In moderation it's likely okay. Soy is a source of phytoestrogen, which can act just like regular estrogen in your body (breast growth and an increased chance of getting breast cancer). Also, soy is one of the most genetically modified crops grown in the world, so there is a lot of concerns about that too.

    NO, FALSE. phytoestrogens do NOT act "just like regular estrogen in your body" and "cause breast growth and increased chance of getting breast cancer." They do not work the same way as natural estrogen, and increased soy intake is correlated with LOWER breast cancer risk. This sounds like something out of a spam email...

    Interesting, because that's NOT what my oncologist told me. Or what my friends' oncologists told them either for that matter.

    If you have a history of breast cancer, I'd watch your soy intake. If you don't, you're most likely fine.

    So have these oncologist also told you to limit your meat, dairy and egg intake? Because those sources have animal estrogen in them.

    Are you an oncologist specializing in breast cancer? Have you saved my life recently? Didn't think so...
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Options
    In moderation it's likely okay. Soy is a source of phytoestrogen, which can act just like regular estrogen in your body (breast growth and an increased chance of getting breast cancer). Also, soy is one of the most genetically modified crops grown in the world, so there is a lot of concerns about that too.

    NO, FALSE. phytoestrogens do NOT act "just like regular estrogen in your body" and "cause breast growth and increased chance of getting breast cancer." They do not work the same way as natural estrogen, and increased soy intake is correlated with LOWER breast cancer risk. This sounds like something out of a spam email...

    Interesting, because that's NOT what my oncologist told me. Or what my friends' oncologists told them either for that matter.

    If you have a history of breast cancer, I'd watch your soy intake. If you don't, you're most likely fine.

    So have these oncologist also told you to limit your meat, dairy and egg intake? Because those sources have animal estrogen in them.

    Are you an oncologist specializing in breast cancer? Have you saved my life recently? Didn't think so...

    touche.
  • OMGeeeHorses
    OMGeeeHorses Posts: 732 Member
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    Wow tons of great information :). The doctors said in general for anyone. That's why I am asking here what people think of soy. Because I don't agree with those doctors, but then I myself do not know.

    I already drink Coconut and Almond milk. I prefer Almond, but Coconut has less processed means to it. I also found the Dr.Praeger *sp* veggie burgers and had one tonight and LOVE THEM!! I also love how all the ingredients are VEGGIES! and not processed other craps.

    I think I will do soy in moderation as I am trying to cut WAY down on beef and other meats as they don't agree too much with me. so I appreciate all the information and help!!
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
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    As a vegetarian, it's my primary source of protein. I'm not dead yet
  • jonschirripa
    jonschirripa Posts: 3
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    Read "The China Study" ! T. Colin Campbell of Cornell along with other major research firms/universities are trying to figure if soy is proto-oncogenic. This is very interesting research that is going on.

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