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Opinions on soy?
VividVegan
Posts: 200 Member
So I can't have dairy anymore and it was getting worse over time. I was able to still consume cottage cheese and cheeses like swiss for example but it's gotten very bad so I had to stop completely. It turns out that I may have Crohn's and am seeing another doctor again this upcoming week because it's been a difficult evaluation. But one thing I can no longer eat apparently is dairy. I want to start consuming soy milk because it has more protein than almond milk but soy has such a bad rep. Should I proceed with caution or is it all a myth?
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Replies
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Generally, the only people who should really be worried about soy consumption are competitive lifters and bodybuilders. Yes, its isoflavones are mildly estrogenic. No, it's not enough to make much difference, unless you are going for top tier competition level physique/strength.
Here's a condensed paper on the subject of soy digestion and utilization, if you'd like: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1480510/7 -
I would stick with almond milk. I read that soy causes cancer in mice. I have not heard that about almonds. Just my opinion6
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If you're not allergic to soy, it can be an excellent source of protein.2
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Soy is delicious2
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This is completely based on my experiences, not science, no data...when I had a high soy intake, my cycle was messed up and menstruation was just ridiculous and painful. Much better when I cut it out. So there's that.6
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To avoid cancer don't be a mouse. Particularly of a lab mouse, for some reason they have short life spans.Alphascarface wrote: »I read that soy causes cancer in mice.
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arditarose wrote: »This is completely based on my experiences, not science, no data...when I had a high soy intake, my cycle was messed up and menstruation was just ridiculous and painful. Much better when I cut it out. So there's that.
Menstration is ridiculous regardless. It's the most pointless thing on this planet.
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Alphascarface wrote: »I would stick with almond milk. I read that soy causes cancer in mice. I have not heard that about almonds. Just my opinion
Everything causes cancer in mice. Being a mouse causes cancer in mice.
I'm allergic to the protein in milk, so I've had soy milk my whole life. No negative side effects for me. I've tried almond milk and coconut milk and they just. have. no. substance. Super thin and watery. May as well not have it since it feels like it doesn't provide any satiety. IMO.14 -
"Even though animal studies have shown mixed effects on breast cancer with soy supplements, studies in humans have not shown harm from eating soy foods. Moderate consumption of soy foods appears safe for both breast cancer survivors and the general population, and may even lower breast cancer risk. "
Source: http://blogs.cancer.org/expertvoices/2012/08/02/the-bottom-line-on-soy-and-breast-cancer-risk/
"A soy-rich diet, thought to prevent the development of certain cancers, may improve the prognosis for men diagnosed with prostate cancer. And the effect seems to be immediate."
Source: http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/news/20040924/soy-improves-prostate-cancer-outlook5 -
I really like unnatural vegans video on this topic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yQFYONMcTg
p.s. to wrap it up for you, soy is generally considered safe. Pretty neutral. There is, however, a limit to how much soy you can consume before you may experience negative side effects such as poor vitamin absorption, thyroid dysfunction, or excessive estrogen: about 12 servings per day is the number we've seen repeatedly.0 -
arditarose wrote: »This is completely based on my experiences, not science, no data...when I had a high soy intake, my cycle was messed up and menstruation was just ridiculous and painful. Much better when I cut it out. So there's that.
Mine was too! when I drank soy milk, my cramps were SO BAD for 2 - 3 days rather than just a few hours for one day. it was awful. just my personal experience though.1 -
Alphascarface wrote: »I would stick with almond milk. I read that soy causes cancer in mice. I have not heard that about almonds. Just my opinion
Everything causes cancer in mice. Being a mouse causes cancer in mice.
I'm allergic to the protein in milk, so I've had soy milk my whole life. No negative side effects for me. I've tried almond milk and coconut milk and they just. have. no. substance. Super thin and watery. May as well not have it since it feels like it doesn't provide any satiety. IMO.
Cashew milk is very nice and creamy if you were looking to try something different
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Here's a big anecdotal tale for you. Check out China, a nation where the national diet is based on soy. Better hurry though, as fast food is moving in fast.1
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Alphascarface wrote: »I would stick with almond milk. I read that soy causes cancer in mice. I have not heard that about almonds. Just my opinion
Everything causes cancer in mice. Being a mouse causes cancer in mice.
I'm allergic to the protein in milk, so I've had soy milk my whole life. No negative side effects for me. I've tried almond milk and coconut milk and they just. have. no. substance. Super thin and watery. May as well not have it since it feels like it doesn't provide any satiety. IMO.
Cashew milk is very nice and creamy if you were looking to try something different
Maybe I'll give it a try, depending on the nutrient profile. I'll check it out in the store next time I go.
I do like to try new things, just to be sure haha.0 -
Another option to think about is protein almond milk, I've seen it before at Whole Foods.1
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Alphascarface wrote: »I would stick with almond milk. I read that soy causes cancer in mice. I have not heard that about almonds. Just my opinion
Everything causes cancer in mice6 -
If you're a conscious shopper just be aware that most soy products unless labeled as certified organic are probably round up ready (aka they're GMO).2
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beckycumming wrote: »If you're a conscious shopper just be aware that most soy products unless labeled as certified organic are probably round up ready (aka they're GMO).
Here's a good thread all about GMOs. You might like it.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10407825/non-gmo-foods-arent-any-safer-or-healthier/p17 -
I think for most people soy is fine. I'm not well versed in the research, but with so many cultures where it is a staple of their diets, I find it hard to believe it is universally "bad"
That being said, I have almost completely eliminated soy from our diet because of my younger daughter.
She had always been a particular eater, and we were worried about her slow growth, so we tried to boost her protein and calorie intake (a lot of that ended up being from soy sources). Well, 3 years later and she was dropping on the growth charts but her reproductive hormones were kicking in and puberty started early. We were so worried that those hormones were going to stop her growth (the endocrinologist said it would have meant she would only be around 4'10")
I cut out soy from her diet (except for soy sauce for her sushi) and within a year her hormones were back to normal and she had started to grow again. She's now on track to be around 5'1" (which is not unusual in my family). It's a good thing that she likes being little and cute
It truly is anecdotal, and maybe nothing would be different if I hadn't changed her diet, but I'm happy I did it.3 -
I don't think soy is a problem. I would mix it up with almond milk and coconut milk anyway, for the different fats. You can always get your protein from powder or meat.0
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I love soymilk, I've been drinking it for years and eating it w cereal and in my coffee etc. I eat Tofu every week, I only buy organic soy though.1
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Like anything else, moderation is key. If soymilk will be one of your only servings of soy I don't think there's anything to worry about. If you eat tofu, vegetarian "meats" or protein shakes/bars with soy protein I'd be more cautious about adding another source of soy.1
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I have been drinking soy milk for decades because I don't like cow's milk and when I gave it up soy was the only thing available where I live. I also eat tofu semi-regularly.
Millions, if not billions, of humans regularly consume soy with no health problems. That's not to say that you won't have problems. On an individual basis anything can cause problems.4 -
I try to avoid soy because I am hypothroid and my endocrinologist recommend that I stay away from it.3
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I'm Japanese American. Asians eat a lot of soy--considerably more than Americans. Japan has the highest life expectancy of all major countries: Japanese women 87 years compared to American women 81 years; Japanese men 80 years compared to American men 76 years. Moreover, Japanese have a better quality of life, living an average of 75 years of their lives disability free. The notion that soy is detrimental to overall health is unfounded.
The culprit in the American diet isn't soy--it's all that high fat, high sugar, processed food.
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I have personally usually avoided soy because I have a strong family history of breast cancer and that's what we were advised. Last year I was motivated to lose some weight fast and got into a medical weight loss program that offers meal replacements. I didn't realize at the time that all the protein was from hydrolyzed soy (whatever that is) and to be honest I probably wouldn't have cared because the program worked so well to get the lbs off. After 4 months on the diet I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Luckily it was detected very early and I'm ok a year later. I will always wonder if I caused the cancer because of that diet.
Another soy related thing that I saw on here: my daughter was very allergic to cow's milk as an infant and toddler and we substituted with soy. She started showing signs of puberty at 4 years old. I had no idea that there was a link between soy and early puberty.
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socalrunner59 wrote: »I'm Japanese American. Asians eat a lot of soy--considerably more than Americans. Japan has the highest life expectancy of all major countries: Japanese women 87 years compared to American women 81 years; Japanese men 80 years compared to American men 76 years. Moreover, Japanese have a better quality of life, living an average of 75 years of their lives disability free. The notion that soy is detrimental to overall health is unfounded.
The culprit in the American diet isn't soy--it's all that high fat, high sugar, processed food.
Correlation does not prove cause.5 -
I have personally usually avoided soy because I have a strong family history of breast cancer and that's what we were advised. Last year I was motivated to lose some weight fast and got into a medical weight loss program that offers meal replacements. I didn't realize at the time that all the protein was from hydrolyzed soy (whatever that is) and to be honest I probably wouldn't have cared because the program worked so well to get the lbs off. After 4 months on the diet I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Luckily it was detected very early and I'm ok a year later. I will always wonder if I caused the cancer because of that diet.
Another soy related thing that I saw on here: my daughter was very allergic to cow's milk as an infant and toddler and we substituted with soy. She started showing signs of puberty at 4 years old. I had no idea that there was a link between soy and early puberty.
I think your family history of breast cancer was probably a bigger factor in the development of your cancer than consuming soy products for four months. I'm not aware of any study that even suggests that consuming soy can cause one to develop cancer in a few months.
The link between soy and breast cancer is by no means established. The link between a strong family history of breast cancer and breast cancer is well-established and strong.10 -
Supposedly fermented soy like miso, tempeh, tamari, or natto don't cause the same problems as regular soy.
I don't know why, I haven't researched it yet.0 -
My husband doesn't eat dairy. Almond milk is his go to for cereal, but he still uses soy in coffee and tea. He uses hummus as a substitute for cheese in many situations (like on a sandwich), tofu in others. He uses whipped coconut or cashew butter instead of whipping cream. In other words, just mix it up rather than relying on soy products alone.2
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