ME: “I’m working towards a fully vegan diet.”
THEM: “So what do you eat for protein?”
ME: “Quinoa, rice and beans, tempeh, tofu…”
THEM: “OH TOFU?! I don’t eat that. I heard it’s really bad for you, especially for men. You know it gives them boob right?”
ME: *yet another eye roll*
This is how the typical conversation goes for me anytime I try to explain my diet to non-vegetarians or vegans. However, I guess they don’t always deserve my uncontrollable eye roll as most of them are simply uneducated. People tend to take bits and pieces of information they have either seen on the news, read, or been told by friends and then they piece it all together in attempts to complete a story. But here’s the problem: the tofu story isn’t a simple one you can piece together with information you received by playing a game of telephone. There are several different aspects to consider and countless amounts of research that cannot be disregarded just because it doesn’t fit into your meat eating customs.
After having so many people question my choice to each tofu and *shudders* feed tofu to my BOYfriend, I decided to do some investigation of my own to find out if what I was eating was truly hurting our health. What I am about to share is not to try to convince you to run to the market and buy every soy product you can find, but rather to easy the public’s fear of the stuff.
First a little history lesson: as I’m sure you all know the soybean is not an unfamiliar item in Asian cultures. However, it did not become a commercial crop here in the U.S. until the 1920s. Even still we did not really start eating soybeans until WWII in order to replace fats and oils the U.S. was unable to receive due to disrupted trade. Since becoming a commercial crop, soybeans have gone back and forth on the avoid/acceptable food list. So let’s explore some of the most common soy fears.
Fear #1 - Soy messes up the natural amount of estrogen in the body.
Yes, it is true; soy contains the most concentrated source of chemicals called isoflavones in our body which can bind to estrogen receptors interfering with normal hormone function. Isoflavones can either activate or block the receptors. But wait a second before you start saying “I told you so” because isoflavones are also found in legumes, grains, and vegetables as they occur naturally in plants, so I’m pretty sure you’re consuming them on a daily basis as well. If you are a vegetarian or vegan consuming soybeans regularly don’t let this information alarm you as a 3 oz serving of tofu contains roughly 20 mg of isoflavones and the typical intakes in Japan, China, and other Asian countries ranges from 20-50 mg/day. My point being, a serving of tofu or other soy product daily is not going to drastically change your hormonal balance. Of course everyone’s body is different so please do not take this verbatim, I am not a doctor. If you see negative results decrease your soy intake and consult a doctor. It is important to note that while anti-soy advocates can make isoflavones can seem pretty terrifying, early research states that they could in fact provide some benefits. They have shown to help regulate cell growth, actually protecting against some cancers including breast and prostate. That’s right boys I said prostate so don’t let tofu scare you either. I know you have been told that soy reduced testosterone and will give you boobs, but these effects seem to be weak and inconsistent to say the least. Isoflavones have also been shown to reduce symptoms for women going through menopause and even increase bone health.
Next time you’re craving some Thai food takeout, stay in a cook up a healthier version of Thai Fried Tofu.
Fear #2 - Soy is full of GMOs.
That’s right SOY, not just TOFU. So I can pretty much guarantee you are ingesting a lot more GMO soy than you think unless you are reading every label at the market AND buying organic. This is probably my favorite fear to tackle because I learned a ton researching it. A devastating 90% of all U.S. produced soy is genetically modified by Monsanto. This is done in order to help the soybeans withstand Monsanto’s use of Roundup Ready pesticide. But here is something I bet you didn’t know: the majority of the U.S. soy crop is used to make soybean oil, which is then used in an array of processed foods. As a result, millions of people are unknowingly eating huge amounts of GMO soy. If you think you’re safe because you do not eat processed foods you could still be in danger. Nearly all U.S. cattle, pigs, and dairy cows consume a diet full of…that’s right GMO soy! When you eat this meat you are then ingesting that same soy you thought you were doing such a great job at avoiding. To absolutely avoid this “Frankensoy” make sure the food you eat is organic. It is also a good idea to steer clear of soy burgers, hotdogs, and energy bars, basically anything labeled with the words “soy protein.” What’s wrong with these you ask? Well, this soy has gone through heavy processing so even if the soybeans used were organic, they have lost large amounts of nutrients essential to your health. Eating them would only add to your empty calorie bucket.
Fear #3 - Soy causes cancer.
Sure, perhaps in rats. The majority of studies between the correlation of soy and cancer have been done on animals. What’s the problem you ask? Humans ARE technically animals. While this is certainly true, humans are different from any other animal. Food that has negative effects on one species might have considerably different effects on another. For instance baby rats cannot thrive on either soy or human breast milk because of the extremely different nutritional requirements between species. While studies have shown that isoflavones found in soybeans have caused cancer in some animals, there is very little evidence that they have the same effect on humans. This is because animals such as rats and chicks are particularly sensitive to protease inhibitors, which are commonly found in soybeans. This sensitivity has yet to be found in hamsters, mice, dogs, pigs, monkeys, or humans. Rather, protease inhibitors regulate human cell growth and have actually shown to reduce cancers including colon, prostate, and breast. A published study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in 2003 discovered that women who ate large amounts of whole soy foods such as tofu and soybeans, reduced their risk of breast cancer by 54%. A later study also found a 70% reduction in prostate cancer for men who drank soymilk daily.
Don’t care for soymilk in the morning? Try my Veggie Tofu Scramble instead!
Fear #4 - Soy will give you heart problems.
On the contrary, soy is beneficial for your heart! Remember those oh so scary isoflavones I mentioned earlier? Well, studies have shown that including them in your daily diet may aid in lowering blood pressure by 3%. Sure that’s not a lot, but if you’re health is in trouble every little bit helps. The reason for this decrease in blood pressure is quite possibly due to the fact that soy has less saturated-fat than animal derived foods and the Omega 3 fatty acids in soy decrease the chance of blood clotting. High levels of saturated-fat will increase cholesterol leading to a buildup of fat on artery walls, ultimately increasing one’s chance for heart attacks, strokes, and heart disease. Substituting even just one to two servings of soy for animal protein a week can have a drastic impact on your health by cutting saturated fat from your diet.
Fear #5 - Soy blocks essential minerals.
Phytic acid blocks the absorption of iron, zinc, calcium magnesium, and copper. This acid is found in all plant seeds, nuts, legumes, and grains in varying amounts. Soybeans happen to be one of the highest phytate foods. While phytates can hinder mineral absorption there is no evidence suggesting vegetarians/vegan who eat soy products are at severe risk for mineral deficiencies. First of all eating as much as three servings of soy daily does not contain a high enough amount of phytates to cause deficiencies. This is mainly due to the fact that phytic acid only reduces mineral absorption during the meal. As long as you have a well-balanced diet and are not including high-phytate foods in all meals, your risk for mineral deficiencies is minimal. Copper also helps with the reduced mineral absorption rate caused by phytates and vegans have been shown to consume significantly more copper thanks to their plant based diets. If you are still afraid of ingesting too much phytic acid consider buying fermented soy such as tempeh and miso as the phytate levels of these products are reduced by about two thirds.
If you aren’t sure where to start with tofu, start with a food you love and who doesn’t love French Fries? Here’s a Tofu French Fry version higher in protein and lower in oil than those fast food ones!
There is much more out there to learn about soy, I am simply touching the surface here. I just want to point out that you shouldn’t always believe the first thing you hear. Hey, don’t even take my word for it. Check out my references, do some research, gather the facts, and draw your own educated conclusion. Soy isn’t for everyone. Like any food it has negative effects for some and might need to be avoided, but unless you are one of these people don’t write soy off your books just yet. Don’t let the “anti-soy crusade” scare you from a substantial food source. Give it a chance. Start by substituting tofu for meat once a week or use soybeans in your next salad instead of chicken. Soy possibilities are endless so get out there and start experimenting!
References:
Gunnars, Kris. "Is Soy Bad For You, or Good? The Shocking Truth." Authority Nutrition. N.p., 22 Sept. 2013. Web. 22 June 2015.
Harding, Charlotte. "Can Soya Beat Heart Disease and the Menopause?" Daily Mail. Associated Newspapers, n.d. Web. 23 June 2015.
Higdon, Jane. "Micronutrient Information Center." Soy Isoflavones. Ed. Victoria J. Drake and Alison M. Duncan. Linus Pauling Institute, n.d. Web. 22 June 2015.http://authoritynutrition.com/phytic-acid-101/
Mah, Ann. "Is Soy Good for You? Bad for You? What Does Science Say? - Bon Appétit." Bon Appétit. N.p., 20 Mar. 2014. Web. 22 June 2015.
Robbins, John. "The Truth About Soy." The Food Revolution Network. N.p., 19 Dec. 2012. Web. 22 June 2015.
Robinson, Kara Mayer. "Soy Protein and Cholesterol: Benefits, Risks, How Much to Eat." WebMD. Ed. Arefa Cassoobhoy. WebMD, n.d. Web. 23 June 2015.
"Soy: The Good, the Bad and the Best." The Dr. Oz Show. N.p., 11 Dec. 2012. Web. 22 June 2015.
"The Truth About Tofu: Top 5 Myths Dispelled." Woman's Day. N.p., 15 Mar. 2010. Web. 22 June 2015.