Soy: good, or bad?

[soprano]

I eat vegetarian, and it's entirely possible (not that difficult, really) to get plenty of protein without living on tofu or processed soy products. If you're leaning towards plant-based, vegan eating then I'm guessing that you're doing so for health reasons, and you'll probably want to avoid those processed foods anyway. If I'm making a stir-fry I'll consider tofu, and I love me some edamame, but I also get protein from beans, whole grains, nuts (peanut butter!) etc.

Everything in moderation. A wide variety of foods is always a good way to eat.

[emily_in_nc]

Aside from the possible increase in breast cancer risk, soy is thought to depress thyroid function, and is one of the most likely products in your supermarket to be genetically modified (GMO). And unless made from organically grown soybeans, soybeans are one of the most highly pesticide-laden types of produce.

And all of this sucks because I really like tofu and don't eat a lot of meat so do appreciate its protein content. I eat it sparingly now and then, but not as much as I would prefer for the reasons stated above. I also like soy sauce.

[OakLeaf]

Well, typically in the stores where I shop, certified organic tofu is less than 10% more expensive than conventional. (Sometimes the same price.) Well worth it IMO, provided you trust the manufacturer and certifier (which is a whole 'nother thread).

As far as soy sauce ... as I said in the other thread, I have trouble getting ENOUGH salt, so that's not an issue for me, but remember that salt is a preservative in soy sauce and miso, so just be sure if you buy a low-sodium kind, that it's not packed with other more toxic preservatives.

I really love Ohsawa Nama Shoyu. The flavor is well worth the price, especially for someone who doesn't use a lot. Plus, apparently a lot of other soy sauce is pasteurized after fermentation, which means you don't get the probiotic benefits.

[shootingstar]

Given your doctor's diagnosis, Oakleaf in previous threads, your salt need is very specific to you.

On the opposite side my mother was advised by a Western trained Chinese-speaking doctor in Toronto (therefore Canadian medical doctor like my sister), to severely cut back on her salty soy sauce intake. This was 15 years ago. It is salty which means dear mother should not have olives from brine either nor miso. Miso is high salt content. Period. It's not the soy I'm objecting to, very high salt content. Ok like once a month, not several times per week to have lots of miso.

So tough to get totally organic soy sauce.

[OakLeaf]

So tough to get totally organic soy sauce.

You mean you don't trust the certifiers? I would trust Eden brand for sure. They're a very reputable company, and they have their products independently tested for GMOs. I don't have such a strong opinion about other brands (and actually a pretty negative opinion about anything certified by QAI), but there are lots that are at least labeled certified organic - including Kikkoman which is available in any grocery store.




And just FTR - though kind of drifty - most active people need at least as much salt as I do. What's specific to me is that I eat very little processed food AND I don't enjoy the way highly salted foods make me feel. My neighbor brought over some chicken soup the other day, that she must've made with canned stock. The first few bites tasted good, after that not so much. I need to get it in small amounts throughout the day.

[Owlie]

And just FTR - though kind of drifty - most active people need at least as much salt as I do. What's specific to me is that I eat very little processed food AND I don't enjoy the way highly salted foods make me feel. My neighbor brought over some chicken soup the other day, that she must've made with canned stock. The first few bites tasted good, after that not so much. I need to get it in small amounts throughout the day.

FWIW: When my dad was in his 20s and in the British army reserves (and a lot more active otherwise than he is now), he had a similar issue of just not being able to hold on to enough salt. He started having to keep potato chips around. Good thing (or not so much, now) that he likes them.

[OakLeaf]

Mmmmmmmm, potato chips.

Pesticide-laden potato chips fried in GMO soybean oil.

[KerryCrow]

Just thought I would add to the conversation about soy...I agree with the "moderation" comments. Soy got a bad rap some years back, kind of like eggs. And yes I would make sure to go organic with it, but it's not the devil.

I enjoy the info and videos on this site. The good doctor presents everything with a vegan perspective (which I am not) so the paleo folks will disagree with what he has to say about meat...but his clips are usually well researched and documented. Here's what he has to say about soy: (coconut oil is covered extensively as well)

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-...y-is-too-much/

[Thorn]

Just thought I would add to the conversation about soy...I agree with the "moderation" comments. Soy got a bad rap some years back, kind of like eggs. And yes I would make sure to go organic with it, but it's not the devil.

I enjoy the info and videos on this site. The good doctor presents everything with a vegan perspective (which I am not) so the paleo folks will disagree with what he has to say about meat...but his clips are usually well researched and documented. Here's what he has to say about soy: (coconut oil is covered extensively as well)

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-...y-is-too-much/

+1 on this site. Sure, the doc is vegan and so has a specific point of view, but he can cite juried medical studies to support his points; in fact the videos are really just meta-research. And, if the study may be flawed (e.g., oh, say, a "benefit of milk" study funded by the dairy council or a "benefit of nuts" study funded by Diamond walnuts), he points out that the results may be suspect.

[Eden]

Indeed Oak - my point simply was that it likely isn't an "evil" food... otherwise all those Okinawans would be suffering from osteoporosis, cancer and the like.... There are other things in their lifestyle that are very relevant to life span (low stress being one of them).