I get a lot of questions about why I stopped eating soy and whether or not it's good for you, so here's a video that sums up my answers.
If you don't want to watch the video, here's a summary (and more details):
The short story is that soy upsets my stomach and I don't believe that eating it in excess is healthy. Vegans often turn to soy products - whether tofu, tempeh, faux meat, or dairy alternatives - to give them protein or take the place of animal products. My concerns are that a lot of these products are not organic (thus can be genetically modified and/or full of pesticides), many are over-processed, and it's just too much of one thing. When I realized that soy was the root of a lot of my stomach issues, I gave it up (mostly) and discovered that there are many delicious vegan options. Even on a diet free of gluten and refined sugars I find plenty of things to eat.
My diet mainly consists of:
My diet mainly consists of:
- vegetables (including sea vegetables)
- fruits
- nuts
- seeds
- grains
While I mainly eat whole, unprocessed foods, I do enjoy the occasional non-dairy treat like coconut milk "ice cream" or "yogurt" or some bean chips. I mainly make dishes by combining a variety of vegetables with a gluten-free grain like quinoa. However, every now and then I'll have some soy if it's in a dish I really want to try or an exciting new vegan product.
Reasons to avoid soy:
- a lot of soy products are overly processed
- processed soy is acidic
- a lot of soy is GMO and sprayed with pesticides
- some studies show a connection to forms of cancers
Reasons to enjoy organic soy in moderation/small portions:
- high in protein
- it's filling
- fermented soy like tempeh is high in probiotics and can help the body absorb minerals
- some studies have shown that the isoflavones and phytoestrogens in it can help prevent breast cancer
- research has shown that soybeans can lower cholesterol and help prevent osteoporosis
- Asian cultures have eaten it throughout history and don't
What are your thoughts and education on soy? Do you eat it? Why or why not?
4 comments:
I absolutely love soy, but I have grown a lot in my consumption of soy based foods. When I first became interested in vegetarian and vegan food, I consumed copious amounts of processed soy! Morningstar and Boca in bountiful amounts. Now I very rarely buy those foods. I use Gardein here and there for a treat, but it's mostly too expensive to buy regularly. I have started purchasing only organic unsweetened soymilk, and I have always only purchased organic tofu and tempeh. I really enjoy tofu though and if it were taken from me I would be one sad gal.
I also rarely buy processed veggie burgers, with the exception of some of Amy's and SUNSHINE! So happy you mentioned Sunshine, because they are such a unique and interesting food that tastes really good too. I love making my own bean based burgers or even zucchini burgers!
I can't forget Miso either, that stuff is pretty amazing, and great for you too. I love fermented soybeans.
I definitely agree with everything you said, like with any food, if it makes you feel bad, don't eat it! It isn't worth it in the end, like how eating ice cream and cheese and milk gives me the worst side effects ever.
When I eat soy I feel full, energetic, happy, and healthy. Thanks for your post, I have forwarded it to a few friends.
Whitney - check out naet.com. NAET is an alternative technique to treat allergies and sensitivities. I've been practicing it for 13 years (in Tucson) and have seen MANY people overcome problems like yours. And - I agree, many of us eat too much soy, especially processed and/or GMO soy.
Thanks for this. I have also significant'y decreased the amount of soy I eat and I feel so much better for it.
Like you, I enjoy the occasional Amy's Sonoma Burger or Sunshine Burger but mainly I eat whole-foods. I am also gluten-free and I don't feel limited by my choices at all.
There is a lot of controversy out there about soy and a lot of people with agendas trying to demonize it. However, there are SOME people who cannot tolerate it, are allergic to it or feel bad after eating it. For those people, it's a good idea to limit the amount of soy they eat and to choose, as you said, organic, non-GMO products.
I thought I had an intolerance to soy & found that it was what was in the soy - that it was processed soy. I gave up soymilk, soyburgers, marinated tofu, etc. Started making my own baked non-GMO tofu & tofu crumbles, found Sunshine Burgers & Bahama burgers. It was a blessing, actually, because this is healthier.
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