So is soy actually good or bad for you?

Soy has long been touted as a health food, a healthy alternative to meat and dairy. However is this true?

Is soy actually good or bad for you?

It really depends on the form of soy you’re consuming, it’s source and the processes it has gone through. However more often than not, it is bad for you. Uncover the truth about soy, why it’s bad for you and what types of soy are actually good for you!

Truth is, even if you or your loved ones are not directly consuming soy products like soy milk, tofu, etc, soy could very much a part of  your diet. This is because soy is practically in every processed food you can can get your hands on. You can find it in products ranging from sauces, dressings, chocolate, cakes, milk substitutes, biscuits, and even infant formula!

One such example is soy lecithin, which is added to many processed foods as an emulsifier. And that’s not all, soybeans are also commonly used as feed for animals. Therefore if you’re not buying grass fed or pasture raised meat, soy is present in the meat products that you consume.

Did you know: Over 80% of soy are genetically modified (GMO). Typically, soy are genetically engineered to be “roundup ready”, allowing farmers to spray more pesticides without endangering their soy crop. And what’s worse, due to cross-pollination the remaining 20% of non-GMO soy isn’t guaranteed to be non-GMO!

Soy contains large amounts of isoflavones, which are changed into phytoestrogens in your body when consumed. These are plant-based compounds that could activate the estrogen receptors in your body. They are classified as endocrine disruptors because they interfere with the normal function of hormone in your body. This disrupts your body’s normal function.

It is especially important to avoid infant soy-based formula! This is because they are especially sensitive to hormones and hormone-like compounds during this critical developing stage.

Isoflavones in soy also function as goitrogens. These substances could interfere with your thyroid function. They can inhibit function of enzymes, which are essential for production of thyroid hormones in your body!

Soybeans are also high in phytic acid (a digestion inhibitor). Phytic acid is naturally present in grains, seeds, legumes, etc. What consumed, phytic acid binds to vital minerals (such as zinc, iron, calcium, etc) in your body, preventing them from being absorbed. This could then lead to mineral deficiencies, especially if your diet consists mainly of grains (which also contain phytic acid).

Most of the fatty acids in soybeans are omega-6 polyunsaturated fats. These omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory (promotes inflammation), as opposed to the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. For optimal health, you need to get a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in your diet. However most of our modern diets contains high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, leaving our body in a state of perpetual inflammation that leads to many health problems. Therefore, it is very important to avoid soybean oil (and other vegetable oils high in Omega-6) and processed foods that contain them!

Soy foods that are healthy are those that are fermented. So if you have to have soy, go for fermented, non-GMO, organic soy foods! This is because the fermentation process reduces the isoflavones, phytic acid and anti-nutrients content in soy. And at the same time, fermentation also creates probiotics which are beneficial to your gut and overall health!

Examples of healthy soy foods are:

1. Natto: fermented soybeans that’s popular among Japanese. It is loaded with nattokinase (powerful blood thinner), vitamin K2 and probiotics!
2. Tempeh: a fermented soybean cake.
3. Miso: a fermented Japanese soybean paste.
4. Soy sauce: traditionally, soy sauce is made by fermenting soybeans, salt and enzymes. Do go for ones that are made using traditional methods (not made artificially using chemical processes) and organic.