Today I want to talk to you guys a little bit about soy protein and some myths and facts that revolve around it. I’m always on the quest to vary my protein intake, especially now that I’m pregnant, so when I had the opportunity to learn more about soy, I was excited.
There is a lot of controversy around soy and I don’t think there is enough research out there for it to be conclusive enough yet. You should use your own judgment and speak to your doctor about your intake. Generally I’ll eat soy about once a week or once every other week. It’s a good way for me to get a complete plant based protein, without eating meat at another meal.
A little background on soy. Soy protein is a high quality, complete plant protein that is naturally low in fat and saturated fat. It also contains all of the needed amino acids for daily children AND adult protein requirements.
So you know how you need to eat protein every single day AND you need to consume protein after a workout to help rebuild and replenish your muscles?
Well, a new study that just came out researched the combination of proteins from whey, soy and casein. (Study done by Dr. Blake Rasmussen, professor and interim chair of the Department of Nutrition & Metabolism at the University of Texas Medical Branch.) If you go to a store looking for protein powders, you’ll see most commonly whey, casein and soy protein powders. Each one of them has different digestion rates and amino acid ratios. Taking in a combination of proteins with different digestion rates (the whey, casein and soy) may enhance lean body mass gains by promoting longer periods of muscle growth after exercise.
All this soy talk is all good not only for adults, but for children too, which is great because who wants to be making more than one meal? We know that breakfast is the best way to start the day and is obviously true for children too. The better and more satiated they are, means less likely snacking and choosing less healthy choices. Generally we should aim for about 20 grams of protein for breakfast and having something like a tofu scramble can help you get there! Children who have food allergies, can also enjoy soy foods to help them get in the nutrients they need without sacrificing taste. Studies have also shown that children who incorporate soy foods into their diets at an early age have lower body mass indices than those who do not.
Now lastly, let’s talk about some myths surrounding soy.
Some people think that soy, because it contains estrogen, may make them experience feminization, also known as “man boobs” (yes I just wrote that…). That is NOT true. Soy doesn’t contain estrogen, but it does contain isoflavones that fall into the plant estrogen category. Evidence shows that soy foods soy foods do not feminize men, lower their testosterone levels or lower their fertilization.
Studies HAVE been shown that soy may lower risk factors such as LDL cholesterol associate with heart disease and it may even be protective against prostate cancer. A health claim was approved here in the U.S. that states “25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease”
Next myth to tackle is that soy isn’t a complete protein because it comes from a plant. Well good news, IT IS. Soy protein contains all of the essential amino acids in sufficient amounts to meet biological requirements and is therefore considered a complete protein.
So now that you have all of this information what do you do? Well I always say, EXPLORE and try new foods! Try out a new tofu dish or throw some edamame in your pasta for extra protein. There are so many recipes out there, experiment and see what you love! You may also consider making your own mix of whey, casein and soy protein powders and see how your body does with that!
If you have a thyroid condition you may want to stay away from soy, but as always with everything please consult your doctor!
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this blog campaign. All opinions are my own.
Happy Friday! Have a wonderful start to the weekend!
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for this information! There are many myths about Soy, which you have cleared up in this great post!
My main concerns about soy come from it being highly subsidized by the US government, leading to skewed research claims and allocations of research dollars, much like what has happened with milk and dairy. There is also a lot of research linking soy consumption by babies and pregnant women to the massive increases in food allergies in children. Lastly, most soy in the United States is GMO. It’s important to find organic soy if you choose to eat it. Funding sources for studies should always be investigated because they are most often funded by groups that directly benefit from the claim.
Def. agree with you Bex. 100%. Non-GMO & organic is the only way to go.
The is a great unbiased approach to soy Nicole! I personally believe there is plenty of research out there on soy that is unbiased and I give it a thumbs up. Fermented soy foods have been eaten for centuries by Asian cultures. Processed soy (soy protein isolates) is not so great. So it’s good to limit the processed soy in your diet but traditional soy foods are awesome.
There is way more evidence that allergies are caused by cow’s milk than soy. Or it could be a gluten-allergy that they aren’t aware of. Studies aren’t always cut and dry and allergies are a tricky thing.
Yes soy is subsidized and one of the highest gmo crops, so if you eat soy always buy organic.
Nice review! Because of the mixed research, we eat it in variation and stick to whole soy sources (ie tofu over processed soy “fake” meat products). But we’re mostly vegetarian, and love tofu for extra protein!
great job tackling the myths!
Great post! My thoughts on the “soy is evil” movement are that it is incredibly impossible that these studies were done on people who consumed soy in it’s most natural forms – organic, non GMO tofu, edamame, soy milk, etc for most of their lives. I suspect that the trouble comes when consuming the processed, GMO soy which is in just about everything these days – just another reason to avoid eating too many processed foods in general.
Great post. I think it’s sad that soy..with many beneficial qualities has such a bad wrap. It’s all about finding research and choosing what works for our bodies.
I love your blog but find this latest post is sadly disappointing. Soy is far from healthy and 90% of soy is genetically modified. Do you know that studies done in Canada of pregnant women eating GMO soy have found pesticide in the blood stream.t??? GMO soy produces pesticed as part of the soy bean. There is so much research out there pointing to the fact the soy is not good for your health (except for fermented soy). Soy is an estrogen and even one dose of soy is equivilant to a birth control pill. It is widely known and accepted in the medical field that high estrogen that is unopposed by other hormones is associated with a high risk of cancer. Being pregnant you should absolutely stay away form soy!! There is so much information as to why soy is bad…look it up! Read this http://www.optimumchoices.com/Soy.htm I am speaking as a nurse and if you care about your health and the health of your baby I suggest you do some more research Look at what Dr. Mercola and so many others have to say: Soy is not good for you, and even if it is fermented should only be eaten twice a month (The China study by T. Colin Campbell).
Judi, Thank you for your comment! Like I always believe, I believe in whole foods and certainly that goes to non GMO foods. I only buy organic, non-gmo soy in whole foods form like tofu, tempeh and edamame. I also do not consume this more than a couple of times a month. Thank you for being so caring and looking out for me. I should have made it more clear in my post I was only referring to non-gmo soy!
Thanks, Nicole. There is so much wild-eyed negative press about soy pinging around the Internet at the moment that it’s nice to see a fact-based article.