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Soy: Health Food or Health Concern?
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 Like a number of foods, there are a lot of mixed messages about the health benefits of soy.
On one hand, there are reports that soy is a wonder food; helping with menopause symptoms, beneficial for cardiovascular health and some types of cancer.
Then on the other hand there are the reports that say that soy can cause cancer and thyroid problems as well as other disease. Here’s the truth about soy...
 Soy is a fairly new introduction into the western food chain, but it is a staple food in the Asian cuisine. The most common soy bean found here in NZ is the white soy bean which is sold in a dried form and needs to be soaked overnight and then simmered for three hours. You can also buy these canned, which need rinsing before use. Black soy beans are also available and only require half the amount of cooking of the white variety. In NZ soy is most commonly eaten as tofu, or soy food products.
Nutrition
Nutritionally soy beans are a good source of iron, protein and fibre (this excludes products made from beans because the outer layer that contains fibre is removed). The only point to note about protein is that it is slightly low in one of the essential amino acids, but this is easily overcome by combining your soy protein with another type of grain when eating. Soy is also low GI which means it will keep you feeling fuller for longer and avoid slumps in blood sugar.
 Reported negative effects
There have been claims that isoflavones found in soy can cause breast cancer and thyroid problems. Currently there is no solid evidence that eating soy causes problems in the general population. One group who may be of concern are those with an under active thyroid, or hypothyroidism. It may be that eating a lot of soy could affect their treatment. Apart from this, everyone should feel free to include soy in their diets as it has many health benefits.
Health Benefits
Bone health
Oestrogen hormone helps keep our bones in good health. However these levels drop on reaching menopause, meaning we lose more calcium from our bones. The isoflavones found in soy have a structure with some similarities to oestrogen and can help prevent
calcium loss. This is beneficial in preventing osteoporosis, a disease of brittle bones.
Heart Health
Soy protein is beneficial for heart health as it can help lower cholesterol. Taking 25g of soy protein is all that’s needed.
Hot flashes
So you might not be at menopause yet, but here’s something to tell your mum/aunty/cousin and to keep in mind for when you get there. In some studies consuming soy protein helps decrease the frequency of hot flashes which are an unpleasant side effect of menopause.
There is also some evidence that soy can help decrease the risk of prostate cancer and could be beneficial in reducing blood pressure. You can dismiss websites out there that more or less say soy is poison. If you a part of the general healthy population, then enjoy the benefits of soy. Another point to note is vegetarians are often big soy consumers and as a population group they tend to have very good health.
Try tofu in vegetarian dishes for a low fat alternative protein source to meat, or if you're not into tofu and want to try soy, another option is soy milk. Soy beans can be used in stir fries and salads.
You can also buy processed soy products such as notbacon - a soy bacon alternative, and soy patties, burgers and sausages.
Nicola Graham
Love being healthy and active? A career with New Zealand's Army could be perfect for you. Click here to find out more about the exciting opportunities. |
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