In past years, soy has been one of the most controversial foods in the grocery store. Today, with much research on the topic, the benefits of soy have become much more clear-cut.
The Positives
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend soy as an excellent source of plant-based protein. Soy is particularly heart healthy due to its low saturated fat content and can help lower total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoproteins (LDL: the “bad” cholesterol). Soy may help to prevent breast and prostate cancer and alleviate hot flashes and depression, as well as improve skin and renal health. Soy is an excellent source of copper, fiber, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and polyunsaturated fats. Lastly, soy is one of the few plant proteins that contain all nine essential amino acids.
But the health benefits of soy depend on the type of soy you’re eating, according to Stefania Mascioli, a registered dietitian nutritionist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine. “I always recommend eating foods that are closest to their natural state,” she says. “Avoid highly processed soybean oil and isolated soy protein, which are mainstay ingredients in many processed foods, such as protein powders and energy bars. Opt for moderate amounts of soy foods, such as whole soybeans, edamame, tofu, tempeh, soymilk, and miso, to reap the maximum health benefits, especially when eaten as a substitute for red and processed meat.”
The Controversy
The concern surrounding soy comes from one unique characteristic: a high concentration of isoflavones. Isoflavones are a type of plant estrogen (phytoestrogen). The effects of soy in humans differ depending on many factors, such as ethnicity, hormone levels, and type of soy. Together, this leads to a lot of confusion. For example, soy may provide some of the same functions of estrogen in postmenopausal women (who have less estrogen), but have the opposite effect in premenopausal women (who have plenty of estrogen).
There are some questions about the connection between soy and breast cancer, mostly based upon animal studies, as well as the effects of soy on thyroid medications. Currently, both the North American Menopause Society and European Food Safety Authority have found soy to be safe and to have no detrimental effect on breast, thyroid or uterine health.
Recommendations
The Food and Drug Administration endorses consuming 25 grams of soy protein per day (three servings of soy milk or tofu) to lower heart disease risk. Mascioli suggests, “Soy products can be prepared and eaten in a variety of ways. Visit your local Japanese restaurant to enjoy fermented soy in traditional dishes such as miso soup, replace cow’s milk with soymilk, or scramble tofu in place of eggs for breakfast.”
Continued research is certainly needed on soy; however, given the proven benefits, soy can and should be consumed as one of many minimally processed, whole foods for a healthy and varied diet.
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