Soy can be good for you!

Many of my new patients shudder at the suggestion of adding tofu, tempeh, edamame or soy milk to their diet.  They’ve read that soy is bad for you, that it increases estrogen, increases risk of breast cancer, and will cause hormonal concerns for their kids.  

While the messaging online is confusing, the research in HUMANS is pretty clear.  Soy can be a beneficial component of the diet, even in women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer.  

Soy is a great source of protein, and contains a variety of vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and isoflavones.  It has research supporting cardiovascular benefits, bone density benefits, decreased hot flashes, and cancer-protective effects in some populations.  

As with all things, moderation is key.  If you become a vegan and replace all of your dairy, egg, and meat products with soy-versions of these things this is going to be a problem! The volume of soy is too high, and these are fairly processed foods often containing a lot of added sugar, salt, and fat.  

The preference is to choose soy in its more whole form: tofu, tempeh, edamame, and soy milk.  Soy is a legume that is often genetically modified, so it may be a food where choosing non-GMO or organic is preferred.  With these things, and moderation in mind, it’s a great and fairly inexpensive option to add to your protein rotation!