Soyfoods, are they Healthy?

Soyfoods are high in protein, and vegetarians often rely on them. But are they healthy? Some see this bean as a super healthy food, others say it's dangerous. What is the truth?

What I've learned is that the quality of the food makes a difference.

Traditional Soyfoods

In Asian cuisine, Soybeans are not eaten as a bean because they are too hard to digest. Soy contains enzyme inhibitors. To make soy more digestible, Asians created tofu, tempeh, miso, natto and soy sauce.

Years ago, I learned to make miso, tofu and tempeh in a macrobiotic cooking class. It's an easy low tech, low heat process when you have the right tools, but it takes time. Miso can take 6 months or more to make and you need a special bacteria called koji to make it.

Making fermented soyfoods is an art.

Processed Soyfoods

Then we have the new soy creations of the food industry, the soy burgers, soy cheese, soy energy bars, soy sausages and more.

These soy products are made with highly processed isolated soy protein or texturized vegetable protein. They are not fermented, made with cheap ingredients, and are hard to digest.

Soy is used in almost all packaged foods and restaurant foods as soy oil, lecithin, soy protein, soy flour, and this soy is often genetically modified. Soy is everywhere, especially in packaged "natural" foods. It is a big part of food processing.

Is Soy a Health Food?

Some nutritionists claim that soyfoods are good for the heart, balance hormones and prevent bone loss and breast cancer.

But some nutritionists began to question soy. I got new insights into soy when I read the book Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon. This fascinating book outlines what a true traditional diet is, and how it differs from our modern diet.

Sally Fallon states that soyfoods, especially highly processed soy, leads to thyroid problems, are hard to digest, can create mineral imbalances and protein assimilation problems, and can even stunt growth in children!

The problem with soy is the phytates, which block mineral absorption, and the enzyme inhibitors.

Babies fed soy formula are even called "soy babies" and have health issues like failure to thrive.

Because soy is high in plant estrogens, some researchers believe that soy is contributing to early sexual development in children, and feminizing boys!

I began to notice digestive upset with my tofu dogs. Around this time, a study came out linking tofu consumption to dementia. Well, soy lost its charm for me.

Some Soy is Healthy

Yet not all soy is bad. The traditional fermented soy products are the good guys. They are miso, tempeh, natto, and naturally fermented soy sauce. You can find them at a natural grocer, although natto is hard to find.

What about tofu? Making soy into tofu removes some of the enzyme inhibitors but leaves the phytates that can block mineral absorption.

In Asian cuisine, tofu is used in small qualities in fish broth or with sea vegetables. Seafood contain minerals like iodine that support the thyroid. Fish is the main protein in Asian cuisine, not tofu.

Soymilk still contains phytates and enzyme inhibitors, but it is part of some traditional diets.

According to Bill Shurtleff, author of "The Book of Tofu", Japanese doctors see soymilk as useful for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, and anemia.

If you want to use soymilk, it's best to make your own or find fresh refrigerated soymilk, and not rely on the sweetened cartons of soymilk at the natural grocer.

Asians see food energetically, as warming or cooling, and soyfoods are cooling. They lower metabolism, may lower the thyroid and lower your libido! Tofu leaves me cold.

In my macro cooking class, we learned that a tofu plaster, which is tofu mixed with a little flour, can be applied to the forehead to bring down a fever. Its definitely cooling. If you like tofu, bake it or eat it in a soup with ginger to warm it up.

What about edamame? These are green soybeans. They seem okay in small amounts as a snack. Perhaps young beans don't have all the phytates.

A Note to our Vegetarian Friends

I'm a semi-vegetarian and I admire the compassion that is behind the vegetarian lifestyle. I want the vegetarians to be strong and healthy!

Many vegetarians use soy as a protein source. But there are other ways to get vegie protein. Check out my vegie protein article here.

So if you are a vegetarian, be sure to eat a variety of traditional whole, unprocessed foods. Choose miso and tempeh and avoid highly processed soy food creations. Learn about nutrition, especially good sources of iron, calcium, zinc and other minerals.

I think vegetarianism is like a calling; treat it with respect and it may be healthy for you. Listen to your body, too. Be a conscious vegetarian!