Soy Foods: What You Need to Know
Soy Foods: What You Need to Know
If there were an award for the most misunderstood foods, soy foods would be at the top of the list, along with eggs. Common myths about soy foods concern cancer, specifically hormone-sensitive cancers like breast and prostate cancer.
It is a misconception that soy foods raise the risk of cancer. The controversy comes from a misunderstanding of isoflavones, phytochemicals found in soy foods. Isoflavones are a class of phytoestrogens, which are similar in chemical structure to the hormone estrogen but do not function the same way in the human body. While the concentration of isoflavones in soy foods has been a concern in the past, research that follows large populations shows either no association between eating soy foods and cancer or a protective effect from eating soy foods. The effect is similar for survivors of hormone-related cancers.
Research about the role of soy foods in a health-promoting diet is ongoing. The current consensus among researchers is that moderate soy consumption (1-2 servings per day) is safe, and potentially beneficial, for the general population including cancer survivors. As part of a nutritious eating pattern, soy foods offer all essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein. In addition to being an excellent source of protein, soy foods have mostly heart-healthy unsaturated fats as well as fiber.
For an omnivore, the best way to approach soy foods is as an alternative to animal protein foods like red or processed meats. For a plant-based eater, soy foods can provide additional variety to plant protein options.
Here are 8 different ways to eat soy foods:
Taste our Quinoa Bowl with Edamame and Spicy Peanut Dressing.
Prepare miso ginger dressing. Massage it into a salad, drizzle it over chickpeas or use it to marinate salmon.
Serve roasted edamame as a crunchy snack.
Steam tofu and serve with an in-season green vegetable prepared with ginger and scallions.
Use unsweetened soy milk in one of our breakfast recipes: Pumpkin Pie Smoothie, Chia Pudding or Strawberry Almond Overnight Oats.
Experiment with tempeh, a fermented soy product similar to tofu but firmer in texture.
Add soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free soy sauce alternative made from fermented soy beans) to vegetable dishes such as Cauliflower Rice with Bok Choy and Lime.
References:
Buchan K and Hummel A. Soy and Breast Cancer - An In-Depth Review of the Research. Today’s Dietitian 2018;20(7):48. Available from: https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0718p48.shtml
Collins K. Soy and Cancer: Myths and Misconceptions. American Institute for Cancer Research February 19, 2019. Available from: https://www.aicr.org/resources/blog/soy-and-cancer-myths-and-misconceptions/
