Vegetarian Advice: Soy Foods And Vegan Men
What's the latest on soy products effects on vegan men?
I'd like to know what the latest views are on Soy foods eaten often by vegans. Especially if there are any negative effects for men who eat lots of soy. - C.X.
Savvy Vegetarian Advice:
Soy Articles:
Diet, Exercise May Slow Early Prostate Cancer
Meta-analysis of soy food and risk of prostate cancer in men
Soy, Prostate Cancer, Cholesterol
My View of Soy:
Whole soy products like tofu are good sources of vegetarian protein. Fermented soy products like tempeh and miso are easier to digest than tofu, because the fermentation converts sugars that cause gas or other reactions. I think it's fine to eat small quantities of those foods, if you have no adverse reactions.
Then there's the GMO problem. Unless you're eating soy foods made from organically grown soy beans, you're eating genetically modified organisms. Why that's a bad idea
The soy in most processed vegetarian foods, like veggie burgers or veg sausage, is soy protein isolate, or TVP, made from soy meal, a by-product of soy oil production, and a highly processed food itself, which I don't recommend. See Soy Isolate or TVP - This Is A Health Food?
Don't over-depend on soy as a protein source. Replacing big slabs of meat with big slabs of tofu or tempeh doesn't make for a balanced diet either, and there are other excellent sources of vegetarian protein.
Keep in mind that there are many healthy vegetarian and vegan foods which can supply all of our nutritional needs, and the same health benefits, without ever eating soy.
It's best to eat a wide variety of whole foods, including grains, beans, nuts, seeds, veggies, and fruit for maximum nutrition and a varied diet.
Judith Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian
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