5 Myths About Soy Protein
Soybean is a valued source of protein. Being rich in fibers, polyunsaturated fats, minerals, its cholesterol-reducing properties make it one of the more sought after. Soy protein is available to us in the form of soy flour, isolates and concentrates.
There seems no apparent reason to say no to this product. But rumours afloat, leading to unnecessary concern and impossible expectations all of which can be managed by researching the facts like in this article here.
1. Soy protein equals breast cancer.
All myth and if you look carefully you’ll see why. It is the same reason why health supplements in cat kibble wouldn’t supplement the human diet in the same way. Because they are engineered to provide for cats. To be metabolized differently than humans.
What soy proteins contain are phyto-estrogens.(Phyto meaning plant related).Phyto-estrogen contains non-estrogenic properties too. Further they bind with estrogen receptors preventing estrogen radicals from binding to these sites. They promote binding estrogen to blood. By reducing free estrogen levels, they actually reduce the risk of breast cancer. They also have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They prevent cancers from metastasizing.
Anti-soy people alert, cow’s milk has more estrogen than soy milk. Since milk is collected from pregnant cows receiving hormone booststo enhanced milk production, you’re more likely to get breast cancer from cow’s milk than soy milk.
2. Soy protein causes gynaecomastia and other feminizing characteristics in males.
Gynaecomastia is what we would commonly know as development of breasts in teenage boys and older men. If you believe that soy milk increases estrogen levels in your body, you probably believe this myth too. Of course it is a cause for concern, just that intake of soy products have nothing to do with the condition. Some degree of gynaecomastia is seen in most males and is cured 90% of the time.
But to be fair let’s mention all that we know. In lab testing, soy has caused inability to produce offspring in male rats. But then again we aren’t rats, we utilize soy proteins differently than rats. The only reported human case was that of a 60 year old man who developed breasts during to very high soy milk consumption levels(quarter of a gallon a day). His condition went away once he stopped consuming soy milk. But such extreme cases apart, soy milk is safe and has no major side effects.
Experiments conducted across the world prove that soy proteins do not interfere with testosterone levels. So you needn’t worry for your reproductive health while making soy part of your diet.
3. Bad for the bones.
This might be a shocker but it ain’t gonna stop it from being true. We’ve all grown up knowing how great cow’s milk is for bones. It’s almost as if we don’t want to believe that something could be better.
But think about it, what about the lactose-intolerant populace. Do their bones deserve no care? If there was no other option, how would this fraction survive?
Nature always has a cure. Enter soy. Soy may not contain as much calcium as cow’s milk but it contains a lot more magnesium also essential for bone health. Studies have shown that women adding 40grams of soy to their daily diet for 6 months had greater bone mineral density than those that did not. Also the Chinese and Japanese who have been consuming soy for centuries show less cases of osteoporosis than cultures where cow’s milk is more popular.
If you’re a skeptic, this should be enough for you to give soy a try. Keep the levels moderate and you should only reap the benefits of this high-quality protein.
4. Saying no to soy completely is a possibility.
Unfortunately this is not possible for vegans and non-vegans alike. The thing about soy is that it is now a 5.2billion dollar industry. We have developed ways to utilize all parts of the bean for it many wondrous properties. Soy beans are made into soy flour, soy concentrates and isolates. But these aren’t the only soy products. Soy oil is the base for most oils now, Vitamin E extracted from soy bean is added to moisturizers, baby food, breads and sauces. Majority of the soy produced in the world is made into animal feed for animals that are harvested for meat. So the properties of soy reach us through the meat that we consume.
But soy is an option. It is not a compulsion even for vegans. You can choose to leave it out of your diet. It doesn’t matter. Because from above, it looks like the benefits of soy are inescapable.
5. ‘To eat or not to eat, that is the question.’
Soy has raised many a question, torpedoed many a debate regarding its health consequences. For those who still need a little help deciding, not all soy is GMO-soy. We understand how you might be wary of GMO products and the pesticides and mutability in question but there is non-GMO soy available that is perfectly safe to consume. A rich source of protein, vitamins and fibres that reduces risk of heart disease, cancer, is better for bones than milk, that gives you healthier options in oil and products like tofu and tempeh. Besides it has no notable side effects sans in cases of extreme consumption, so why not give it a try? Nutrela Soya Chunks is a widely consumed product by people of all ages in India.
If you’re allergic (which is a tiny fraction of the population only), you can always let it go. But we humans who have always tried to get stronger, healthier more efficiently wouldn’t say no to this boost of goodness. Rumours will exist and we will keep trying to bring you the facts. Don’t give up on soy yet. That’s all we ask.
