Ah, another school year begins. No doubt I am too late to warn freshmen of what not to do with their newly-found nocturnal liberty. Instead, I am going to write about my newest pet peeve: soy product.
Soy has taken over my life. Starbucks: soy chai. With my Lucky Charms: vanilla Silk. At the vegetarian barbeque: dried soy and roasted pepper kabobs.
Fair enough, I get the obsession. Soy is yummy, it's a useful substitute for vegetarians and lactose intolerants and for the rest of us it's a healthy addition to our diets. So why the peevishness on my part? Because I like cow products, and soy, as of now, has a spotty future.
Soy protein is such a good supplement, or even substitute, for animal products because it naturally contains all the essential amino acids. Soy products have less fat than animal products and they contain an abundance of other minerals.
Recent studies have concluded that soy can do wonders for your heart and your bones. Soy is high in isoflavones, a kind of plant hormone called phytoestrogen, which resembles human estrogen. Isoflavones are proving to be of great interest to researchers everywhere and have been shown to help reduce the risk of arterial plaque and coronary heart disease.
The FDA determined that 25 daily grams of soy protein can reduce the risk of heart disease. A high soy diet helps lower levels of low density lipoproteins (the bad ones that carry bad cholesterol) while preserving levels of high density lipoproteins (the good ones) because of the antioxidant properties of isoflavones. By preventing the oxidation of low density lipoproteins, isoflavones lower the risk of cholesterol buildup in your arteries.
Isoflavones may also prove to help prevent certain kinds of cancer. Because they resemble estrogen, isoflavones can compete with estrogen at receptor sites, blocking the body's response to excessive estrogen.
The two soy isoflavones, daidzein and genistein, have proven to be helpful in preventing bone breakdown and increasing bone mineral content and density. Soy isoflavones are actually similar in structure to the synthetic estrogens tamoxifen and ipriflavone, which are used to prevent osteoporosis. Soy may prove to be a great way to naturally prevent unwanted early bone crackling.
Soy has sparked up a lot of controversy. Is it really the dream bean? Will it really replace cocoa beans and Jack's magic beans on my list of awesome beanliness? Probably not.
Unfortunately, soy is not quite the wonder that many would love to read about. Soy contains an abundance of goodies, but it doesn't always let you have them. Although soybeans are high in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc, they also have high levels of phytic acid, which binds to these minerals in the digestive tract and inhibits their absorption by the body.
Most studies say that their results are inconclusive. In 2006, the American Heart Association reviewed its stand on soy and soy isoflavone supplements and decided that soy isoflavones do not reduce cholesterol significantly enough to be recommended for heart disease prevention.
Some studies are in such indecisive turmoil that they say the aforementioned anti-estrogenic effects of isoflavones may actually increase the risk of breast cancer, not reduce it.
In June 2008, a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health linked soy products to lower sperm counts. Because of the increased amount of estrogen-like chemicals in the body, sperm count was significantly decreased - as much as 50 percent. Although this is unlikely to make normal men infertile, those with already low sperm counts may suffer.
Ah! So we see soy is not the greatest replacement for cows. But it is true that sometimes soy is a wonderful alternative, if not as phenomenally stomach-churning as was first thought. Soy is still lower in fat and higher in fiber than many other foods, like hamburgers, and if you'd like a cup of Silk with your Cinnamon Toast Crunch, I certainly wouldn't begrudge you.
To maximize your soy benefits, stick with fermented soy products. Unfermented soy products, such as soy milk, tofu, soy ice cream, soy chips and soy burgers still contain high levels of the miserable phytic acid and some trypsin inhibitors, which may stunt growth.
Try instead the fermented soy products, such as natto, tempeh and miso. Fermentation removes phytic acid and other nasties. But remember, moderation is key. Soy is still a nice friendly legume, just like the lima bean. Don't eat too much of it and still expect to live to 150. Same goes for grease, alcohol, broccoli and violence. Do not eat a Portuguese Man O' War or a Siamese fighting fish and expect to live to 150.
