Vegetarians and soy: friend or foe?

September 18, 2024 Stan

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Welcome to the 26th episode of Vegetarian Health and Longevity from Hurry The Food Up and Sports Nutritionist James LeBaigue.

Soya. It’s a food that has created a lot of controversy over the years, with advocates on both sides of the argument.

Some suggest it’s a fantastic food to eat with many health benefits, while others suggest it’s dangerous, that it can increase the risk of certain cancers and disrupt your hormones.

Thankfully, there is a clearer answer to the whole is soya good or bad debate, and we’ll explore it in this episode.

I’m going to cover the concerns around breast cancer, thyroid disruption, muscle building, menopause and more so that by the end of it, you know the ins and outs of consuming soya and whether it’s something you should be including in your diet.

Listen to it here on your favourite provider.

Historical Concerns About Soya

Soya has long been a subject of debate in the nutrition world and, well, in everyday life. Anyone and everyone has had views on soya, and some of them have been pretty strong.

The primary concerns revolved around the presence of phytoestrogens in soya, which are plant compounds with a structure similar to human estrogen.

For years, it was believed that these compounds could potentially disrupt the body’s natural hormone balance, leading to a range of health issues.

For instance, there were fears that consuming soya might increase the risk of breast cancer, particularly because of its estrogen-like effects.

Similarly, men were advised to limit soya intake due to concerns it might reduce testosterone levels, affecting fertility and muscle mass. Additionally, soya was thought to potentially disrupt thyroid function, leading to hypothyroidism.

These concerns led to a cautious approach towards soya consumption, with many people avoiding it altogether. However, as soya research has evolved, so has our understanding of soya and its effects on the human body.

Soya and Men’s Reproductive Health

Let’s start with one of the most pervasive myths: that soya reduces testosterone levels in men and affects reproductive health.

This belief stemmed from the idea that phytoestrogens in soya could have a feminizing effect, lowering testosterone and potentially impacting male fertility and muscle development.

However, extensive research has shown that this concern is unfounded. Numerous studies, including a large meta-analysis, have demonstrated that soya isoflavones—the active phytoestrogens in soya—do not affect testosterone levels in men.

This conclusion is drawn from 41 human studies including over 1,750 men, consistently showing no significant impact on testosterone.

This means that men can safely include soya in their diet without worrying about adverse effects on their hormonal health.

Soya and Muscle Building

Another common concern, especially among gym-goers and athletes, is whether plant-based proteins like soya can support muscle growth as effectively as animal-based proteins.

This is an important consideration for vegetarians who rely on plant sources like soya for protein intake.

Recent studies have shown that soya protein is as effective as whey and other animal proteins in promoting muscle growth and recovery.

In 2021, two significant papers highlighted that soya protein can stimulate muscle protein synthesis—a key process in muscle growth—similarly to animal proteins when consumed in adequate amounts.

As we’ll discuss later, the key difficulty may be consuming sufficient protein to trigger this effect when eating natural, whole food.

Even though soya seems great for building muscle, you can’t just eat it all day, which means you have to opt for alternative sources, but that isn’t really the aim of the podcast episode.

The long and short of it is that soya demonstrates favorable qualities for building muscle and can be included in your diet if this is your goal.

Soya and Menopausal Symptoms

Contrary to popular belief, there may be a role for soya in women who are going through menopause.

Evidence suggests that soya can relieve common symptoms, particularly hot flushes. The decrease in estrogen levels during menopause leads to various symptoms, and it’s thought that the phytoestrogens in soya can have a mild estrogenic effect, which may help alleviate these symptoms.

Research has shown that regular consumption of soya products can reduce the frequency and severity of hot flushes in menopausal women.

This effect is likely due to the ability of phytoestrogens to bind to estrogen receptors in the body, providing a balancing effect that can help manage hormonal fluctuations.

Incorporating soya into the diet during menopause can therefore be a natural way to manage symptoms without the need for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which some women prefer to avoid due to potential risks.

Now, I can’t say it will solve your symptoms or that it’s a magical solution, but evidence does seem to suggest it has a role, so it’s worth considering this if you’re in that phase of life and want to try to minimize the symptoms.

Soya and Breast Cancer

A connected concern that many women have is the potential that consuming soya regularly could increase the risk of breast cancer or worsen outcomes in those who have already been diagnosed.

This led to widespread caution among women, particularly those with a history of breast cancer.

However, modern research has largely debunked this mythhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2021.1895054. Current guidelines, supported by numerous studies, indicate that soya foods and drinks are safe for breast cancer patients and do not increase the risk of recurrence or development of the disease.

In fact, some research suggests that soya may actually offer protective benefits due to its anti-estrogenic effects in certain tissues.

This is critical for those concerned about cancer risk, as it means soya can be included in the diet in the recommended amounts.

For breast cancer survivors, soya might contribute to better overall health outcomes, making it a valuable component of a balanced diet.

By the way, I have put links in the show notes, so if you want to read up or look at the data yourself, you can do so. I’d also recommend you speak to your family doctor if you are unsure about this.

Soya and the Endocrine System

Another area of concern has been the potential impact of soya on the endocrine system, particularly its effects on thyroid function.

Some earlier studies suggested that soya might interfere with thyroid hormone production, leading to conditions like hypothyroidism, which is an underactive thyroid.

However, recent evidence indicates that soya does not significantly disrupt thyroid function in individuals with adequate iodine intake.

The key here is that soya’s potential to interfere with thyroid hormones is minimal and can be easily mitigated by ensuring sufficient iodine in the diet. For those following a vegetarian diet, this might mean including some good iodine sources, such as seaweed, cow’s milk or dairy products, and eggs.

Those who are already diagnosed with hypothyroidism and are taking medication are advised to consume soya at least 60 minutes either side of taking their treatment because of the risk of it interacting and reducing the absorption of the medication.

The fear that soya could wreak havoc on the endocrine system is largely unfounded. When consumed in moderation and as part of a balanced diet, soya is unlikely to cause thyroid issues or other hormonal disruptions.

Environmental Impact of Soya

Beyond the personal health benefits, there’s an important environmental dimension regarding soya consumption.

Soya, particularly when grown for human consumption, has a much lower environmental footprint than animal-based foods. This includes lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduced water usage, and less land required for production.

In an era when the environmental impact of our food choices is becoming increasingly important, soya stands out as a sustainable protein source.

For vegetarians, incorporating soya into the diet is beneficial from both a health and environmental stance, and it’s hard to knock it.

It’s worth noting that while much of the world’s soya production is currently used for animal feed, the soya products consumed directly by humans—like tofu, soya milk, and edamame—represent a more efficient use of resources, making them a preferable choice for those looking to reduce their environmental impact.

These are some of the reasons why we use soya in many of our recipes at hurrythefoodup, especially in The Vegetarian Protein Fix.

The Protein Fix helps vegetarians lose weight in a healthy and sustainable fashion, and we use soya to bump up the protein content of our recipes to keep you feeling full and satisfied with your meals.

We love the protein and fiber kick from soya and it’s part of why our members can still enjoy their diet while losing weight. If this sounds like something you’d like to try then you can check out a free week’s meal plan here and get started today.

You’ll get a whole week of tasty but easy-to-prepare vegetarian recipes, with step-by-step instructions and a grocery list to make it all as simple as possible. So that’s htfu.com/try and you can get started today.

Growing Interest in Soya

There has been a noticeable increase in interest from health professionals and the public on soya consumption, partly due to its potential reported benefits.

A recent survey indicated that 79% of health and nutrition professionals are seeing a growing curiosity about soya among their patients and clients, and I love this!

This shift is probably due to an improved understanding of soya’s health benefits and environmental advantages. As more people look for ways to eat healthier and more sustainably, soya is becoming a go-to option for many.

This trend suggests that in the coming years, we can expect to see even more soya products on the market and in people’s diets.

When I spoke with Sarah Bond on the podcast recently, she mentioned soya curls, a novel way of producing and using soya. I’d love to try them! I expect soya to become more accessible to more people, which is fantastic when you consider its overall profile regarding health and the environment.

Current Guidance on Soya Intake

Given all the benefits of soya, you might be wondering how much you should consume each day. Is it unlimited, or is there a cap on how much you eat?

Current guidelines suggest that 1 to 2 portions of soya daily is healthy and beneficial.

So what exactly counts as a portion?

One portion of soya could include:

250ml of soya milk
80g of tofu or tempeh
100g of cooked edamame beans
125g of soya yogurt

It’s best to spread it over the course of the day in a couple of servings, so for example, have soya yogurt in the morning and then tofu with your lunch or dinner rather than two servings of soya in one meal.

How to Include Soya in Your Diet

Let’s look at some practical ways to include soya in your daily diet, and a couple of my favorite recipes. Links to these recipes are in the show notes so that you can check them out:

Breakfast: Try using soya milk with your cereal instead of cow’s milk or a smoothie like our Vegan Blackberry Smoothie. This is a great way to get lots of protein in your breakfast because soya milk is naturally high in protein. This is a biggie, by the way, because other alternative milks like almond and oat milk don’t contain much protein.
Lunch: Consider using tofu or tempeh as a protein source in your salads or wraps, like we do in our Crunchy Asian Tofu Salad.
Dinner: Add tofu to a curry to bump up the protein content of any evening meal, like our Marvellous Mango Curry. I love this recipe, and we make it regularly in bulk and freeze it for a speedy meal at a later date.
Snacks: Edamame beans are a brilliant little snack that can be super transportable and handy, especially if you’re traveling. We have a Smashed Cucumber and Edamame recipe that is sooo good. It’s a simple little snack to prepare but is full of flavor, protein, and fiber, and it’s definitely worth trying.
Dessert: Soya yogurt can be a great alternative to dairy-based options. For extra sweetness, you could top it with fresh fruit and honey or maple syrup.

By including 1–2 portions of soya into your daily routine, you can enjoy the health benefits and contribute to a more sustainable diet.

Conclusion

I hope you found this episode interesting and that it provided you with some helpful info about soya. If you did find it useful, please give the podcast a quick review on whatever platform you’re listening on.

It will help the podcast reach more like-minded people like you find it, and it will only take a moment. Thanks so much, and we’ll speak soon.

And finally, here is the easiest way to sign up to try our meal plans (free).

And a list of our vegetarian meal plans (also all free).

And finally finally: More vegetarian podcasts this way!