Not Soy Good?

First of all, I realize this is no way to run a blog—it’s been over a month since my first post, and I apologize. I think I made some lofty promises in my first entry, and I kind of freaked myself out—there’s no way I could continue to have a life and a full-time job and live up to the expectations I set for myself on October 26. So, my new promise to myself and you, the reader, is to do my best to research, compile information and share what I’ve learned on a variety of green topics. I am not an expert, but I will work hard to find the truth. Additionally, I welcome your feedback and input so we can learn from each other.

So, what finally got me inspired to break the silence? Soy. Just like John Belushi’s Little Chocolate Donuts, soy (in all of its many forms) has been on my training table for years. I’ve read all the good press about the isoflavones in soy and the bad press about dairy and animal fat, and I’ve tried to replace everything I can with soy-based foods. I drink soy milk, eat soy meat tacos, snack on edamame and shun chicken in my Pad Thai in favor of tofu. So, when I heard a co-worker discussing the dangers of soy, I immediately started questioning her about what she knew and where she had heard this. (I’d heard various things in the past about soy causing some problems, but I could never find solid evidence on it.) Well, my co-worker was convinced—she was finished with soy. I, however, was not so easily sold.

I hurried to my computer and started to research. The first article I found was this one from the New York Daily News, which talks about how soy can cause your thyroid to shut down. It's a disorder called hypothyroidism, and it comes with symptoms such as lethargy, weight gain, depression, inability to tolerate cold, dry skin, coarse hair and mental "fogginess." Despite my sudden inability to think clearly, I pressed on to get an answer. Have I been poisoning myself with soy for the past 10 years?

After heading over to my favorite authority on health, Dr. Weil, I felt a little better. In this article , the good doctor addresses the potential harms caused by soy and dispels most of them. The area that remains scary is the effect soy may have on the thyroid. On this matter, Dr. Weil writes, “Excess consumption of soy can affect thyroid function, but only if you have a thyroid disorder to begin with or if you’re not getting enough iodine in your diet (a rare deficiency in the United States).” How do you know if you have a thyroid disorder? You can have your levels checked by a doctor, especially if you experience the symptoms above. If you don’t have a known thyroid disorder but are still concerned about the effect excess soy could have on you, it would probably be a good idea to limit your intake to one serving per day. That is the approach I plan to take. As is the case with most things, moderation is the key. In fact, even the NY Daily News article ends by stating, “If, indeed, the Asian diet is one to be emulated, then why not use soy the way they have for thousands of years: in moderation.” If you’re interested in reducing soy intake, 30 milligrams seems to be a good daily limit. Here are some examples of such a serving size:

• 7 ounces of soybeans
• 4 ounces of tofu
• 8 ounces of soy milk
• 1.6 ounces of miso
• 2.8 ounces of soybean sprouts