There has arisen a concern in the Toronto and international Holistic Health Food communities as well as with many vegans, vegetarians and holistic health proponents over soy products.  It seems that research by some has revealed that Soy is not good for you and may actually be harmful. So is soy good or bad in a healthy diet?

I must admit that when I look at all the literature, article and arguments going on, the confusion surrounding the soy bean and soy products can be very misleading and confusing and one thing is sure the debate will continue to grow.  In a market that has grown to over $4 billion dollars in less than a decade, this is a debate that has high dollar cost to it.  Over 800 products sold in Toronto and the rest of Canada, containing soy as an ingredient.  Soy has become big business and as such it has become a very confusing and clouded issue with both sides expounding truths and half truths to confuse us.  So how do we look beyond those arguing for and against and come to some informed decision on soy?  There is an alternative to joining the divided and somewhat radical possibly fanatical two camps, and actually take a middle path on soy.  This article is a start.

Is it all Soy that is bad?

This question sometimes actually appears in the debate that is raging!  Is all soy bad for you?  This is also why it is important to find out about soy and to take that “informed” middle path.   The truth on soy that I have come to find, is that not all soy and soy products are bad for your health.   Some soy products are good for you, but you must be informed. 

My findings are that the soy bean, (in and of itself) is not the unhealthy villain some would make it out to be.  But my research has also exposed the dark and greed laden side that would confuse and convince you that their soy products are good for you.   This of course is not only isolated to soy products on the market.  With the expanding market demands for holistic health and nutrition, the almighty dollar is a big influence on what is the truth.

It is important to also look at the research and the results of organizations such as the Cornucopia Institute for information on the heath of food products on the market.  In the case of Organic Soy the Cornocopia Institute study has produced a score card.

The middle path on soy says, it's not necessarily the soy bean, but the way it is grown and processed that really matters.

What is Soy?

The soy bean is a legume that is high in protein and healthy oils. Some of its plant-based nutrients have been shown to have anti-cancer elements that can aid in the prevention of both prostate and breast cancers.   The fact is that organically grown soy may have some very positive properties that when consumed in moderation, can play a role in a healthy diet.  The down side is that soy is a legume that contains a high amount of phytic acid, isoflavones and phytochemicals that have been shown to be detrimental to our health in some cases.   The research when looked at closely reveals two important factors, the amount of consumption, and the purity of the soy.  

How to look at soy

Basically we need to look at soy in two ways, governed by a third criteria.  The two forms of soy as a food product are what are referred to as unfermented and fermented soy products.  The governing criterion; is, is the soy used organically grown or not.  My personal rule of thumb is to make sure that all soy products that I consume are certified organic and naturally processed, (no preservatives, no chemicals) and then I add that they (as much as is possible) should be locally grown (more on this in a later article).  There are very large health differences between fermented and unfermented soy.  But one thing is quite clear, non organic soy is definitely bad for your health.

Unfermented versus fermented soy

While unfermented soy, if it is organically grown, and consumed in moderation, can have benefits to one’s health, there remains a degree of risk with some of the not so health compounds found in unfermented soy.  One of the key factors in unfermented soy, aside from it being organic, is how it is processed.  Processing of unfermented soy products inevitably causes much of the beneficial properties to be lost.  If the processing involves adding chemicals and preservatives then the soy products become even less beneficial and begin to become unhealthier.

Fermented organic soy products like miso, tempeh, and fermented soy sauce are arguably healthier than the unfermented soy products.  But why is it that fermented soy products a healthier soy product? 

Health Benefits of Fermented Soy

Like organic tofu (which is a unfermented soy product), tempeh and miso are great sources of protein, but since they are fermented soy foods, they have far less of the negative and far more additional health benefits. Fermented soy products contain essential minerals such as manganese and copper, and because they are fermented, they also contain healthy probiotic bacteria (the good bacteria for digestion).  Some (myself included) replace tofu with tempeh in our diets, as tempeh though a little more difficult to work with, is a healthier option.  Tempeh also contains rhizopus, which fights bad bacteria, and phytase, an enzyme that helps your body better absorb important nutrients, which are missing from the unfermented tofu.

Buy local organic as much as is possible

The unfortunate nature of many large corporation in the food and even the health food industries is to push the definition of Organic to such extremes that often what is labelled organic is no more organic than those not labelled organic.   As an example; Silk a brand of soy milk sold in Toronto and North America, until 2009 was produced using truly organic soy bean.  In 2009 White Wave (the creators of Silk Soy Milk) was bought by Dean Foods and the result was Dean Foods almost immediately switched to non organic soy beans without a word to their customers.  Dean Foods did, as they had to by law make a slightly change to the Silk Soy Milk label; they changed the word Organic to “Natural”.  Deceptive, you be the judge, but how many people based on a history of Silk Soy Milk being organic were mislead?    The misleading approach by Dean Foods forced Steve Demo (the former owner of White Wave) to soon after leave the company in disgust, saying that "green" values had been abandoned for the sake of profit. 

The above is only one of innumerable cases of corporations misleading the public on the safety and even the origins of their food products.   For those who choose to eat soy, it's important to know where your soy comes from and why we state that (as much as is possible) buy locally and from sources that you trust.   The products may be a little more expensive but they make a lot more economic sense when you consider the bigger picture of your health.

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Comments:  Your comments are welcome, and appreciated.  You can also use the comment area to suggest or request articles and information that you would like to see me write on, always appreciated.

With thanks and gratitude Clayton.