Let's Talk Soy...

I had really thought this subject was more open and shut, but since both of my current roommates seem to happily live on various processed soy products, but also think of themselves as following a very healthy lifestyle, it seems that some misconceptions need to be cleared up:

Soy, in the USA, in general, is not safe for consumption. It has either been imported from countries with very low food grade standards, or it is a product of genetic modification by Monsanto and thus, is chock FULL of pesticides and pesticide residue. (AKA poison, in case you're still part of the population who shrugs and says, "So?" when told that.) 

It's very hard in this country to safely consume soy, I know, I was a vegetarian for 18 years. Except that I wasn't really. I was a carbitarian, and a soyitarian, because in this country, without proper education on the subject, that's what you become. 

With all that rather harsh and cynically said, there is a means by which soy can be consumed as an optional protein, but you have to remember one word.

POFF

Great non-word word, right. (Ok no it's terrible, but it IS important.)

Preparation: How was your soy prepared? Was it processed? Did you cook it? If you don't even know, that's kinda a bad sign kids. Know how your soy was prepared, know how processed it is, the more processed and the less cooked = the worse it is for your body. (I'm looking at YOU soy milk...)

Organic: A bit self-explanitory. If it's not organic, it IS GMO in this country, and it IS riddled with pesticides that will only further the confusion it's already causing in your endocrine system, with it's not quite bio-identical phyto-estrogens and goiter inducing compounds. Only buy organic on this one, no tip-toeing around it.

Frequency: How often are you consuming soy? Once a week? Once a day? Multiple times a day? Is it filling in for your milk and lunch meat and dinner protein???? "NO!" -you say, "That would be ridiculous!!!" So check it this week. Check that breakfast cereal you pour into your bowl before the soy milk, check that protein smoothie you bought with lunch, check that protein pasta you're boiling up for dinner, the sauce of your frozen veggie mix. Where is the protein coming from? Chances are good it's a combo of soy and whey (from dairy- don't even get me started there.) Soy should really only be consumed once or twice a month guys. Yeah- I said it. 1 or 2 times in 30 days ONLY. 

Fermentation: Safely eating soy also means it should preferably be fermented. Fermented soy is more frequently found in items like soy sauce, or tempe. Check that it's organic and not highly processed and then these are the types of soy safe to have 2x a month. Even better if it's cooked as well. It lessens it's harmful effects on the thyroid. 

Final word here. Less is more. Check what you're eating, research into the companies who produce your food, look at the country of origin. Just because a commercial on TV says it's equal to an egg, just because Whole Foods has it on sale, doesn't mean you, or your family should necessarily be consuming it daily. "But BKBTY"- you say, "It's in EVERYTHING!!" I know, it's super hard. Avoid it as much as you can, but don't beat yourself up when you realize it was in that chocolate you ate, or those sweet potato chips. Learn from it, research other brands, cook your own dishes with whole ingredients when you can, and you'll eat a lot less than you started out doing.