is soy bad for me?
 

i used to think that soy milk was for little fairy boys that loved to wear bark, chew on trees, and have hate on everybody that didn't get them because they're "misunderstood"

until i had some

it wasn't until i realized i am lactose intolerant that i began to grip and tip some Very Vanilla Silk Soymilk; then i got hooked. however, just to shit on my cornflakes, as soon as i made this delicious revelation, someone told me that its bad for you. i've tried google and everything that i find seems slanted. so whats the deal TFP? is is bad for you? can i keep drinking it?

in the words of that girl with the wierd hairdo in star wars: help me TFP, you're my only hope

Soy in males increases estrogen levels.

With that being said, moderate amounts are just fine. I'm not lactose intolerant, but I really enjoy almond milk in my cereal. The fact it's like a 3-4mo shelf life also helps as a bachelor.

No, soy is not bad for you.

People have overreacted, in my opinion, to the presence of phytoestrogens in soy. Given that most of the men in cultures where soy is eaten in large quantities don't seem to be having major problems, I don't think it's as big of an issue as people make it out to be. Further, there doesn't seem to be any evidence for the claim that phytoestrogens have a negative impacts on androgens in the scientific literature (see: Clinical studies show no effects of soy protein or... [Fertil Steril. 2010] - PubMed result).

You can read more general info about the benefits of eating soy as part of a healthy diet here: Soy [NCCAM Health Information]

HOWEVER, soy can be unhealthy for you when it is included in prepackaged, processed foods high in calories and sodium. Perhaps that is where some people get confused.

What snowy said.

The phytoestrogens in soy are actually rather weak, and can even counteract naturally produced estrogen in the body (i.e. they aren't the same "estrogen" and compete with each other).

So, yeah, keep drinking it. I know I will...except I drink plain unsweetened soy milk.

Soy is consumed in mass quantities in asia. However, Menshealth did an article about Soy being bad for men way back.

Soy's Negative Effects | Men's Health (Interesting read)

I'm on the fence about this. Soy's a staple in Asia (soy milk, tofu, soy sauce) and I'm not seeing mass epidemics of male diseases in high consumption countries.

That said, for some reason I'm allergic to American brand soy milk, and not Asian brand soymilk. Go figure.

One guy's body is overly sensitive to soy does makes it "the most dangerous food for men." Sounds perfectly reasonable to me

I *am* lactose intolerant, went the soy milk route for a while (taste tolerable but never really loved it), tried the almond milk and I actually love it.

Yes, yes. Not responsive to the OP. Just throwin' it out there, thank you.

I was thinking about this story this morning. I thought it interesting that the author decided it most fitting to begin with a cautionary tale of the man who drank 3 quarts (12 cups) of soymilk every day. :expressionless:

I have read that 80 and even up to 90% of the soy crops in the US are genetically modified, so I would argue that no matter what the current soy trend, unless organic soy is among the worst things on the planet to put in your body. Unless of course you want the bacteria in your gut having their genetic makeup changed ultimately working its way upto giving you colon cancer and IBS.

While I am by no means a fan of GMOs, can you provide scientific evidence for your claims?

It's actually pretty easy to avoid soy from GMOs, especially if you are eating actual soy products--soy milk, tofu, tempeh, and the like, and avoid processed foods.

Genetics do not work that way...

Personally, I think everything is bad for you. There isn't one thing out there that DOESN'T give you cancer. Pretty much if you breathe and eat, you are going to get cancer. Hell, I read a report once that condoms can promote prostate cancer.

"This is my life and it's ending one minute at a time..."

*****

Like a few of the posters here, I'm lactose intolerant. I can still eat cheeses and dairy, but milk (in it's pure form, in a glass) kills me. I hate taking those expensive pills, so I drink soy. I like the taste and don't mind drinking it at all. I've never heard that soy was "bad" for you, quite the opposite, I heard it was good for you.

Then again, if you start growing mantits for any reason (besides loving McDonald's dollar menu), you might want to lay off the soy.

Most---if not all---soymilk brands I've seen use organic, non-GMO soy. A large proportion of the soy produced in the U.S. is made into soybean oil and is used for feed in the dairy and meat industries. Actually, 98% of the soy produced in the U.S. is used for livestock feed.

As far as I've seen, all soy-based foods such as soymilk, tofu, tempeh, and other products all use organic, non-GMO sources...most brands know that the consumer of these products are health- and environment-conscious.

As for the GMO soy produced in the States? If you want to avoid it, avoid processed food, meat, and dairy.

* citation needed

well its been about 4 or 5 days and no mammaries to speak of. im gonna keep on sippin!