Soy: Benefits And Harm

Soy is one of the most ambiguous products. It is interesting that the benefit and harm here can be in the same substance.

Soy is one of the most ambiguous products. It is interesting that the benefit and harm here can be in the same substance.

Are you sure that this topic bypasses you? After all, you have never eaten soy meat and "Tofu" cheese, never drank soy milk, and never even smelled the famous soy sauce. Let it be so. But have you ever eaten sausage, sausages, mayonnaise, semi-finished products, as well as candies and chocolate ? Most likely, the majority will answer "YES" to this question. So, whether you like it or not, you periodically use soy, because it is not only in the listed products, but also in many other, sometimes even very unexpected ones, for example, in pasta. Therefore, whether we like it or not, the "soy topic" is relevant for everyone today.

About soy

Soy, whose homeland is East Asia, belongs to the legume family and is rightfully considered one of the most valuable cultivated plants in the world. A characteristic feature of this plant is that 40% of soy consists of protein, which is not inferior in quality to proteins of plant origin. In addition, beans contain many micro- and macroelements (iron, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium), as well as vitamins of groups B, D and E. 100 grams of soybeans contain 380 kcal, 35 g of proteins, 17.3 g of fats, 17.3 carbohydrates, 13.5 dietary fiber, 6 g sodium.

The popularity of soy is due not so much to its good chemical composition, but, to be honest, to its availability, because it is a very cheap product, which also has the unique property of "mimicking" such traditionally expensive products as meat and milk. Today, soy meat and milk is found not only in the menu of vegetarians, but also in the daily food of meat eaters who do not have enough funds for a more familiar, but, unfortunately, not always available product. But here - ATTENTION - lies the main danger: soy in large quantities can be harmful to the body. So let's try to figure out: what are the benefits of soy, and where does its harm begin.

Useful properties of soy

• Soy contains isoflavones, which significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer, which, as you know, is the most common type of cancer in women.
• Soy cheese "Tofu" is characterized by a low content of fats and carbohydrates, which is why it is easily absorbed by the body and is a recommended product for people with gastrointestinal problems. In addition, it can be eaten raw, fried, pickled and smoked.
• Low-calorie soy, which does not contain harmful cholesterol, is at the same time a very filling product, and therefore is often included in various diets for weight loss. An additional bonus for those who lose weight is the rich mineral and vitamin complex contained in soybeans.
• For people with type 2 diabetes, endocrinologists recommend including soy products in the menu, as this allows you to adjust carbohydrate metabolism and normalize the fatty acid and protein composition of the diet.
• If you observe a fast, we recommend that you pay attention to soy - this product of vegetable origin is able to replace meat and milk for a certain time. And since soy is a very versatile product, your diet will not be monotonous.
• Soy is an excellent product in conditions of economic crisis, when the usual diet becomes unavailable. Temporarily replace beef or pork with soy, and when cooking, do not spare the spices - it is possible that you will not even notice the substitution.

Potential harm

• The same isoflavones can hide a danger for the thyroid gland, because they have a depressing effect on the endocrine system. Soy milk in large quantities is especially dangerous for children's bodies. It has been noticed that children who regularly consume it are diagnosed with thyroid diseases more often than their peers who drink other milk.
• Another infamous property of isoflavones is that with their regular intake into the female body, the risk of infertility increases significantly. This is explained by the fact that isoflavones are something like contraceptives for the body. So if you are planning a child, it is better to give up soy.
• When going on a soy diet, do not count on it being able to replace all other products. Yes, there will certainly be a positive effect, but this is primarily explained by the reduction in the consumption of substances harmful to health, which are contained in traditional food, but by no means the health-giving properties of soy itself. Soy monodiet, according to nutritionists, is not the best choice.
• It is considered proven that soy, used daily and in large quantities, prematurely starts the aging process in the body.
• Soy is categorically contraindicated for people who have disorders of uric acid metabolism - this is explained by the fact that leguminous protein increases its content in the blood. Caution should also be exercised by people with an allergy to legumes.
• It is this type of legume that often becomes the object of experiments by geneticists, and the debates on the topic of genetically modified products are not joking. And let there be no sufficient grounds to accuse these products of unconditional harm, to think that such products can be useful naively. At least in the long term, GMO products can lead to obesity or trigger allergies.