Sould We Consume Soy? How Healthy It Really Is? [science explained]

 Soybeans were originated in East Asia and are an important component of their diets as they are consuming it for thousands of years.Soy enters the market in a variety of different forms like soy flour, soy protein, tofu, soy milk, soy sauce, soybean oil and as a meat substitute.Asian countries mostly consume soy in its fermented forms like miso, natto and tempeh.Most of the soy crop in the U.S. is used to produce soybean oil which supplied about 7% of calories in the U.S. diet in the year 1999.Soy was usually fed to farm animals during 1700’s, later in 1900’s humans started consuming it and since then it has become one of the most popular crops grown in America along with wheat, cotton, corn and rice.Due to its cost-effectiveness and some functional properties, soy protein and soybean oil have found their way into all sorts of processed foods.

Nutrients in Soybeans

Whole soybeans contain a range of important nutrients. It is considered nutritionally one of the best plant crops ever discovered.100 grams of boiled, whole soybeans contain large amounts of Magnesium, Iron, Calcium, Vitamin B6, Manganese, Selenium, Copper, Thiamine (B1), Vitamin K Potassium, Phosphorus, Folate and Riboflavin (B2).This 100-gram portion of boiled soybeans also comprises of about 173 calories, with 17 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat and 10 grams of carbs (6 of which are fiber).Protein: Soy is mostly known for its high protein content. It is considered as a good source of protein, not as decent as egg or meat, but better than most other plant proteins.The main kinds of protein in soybeans are conglycinin and glycinin, which structure roughly 80% of the total protein content. The bioactive protein in soybeans is lectin and lunasin.Processing soy at a high temperature can reduce its quality by denaturing some of the proteins.Fats: The fat content in soybeans is approximately 18% of the dry weight, mainly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, with small amounts of saturated fat. Main fat in soybeans is the linoleic acid which accounts for about 50% of the whole fat content.Carbs: 100 grams of boiled soybean contains 10 grams of carbs with 6 gram of dietary fiber.Soybeans are low in carbs which makes it a low glycaemic index food. Glycemic index is a measure of how foods affect the rise in blood sugar after a meal.Due to its low glycaemic index, soybeans chiefly are suitable for people with diabetes.

Bioactive Compounds of Soy

Soybeans are rich in various bioactive plant compounds such as isoflavones, saponins, phytic acids, phytosterols, trypsin inhibitors, and peptides.

Isoflavones of Soy

The isoflavones content in soy is highest when compared to other foods.Soy has phytoestrogens. Phyto means plants and estrogen are the female hormones that are responsible for female characteristics.The main isoflavones in soy are genistein (50%), daidzein (40%), and glycitein (10%).Isoflavones are phytonutrients which resemble the female sex hormone estrogen. They belong to a family of elements called phytoestrogens which are plant-based estrogen.There are people who have a specific type of gut bacteria which can convert daidzein to Equol. Equol is a substance responsible for many of the beneficial health effects of soybeans.These percentages of Equol producers are higher in Asian populations and among vegetarians than in the general Western population.Isoflavone content is more preserved in Soybeans which is in both raw or roasted form and texturized soy protein.Products which are made from processed soy (not to include soy protein concentrate) or that undergo some processing have a variable isoflavone content of 0.03-0.06mg/g weight or 20-45%.Products which are made from soy protein concentrate or Secondary soy proteins tend to have about 2% of the initial isoflavone content of soybeans. These isoflavones levels are very low as they are made through soy protein concentrates which are 'cleansed' of isoflavones with an alcohol extract.Soybeans have many anti-nutrients like trypsin inhibitors which inhibit protein digestion in the small intestine and stomach and Phytates which is a mineral chelating agents which can prevent mineral uptake.

Is soy good or bad for you?

Soy, being good or bad for any individual mostly depends on a variety of factors like how much and what type of soy products are they consuming.Soy will basically affect you based on the type of soy ingested, like soybean, soymilk, tofu, or soy protein powder, the respective metabolic condition of that individual and hormonal status and gender.

How Soy Affects Testosterone in Men

The isoflavones genistein and daidzein are associated with the reduction in testosterone levels.Phytoestrogen interacts with our sex hormone, estrogen and testosterone and their respective receptors.It can combine with estrogen receptors and can cause estrogenic effects in men and can combine with androgen receptors and can reduce testosterone levels.But the imposed effect of isoflavones with estrogen receptors are week as compared to estrogen itself.And that is where testosterone killing effect of soy falls short in research.In most part, soy as a food product or in a supplement form does not adversely affect the testosterone levels.2001 study in Japan showed that drinking at least one and a half cup of soy milk daily for 8 weeks did not have any statistical effects in total and free testosterone levels.In more practical studies there was 0 change in testosterone when subject consumed 3 cups of soy milk per day.2007 study shows young men split into 4 groups consuming either 50 grams of soy concentrate, soy isolate, blend of soy isolate and whey or a whey protein only. After 12 weeks, total and free testosterone, as well as lean mass gain, were similar across all groups.In a 2010 meta-analysis detaining 32 papers, found that soy protein or isoflavones intake has no significant effect on free and total testosterone.In moderation, soy does not appear to affect the testosterone to any significant level.By moderation, I mean 1-2 servings of soy food daily, less than 25g of soy protein from non-concentrate sources.In some cases, person harbouring the bacteria which produces Equol can experience a reduction in testosterone.A study showed that production of Equol noted a decrease in testosterone.However, too much soy can still impose a problem,2008 study a study found that exposing rat to 20 mg of isoflavones per kg of body weight did lower plasma testosterone by 35% compared to control.But when adjusted that isoflavones amount to a 180-pound male that adds up to 1636mg of isoflavones per day.Or in a simpler scale that adds up to 54 and a half cups of soymilk daily.Let’s take few examples1 gram of soy protein=3mg isoflavones100 gram of soy chunks=52-gram soy protein=156mg of isoflavonesIf rodents were given 20mg/kg of isoflavonesFor 70 kg person=1400mg of an isoflavones=467 gram of protein467 grams of protein=1 kg of soya chunks.which is too much to consume in a day.Or,One cup of soya milk (243 gram) =8 gram of protein1 gram of soy protein=3mg isoflavones8 gram of soy protein=24mg isoflavones, so one cup soy milk= 24mg isoflavonesIf rodents were given 20mg/kg of isoflavonesFor a 70 kg person=1400mg isoflavones=467 gram of proteinWhen 24mg of an isoflavones=one cup of soy milkThen 1400 mg of isoflavones= 58+ cups of soy milk.This is too much to consume in a day.

Health Benefits of Soybeans

Like most whole foods, soybeans have a number of beneficial health effects. Here I will list some of the benefits of soy:

Heart health

Soy, as isoflavones in protein, has been investigated numerous times for their lipoprotein lowering abilities.They appear to have a capacity to bring down LDL and Total Cholesterol when consumed at around 25g soy protein isolate every day.Generally, these studies are directed at post-menopausal women with or without high blood lipids, in spite of the fact that similar impacts are seen in pre-menopausal women with typical lipid levels and in men too.Those with higher cholesterol levels begin to see more drops in cholesterol with respect to those with ordinary cholesterol levels.These impacts appear to be set causatively on the isoflavones, fundamentally genistein and daidzein, as they can be replicated with supplementation.The vast majority of the advantages of soy and a decreased danger of Heart Disease originate from Equol, which doesn't get formed in everyone.It still does appear to work in people that do not produce Equol, but in these persons, the magnitude of benefit is less.

Prevention of Breast and Prostate Cancer

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in modern society.In any case, most observational investigations show that consuming soy items or products may decrease the danger of breast cancer.Many studies have also shown its effectiveness against prostate cancer in men.A number of soybean components may be responsible for the potential cancer-preventive effects. These include isoflavones, lectin, and lunasin.Introduction to isoflavones right on time in life might be protective against breast cancer disease further down the road.Keep in mind that most of the human examinations in regards to this issue are claimed observational studies. They demonstrate a relationship between consumption of soy and cancer, yet don't prove causation.

Alleviation of Menopausal Symptoms

Menopause is the time period when menstruation stops in a woman's life.It is frequently connected with upsetting symptoms or side effects, for example, hot flashes, sweating and mood swings, impacts that are realized by a decrease in estrogen levels.Strangely, Asian ladies, particularly Japanese ladies, are less inclined to encounter indications identified with menopause than Western ladies.Dietary habits, for example, the higher utilization of soy foods in Asia, may clarify this distinction.Studies show that isoflavones, a group of phytoestrogens found in soybeans, may lighten the side effects of menopause.Soy items don't influence all females like this. The benefits of Soy just are seen more in supposed Equol makers, females who have a kind of gut microscopic organisms ready to change over isoflavones into Equol.Equol has been proposed to be accountable for a large number of the useful wellbeing impacts of soy consumption.Daily admission of 135 mg of isoflavones for one week, proportional to 68 g of soybeans per day, lessened symptoms of menopausal in Equol makers.Generally, hormonal treatments have been utilized as a treatment for menopausal side effects. Today, isoflavone supplements are broadly utilized as an optional treatment.

Bone Health

Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by reduced bone density and increased risk of fractures, especially in elderly people.consuming soy items may lessen the danger of osteoporosis in females that have experienced menopause. These valuable impacts appear to be caused by isoflavones.

Negative Effects of Soy

Soy may sometime effect our body in a negative way. Below I am listing some of its side-effects.

Suppression of Thyroid Function

There are some worries that high utilization of soy product may suppress thyroid capacity in a few people thereby contributing to hypothyroidism.The thyroid is a huge gland that controls growth and regulates the rate at which the body expends energy.Some studies have shown that isoflavones, found in soybeans suppress the formation of thyroid hormones in both humans and animals.One Japanese examination in 37 grown-ups revealed side effects connected to suppressed thyroid function subsequent to eating 30 grams of soybeans consistently for 3 months.Those subjects developed symptoms like constipation, sleepiness, thyroid enlargement and occasional discomfort, all of which were gone after the end of the study when they resumed their normal diet.In another examination, isoflavone supplementation (16 mg) consistently for 2 months restricted thyroid function in 10% of grown-ups with minor hypothyroidism.The number of isoflavones consumed was equivalent to 8 grams of soybeans per day.In any case, most examinations in healthy grown-ups have not discovered any critical connection between soy utilization and changes in thyroid function.A meta-examination of 14 research saw no significant impacts of soybean utilization on thyroid function in healthy grown-up’s, however, kids born with thyroid deficiency known as congenital hypothyroidism were considered at more serious risk.To put it plainly, general utilization of soy items or isoflavone supplements may prompt hypothyroidism on sensitive or delicate people, particularly in those with an underactive thyroid organ in the first place.

Flatulence and Diarrhoea

Soybeans contain insoluble fibers, mainly raffinose and stachyose which belongs to a class of fibers called FODMAPs. It may cause flatulence and diarrhoea in sensitive individuals.Although not unhealthy, these symptoms of soybean consumption can be offensive or unpleasant.These fibers, raffinose and stachyose may worsen the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which is a common digestive disorder.If you are often suffering from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), it is best to limit or avoid the consumption of soybeans.

Soy Allergy

Food allergies are caused by a harmful immune reaction to certain components in foods. It is an unpleasant or dangerous immune system reaction after a certain food is eaten.The protein found in most of the soy product, glycinin and conglycinin are the main reason for triggering allergies.

Important Things To Note

It is important to understand that the nutrient composition of soy depends dramatically on the type of soy food.At 36 grams of protein per serving of soybean, beats up all other plant sources. Soy chunks further contain 52 grams of protein per 100 grams of serving.Whole or fermented soybeans are more nutritious, while refined soy-derived products like soybean oil and soy protein have very less nutritional value. So it is best recommended to consume whole or fermented soybeans. It is better to stick to organic stuff.Moderate consumption should be the key. We can consume 50 gram of soy per day without any problem.There is no specific proof that soy lowers testosterone when taken in moderation.The biggest problem which I believe is that over 90% of soy produced in America is genetically modified and the crops are sprayed with pesticides and other harmful chemicals, which may be associated with adverse effects on health.The fatty acids in soybeans are mostly Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats. This can be challenging because a high amount of Omega-6s in the diet can cause inflammation and all sorts of other health issues.So it is better to avoid or limit the consumption of soybean oil and other vegetable oils which are high in omega-6.The effect of isoflavones in soy don't have any significant bearing to soy protein concentrate, which has irrelevant isoflavones content from ethanol extraction. So if you want to use soy protein supplements, then go for soy concentrates or isolates that are alcohol washed, which removes most of the phytoestrogen contents.It is better to not rely on soy for the primary protein source. There are plenty of other food with ample protein contents. 

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