Whenever you think about something that is soy, you might automatically think of vegetarians, vegans, or something that these people eat to try to be healthy. However, what many people think of soy products may be a misconception. But what is soy? Soy is a versatile bean that is used mostly in Asia, and is found in foods like soy milk, soy sauce, miso (a type of soybean paste), tempeh (which is kind of like a soy cake), and tofu. Soy is also sometimes added to foods like breads, cereals, and meat products, and used as a meat substitute in products such as soy burgers and soy hot dogs.
There are two different types of soy: fermented and nonfermented. The difference between fermented and nonfermented soy is that fermenting soy creates health-promoting probiotics, the good bacteria our bodies need to maintain digestive and overall wellness. The question now is "Should people really be eating this bean?" According to some scientists, risks such as endocrine disruption, digestive problems, and effects on the thyroid, fertility, hormones, sex drive, digestion, and even certain cancers may be developed from the consumption of soy products. This may be because in the United States, processed soy food snacks or shakes can contain over 20 grams of nonfermented soy protein in one serving, which definitely contrasts Asian diets (the origin of eating this bean and its widespread use comes from Asia). Asian diets include much smaller amounts (only about 9 grams a day) of primarily fermented soy products, such as miso, and tempeh, and some tofu. To conclude, if Americans are eating such large quantities of nonfermented soy, then this may all be a huge recipe for disaster, instead of being the miracle wonder food that so many people have come to think it is! I think that just like any other food, an excess of it will invariably cause some form of problem or another, and I think that people need to be aware of the risks involved and the correct amounts that can be consumed without being harmful.
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Thats very interseting. I didn't realize there was a diffrence between fermented and nonfermented soy. I did find that some was cancerus. I also believe that asian soy is probally better than american soy which is another good thing im glad you pointed it out thank DD!
ReplyDeleteHa! I just posted a comment on Kevin's blog that I heard about these two types of soy, but I didn't know what happened in the fermenting process. Now I do! It's all coming together!
ReplyDeleteSo good bacteria, huh? That explains the fermenting. Less quantities of fermented soy explains Japanese health, and the fact that the oldest living man might possibly be Japanese...
Everybody's blog has something different! Dimeach, yours seemed to be the last piece of the puzzle! Or is it...?
Wow, I never realized there was such a thing as fermented and nonfermented soy. Very interesting. So, fermented = good and non fermented = bad. :)
ReplyDeleteThere are more pros than cons when it comes to soy. I've never heard of the whole fermented thing but it's interesting that somebody found something worth looking into other than just, "eat soy moderately." Nice work Dmeach.
ReplyDeleteNice work Dmeach. When i was writing my post i never came across the fermented (good soy) and non femented (bad soy), so i guess i learned something. This blog had loads of information and helpe me understand further about soy and its pros and cons. The moderation thing was also a nice touch. Nice work, great job.
ReplyDeleteHaha I actually kind of laughed when I read your first few sentences because I wrote and thought practically the same thing. Anyways, I really enjoyed how you descibed the different kinds of soy. The article I read briefly mentioned that there was fermented and non fermented soy, but I never really went on to discover the difference. You summarized the differences very nicely, and also made me realize why there are probably so many contradicting opinions out there. Some people probably only think there is one kind of soy, and it therefore has to be either good or bad. Now that I know there are two kinds, I know that it is possible for soy to be good AND bad. Thanks for clearing that up.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I found it in interesting how much more soy Americans consume vs. the Japanese. I agree with you thay if we are consuming such large quantities of the non fermented soy it could have unwanted effects.
ReplyDeletewow i never knew there were too different kinds of soy, or what specific problems it could cause and i never knew that it originated from asia but thannks to you, now i know
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