Is soy bean drink benefiting our health?

The Not Soy Wholesome Truth: The Negative Side of Soy Consumption for Young Woman

Soy can sometimes put out two equally health sponsored images: One of an old Japanese woman sipping a cup of green tea while serenely waiting for her miso soup to warm. Parallel is a young, triathlon trained, soy fueled, go-getter who strives to brim with all the minerals and nutrients for optimum health. What Mrs. Triathlon may not know is that an abundance of soy in the diet of women in their twenties could be doing more harm then good in terms of breast cancer.

Studies reported by the Cancer Council NSW have shown that pre-menopausal women who consume soy may be raising their risk of cancer. The isoflavones found in this legume act like estrogen and may provoke hormone dependent cancers such as breast cancer. This warning on soy consumption also extends to women who have had cancer or are at risk for it.

The reason soy was thought of as beneficial to woman as far as breast cancer goes is because of the way isoflavones protect our cells from the natural occurring estrogen in our bodies. They are too weak to raise the levels of estrogen in our bodies to a harmful level but they do occupy estrogen receptor sites in our bodies. This means that the naturally occurring hormone (the more powerful version) does not stick and potentially promote cancer (http://www.breastcancer.org).

Some researchers argue that the beneficial aspects of consuming soy have not been studied extensively enough. Most results have been taken from rat studies and human studies have not shown a direct link between breast cancer prevention and soy. The observation of Japanese women’s diets shows their main protein source as being soy. Since they have a very low breast cancer rate a correlation between soy consumption and lowered cancer risk is made. This does not offer a definitive conclusion.

The conflicting evidence on soy and health leaves our questions in the hands of further research. The Council points out that soy in moderate quantities should not be deemed as unsafe. “For someone who has tofu once or twice a weekit’s not so much of a problem,” says the Council’s nutritionist. For now, younger women should become aware of the potential harm too much soy can cause. As for Japanese woman and excellent health, one should pay more attention to their moderate approach to food and overall understanding of balance in diet.