Soy meat can be introduced as a popular food among many vegetarians as well as meat eaters in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, there is a widespread belief in society that soy meat is not good for health. In this article, you can read about the scientific evidence that soy beans, other soy products such as tofu, soy milk and soy meat are harmful to our health or not.

People in Asian countries have been adding soy to their daily diet in large quantities since ancient times. Various studies have shown that Asian people are significantly less likely to develop obesity, heart disease and breast cancer than people in the United States and other Western countries. Many other factors contribute to this, including the genes of Asian people, their lifestyle and other things they eat.

Scientists have done a lot of research on the properties of soy. They discovered that soy contains a compound called isoflavones. There are two types of isoflavones (phytoestrogen compounds) found in soy. Genistein and daidzein are two such compounds. The activity of these isoflavones is similar to the activity of estrogen. In fact, it is the isoflavones that cause the soy to be perceived as harmful to the body. According to some research, these compounds can promote the growth of certain cancer cells, reduce the fertility of women, affect thyroid function and other adverse effects to health, in contrast scientific evidence of beneficial properties of soy like reducing high cholesterol and suppressing cancer cells has been found. The main reason for these contradictory differences in the characteristics of soy depends on the differences in the way the studies were conducted.

Soy products contain different amounts of isoflavones than soybeans. These differences also change the health benefits of soy. However, the general opinion of nutritionists is that soy is a nutritious protein source and can be safely consumed several times a week as an alternative food, especially instead of red meat and processed meats. 

According to Dr. Michael Gregor, founder of NutritionFacts.org, who has authored a number of books, including “How not to die”, one of the main misconceptions about soy is that it promotes breast cancer. Since estrogen can promote the growth of breast cancer, it is natural to assume that phytoestrogens can do the same, but this is not the case, he says.

When looking for what soy actually does to the body, we need to look at how soy works in our body. These soy isoflavones and soy proteins differ in how they work in the body based on the following factors.

How the study was conducted: Has the study been conducted using humans or using animals?, is something we need to consider.The way a compound is metabolized in animals is different from the way it is metabolized in humans.We need to keep in mind that many of the studies that have had adverse effects on soy have not been able to predict the same effects on humans due to research conducted on animals, especially rats.

Ethnicity: The way soy metabolizes and breaks down and the way the body utilizes them after breakdown can vary by ethnicity. This may be the reason why people in some countries consume soy so much that they do not get adverse effects from it, and they are able to enjoy the health benefits of soy.

Hormone levels in the body: Since the activity of the isoflavones in soy is similar to the activity of the estrogen (similar in function but weaker in effect), The activity of isoflavones in soy may vary depending on the level of the hormone in the body. Estradiol is the main form of estrogen exist in the body. Estradiol levels in pre-menopausal women are higher than those in postmenopausal women. In this context, the phytoestrogens contained in soy in pre-menopausal women can act as anti-estrogen, but in postmenopausal women, phytoestrogens act like estrogen.

The type of the soy product : Soy can be consumed as soybeans, soy milk, soy meat, soy protein powder, tofu and  fermented tempeh or miso. The amount of phytoestrogen contained in these products changes and so does the effect on the body.

Soy Meat: Soy meat is made from defatted soy flour. Soybean oil is produced by the fat that is removed. The protein content  in soy meat is equal to the protein content in animal meat. (a complete protein) Soy meat has no specific flavor. It absorbs the flavor of the spices we use when we cook it. The health benefits of soy meat include lowering cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease, reducing the risk of developing osteoporosis, preventing high blood pressure and contributing to weight loss.

Tofu: Tofu has long been used as a staple of Asian cuisine.

Tempeh: Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian dish made from fermented soy. Tempeh is denser than tofu because it is made from soy milk. So tempeh should be soaked in a solution with spices (spices) for at least an hour before cooking to absorb the flavor. It also softens the tempeh.

Consuming more than 100 mg of isoflavones per week reduces ovarian function, according to a journal on nutrition (Adult Ovarian Function Can Be Affected by High Levels of Soy, Wendy N. Jefferson, published online Oct 27, 2010). (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3139237/)  Moderate (10 mg - 25 mg per day) consumption of isoflavones does not cause problems

In addition to (phytoestrogens), soy contains vitamin B, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and protein. As I mentioned earlier, the protein in soy is similar to animal protein. Although plant proteins generally do not contain all the essential amino acids, soy contains all the essential amino acids as animal protein.

The nutritional value of various soy products is as follows.