When you think of soy the first thing that comes to most people’s minds is tofu. In reality, soy is a bean that has it fall under the legume family. Tofu is a highly produced substance that comes out of that bean. Now having said two of keto’s hard no words in processed and legume why is this article even necessary? Well… like anything to do with this little bean the relationship of eating soy on keto is complicated.
SOY ON KETO BENEFITS
The benefits of soy, even with all its controversy are numerous. Soy is high in fiber and can be very low in carbs. It’s packed with essential vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin K1, Manganese, and Thiamine. Soybeans are a superior source when it comes to plant-based proteins and are a staple in vegetarian and vegan diets.
Recent studies have also shown that eating soy in unprocessed states can help alleviate the symptoms of menopause. This includes the added bonus of appearing to slow down the bone deteriorating disease known as Osteoporosis.
SIDE EFFECTS OF EATING SOY ON KETO
Studies on long term consumption of soy are limited, but there is a lot of research on initial side effects. You can experience things such as stomach upset, constipation, bloating, and nausea. This sounds a lot like keto flu and I’m sure overtime it would subside as your body adjusted.
A more serious side effect appears to be allergic reactions. People that display an allergy of soy display effects such as rashes, itching, and in the most severe cases breathing problems similar to a nut allergy. This doesn’t happen in the majority of people, but something to consider if you are starting to take in more soy.
Another consideration is studies, although inconclusive, have shown that taking in soy while pregnant may harm the development of the baby. The studies on this have been mixed, but it is worth noting soy is a major ingredient in most baby formulas and long-term science has shown no harm to children.
THE SOY ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
So far, I have displayed several benefits to soy and only a minor downside, so why is soy villainized and why am I writing this article?
It comes down to a little thing called Isoflavonoids. These are a compound that produce estrogen. Estrogen is the group of hormones that play an important role in the normal sexual and reproductive development in women.
The issue is extremely high levels of estrogen have been linked to cancer. That research bridged the gap to soy causing cancer. I can say the research is so limited on soy causing cancer that the American Cancer Society stated the following, “research on soy and cancer is highly complex, controversial, and evolving.” Wow, thanks for your help experts.
MY TAKE ON EATING SOY ON KETO
I’ve thrown a lot of science at you today and as someone who is not a scientist or a doctor I get where your head is right now. For me personally I look at it this way. Every food we eat has agents that can be linked to cancer. Research is evolving on the role food plays in cancer and until we have the science in our hand it is very difficult to make our life decisions based on what we have right now.
However, I do my absolute best to avoid processed soy in my keto diet. Why? Because eating real unprocessed food is the staple of a keto lifestyle right beside low carb. Soy sauce is a very lightly processed food that I have no issue eating, but soy milk is another story.
Soy milk goes through several different processes to be extracted and turned into something we can consume. Tofu is just another step added to that soy milk, making it even worse. Soy is used in many processed foods such as margarine and milk chocolate as both a preservative and anti-clumping agent. None of that sounds like a clean eating lifestyle to me.
So… Soy on Keto. Like anything else, it’s your call. But remember. Unprocessed is always the keto way.
I’m going to go eat some beef and broccoli now. Bill
