the effects of soy

Question
I am a vegetarian and im hearing all this debate on soy, most of its negative. i was wondering if you knew what the true long and short term effects of soy is.

Answer
Joey,

I eat a lot of soy myself - there is some emerging literature questioning some negative long term effects of soy, however, there is much much more literature showing positive health effects.

It is difficulty to call anything 'good' or 'bad'. Everything lies on a continuum and your individual genetics also effect how 'good' or 'bad' things are.

Still, I would put soy much closer to the 'good' end than the 'bad' end of the spectrum. Based on today's research, I do not intend to give up soy.

That said, you should always try and get variety in your diet. You should turn to other sources of protein as well. Quinoa, nuts and legumes are all great sources of protein for vegetarians.

The bottom line - mix up what you eat and I wouldn't worry about soy. It's good for a lot of things in your body. Plus, the Japanese have been eating it in large amounts for years and they are one of the healthiest populations on the planet.

Hope this helps.

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