How to Get the Benefits of Soy Without All the Health Risks

Everyone is trying to reduce the amount of fat they consume. Eating soy is one way to achieve this, whether it is soy meat products or soy milk. There are benefits of eating soy, but some wonder if the negatives outweigh the benefits. Is it possible to get the benefits of soy without damaging your health? This article looks at some ways to obtain the benefits of soy without the health risks.

Things You'll Need

• The Okinawa Program book
• Phytoestrogen rich foods: kale, onoins, cranberries, strawberries, green tea, and lentils.
• Soy supplements
• Naturally processed soy products

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Instructions

• 1

  Substitute other foods for soy. One of the benefits of eating soy is the added phytoestrogens that post menapousal women need. Soy is rich in phytoestrogen. However too much can be damaging. One way to consume phytoesterogens without the damaging effects of soy estrogen is to eat other foods rich in this element. These foods include onions, kale, cranberries, green tea, strawberries, and lentils. The daily amount needed of phytoestrogens is 2 milligrams. A serving of each of the above foods provides the needed 2 milligrams. The book, "The Okinawa Program" by Bradley Wilcox, Craig Wilcon, and Makoto Suzuki, discusses these foods and phytoestrogens in detail. The book is based on research in Japan. In Okinawa, there is a very large group of centurians, and since 1975, there has been an ongoing study on eating habits and lifestyles of the centurians.

• 2

  Eat other foods or soy proteins. Another benefit of soy is isoflavones. These nutrients have shown promise as having the potential to prevent cancer and heart disease. Isoflavones are related to phtyoestrogens, so intake should be limited. Consume chick peas or other legumes besides soybeans to obtain isoflavones without unnecessary soy intake. Another method is to consume soy protein powder or soy protein isolates. These have higher levels of isoflavones without having the negative effects of consuming too much soy.

• 3

  Purchase natural soy products. Another option is to limit the amount of soy consumed. Better yet, according to Veganfamily.com, is to avoid buying the highly processed form of soy. This form is found more readily in supermarkets. The higher grade soy products can be found in natural health food stores. The more natural the soy products, the less likelihood that they have been highly processed.