I really can’t imagine what it would be like to live in a world where you couldn’t find the information that you need. I feel like information overload is our biggest problem now. If you know how to search for information on Google, within 0.06 seconds you’ll have 1932348792 possible websites directing you to what you’re looking for. It’s amazing for researching; it has made my finding articles for my dissertation infinitely simpler. The downside though? There is so much conflicting information out there … overload!
After years of being a vegetarian, I always go back and forth on whether or not I want to try veganism. I really don’t see it being that much different for me since I don’t really eat eggs or cheese and I opt for soy milk over regular. Recently though, I read an article on how too much soy is bad for you. It leads to cancer, weight gain, etc. It’s bad for me?! I thought I was always told how good it was for me?! WTF? Since I don’t do dairy or meat, I usually get my protein from soy-based products: soy milk, soy yogurt, soy beans, soy/veggie ‘meat’… I consume a lot of soy. Also, though I don’t have kiddos yet (and no plans for them anytime soon), I have given thought to raising my kids as vegetarians. An article I recently read stated that it’s not necessarily the healthiest option for little ones, though. Apparently giving a child a unit of soy is like consuming 4 – 5 birth control pills because of a natural chemical in soy that mimics estrogen (?!!!). Someone who knows — is there any validity to this madness?
So, big question for other vegetarians/vegans out there: is soy good or bad for your health?
For anyone interested in reading about the debates, check out these articles… like I said, information overload!
“Is Soy Healthy?” – Healing Daily
“The Truth About Soy – Is It Good or Bad For You?” – Associated Content
“The Raw Truth: All About Soy” – Choosing Raw
“What About Soy?” – Veg Family
“Could Eating Too Much Soy Be Bad for You?” – Scientific American
“Soya: good or bad for you?” – The Independent
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Any thoughts?
Shan,
I read about this a few years ago– a lot of soy is very bad for women. There are studies that show women who consume a consistent amount of soy product over an extended period of time are more prone to breast cancer and other cancers. On the bright side, almond milk is high in protein and doesn’t taste too far from soy milk. It’s also much easier to find now thanks to vegetarianism being more mainstream. Additionally, you can eat other beans (navy beans, garbonzo beans, black beans, etc) to get protein– if you are going vegan I would highly suggest getting a very good multi-vitamin for vegans and be sure you’re getting sufficient iron as to avoid anaemia.
Anyway, that’s my two cents. I went vegan for two years, and after becoming anaemic and pretty ill I had to call it quits. If I ate substantially more food in a day it might not have been that way, but I am not one to eat big meals throughout the day to get all the nutrients I’d need as a vegan.
Hey Brit!
Thanks for the info! I had heard so much conflicting information, I didn’t really know what to think anymore. I guess almond milk would be a good alternative if I can get my hands on it over here! I definitely consume WAY too much soy… time to start cutting back!