Not all soy products are created equal

Thanks to savvy marketing and nutritional buzzwords, most of us think we are automatically doing a good thing for ourselves when we choose soy foods. Unfortunately, this isn’t always true. Make the right selections to ensure you’re getting the best and purest forms of nutrition from soy foods and soy products.

A sensible approach is to avoid heavily processed, refined or GM soy products and to choose only organic soy in its most natural state. Your best bet: edamame beans, tofu and other fermented soy foods such as tempeh, miso and natto

• Tofu is the curd from pressed soybean milk. These fermented soy-derived products may contain probiotics, which are healthy bacteria that live in your gut and support a healthy immune system. Tofu is rich in calcium, magnesium, selenium as well as phytoestrogens which may help balance hormones and supports bone health. It’s also rich in omega 3 fat so good for heart health. Not sure how to cook tofu? Try this simple tofu recipe

• Soy milk is the liquid residue of cooked soybeans. Choose organic, non GM whole-bean soy milk – to avoid soy milk made from soy protein or soy isolate.

• Edamame, or young green soybeans, are a great source of protein.

• Other whole soy options include varieties like tempeh, miso and natto, made of fermented cooked soybeans. The fermentation allows nutrients to be more easily absorbed into the body, as fermented foods are brimming with good-for-your-belly probiotics, which help keep our gut flora healthy.

• Tempeh is a high-protein source of nutrients like vitamins B2, B6, and B3, and minerals magnesium, copper, iron, manganese, and phosphorous. In addition, it is a good source of monounsaturated fats.

• Miso is rich in vitamin B12, and is available as a paste or soup in supermarkets. Look for a low-sodium variety.

• Natto is a sticky paste made by adding healthy bacteria to lightly cooked soybeans and fermenting. Natto is a powerful food rich in the enzyme nattokinase, which has been shown to reduce the risk of blood clots.

Soy products need to be incorporated into a person’s overall diet in a balanced way - in moderation like all foods. How much a person should eat depends on their unique health needs. If you have any health queries and to find out how nutritional therapy could help support you please get in touch

Read more: Is Soy Safe?

Tofu recipes

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