Is Soy Good For You

Soy has been widely touted to be the protein boost for vegetarians. And while it is true that few things exist in a vegetarian diet that can contribute as many proteins as soybean does, research is now bringing out the dark side of this bean.

Facts About Soy

Like we all know, soy has a high content of proteins like no other vegetarian product does. Hair being a protein again, I must say that indirectly enough, soy can do your hair some good. Well, researchers seem to think soy is indeed, good for your skin, based on the fact that women who consumed a soybeans product ended up with better skin than their counterparts in the research.

Apart from this, soy products have a lower fat and calorie content and hence are healthy for you. Soy helps reduce cholesterol so your heart probably loves it. Soy also contains a high amount of fiber, so a dollop of soy for breakfast will keep you full for a long time and help you resist the temptations of junk food. Among the less talked about benefits of soy is the calcium content in soy which promotes healthy bones and teeth.

Soy contains isoflavones which supposedly help reduce risks of getting breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer. And most widely known, for those who are lactose intolerant or diabetic, soy milk is their knight in shining armor as soy milk is a remarkably wonderful product for these people.

The Dark Underbelly

This bean sounds wonderful doesn't it? Makes you want to eat bucketfuls of the stuff? Well, this is where the benefits of soy products end and the dark facet emerges. Over the years, as the popularity of soy has held fort for the above mentioned benefits, researchers have also discovered several ill effects of soy which offset the gains. Excessive consumption of soy apparently seems to contribute too much estrogen into our bodies. So, eating too much soy might make men a bit more 'in touch with their feminine side'. Other things associated with soy milk is that the estrogen level spike in the male body leads to growth of breasts in men and a marked reduction in sexual prowess.

Other more disturbing researches show that over-consumption of soy in infant and children may lead to more than just effeminacy. Researchers claim that too much estrogen in men might make them think and act like women and slowly make them infertile. So it seems like over-consumption of soy is terrible for men on account of the estrogen levels. But it must be terrific for women right? Wrong. Like a rationed and rational consumption of soy helps avoid cancer, over-consumption can lead to stimulation of growth of cancerous cells in females.

To conclude, I would just like the state the importance of the word 'over-consumption' here. You've probably heard that bit about, too much of a good thing. So while soy stands to bequeath its range of benefits to its more level headed consumer, it can also harm someone who abuses it. So while soy in moderation can be beneficial to your health, too much of it may cause a few health problems.