Is Soy a Miracle Food?

Vegetarian cooking and soy seem to be two words that go together naturally. You’ve probably heard that soy is a traditional food in China, Japan and other Asian countries and has been eaten for thousands of years.

Yes, it has been eaten in some form for perhaps just the last thousand years but as a condiment not a staple. Most Asian peoples considered soy to be something to be eaten if they couldn’t afford meat.

Today, soy is recommended for women going through menopause because of the high plant-form of estrogen levels found in it called ‘phytoestrogens’. They’re touted as a natural relief for hot flashes and even put in creams and applied topically.

What you might not know is all that estrogen in soy can also lower the production of testosterone.

Vegetarian monks in Buddhist monasteries noticed that the more tofu consumed, the easier it was for them to maintain sexual abstinence.  For them, tofu was a blessing. Not only was it a cheap source of protein but it also aided their spiritual development. As more tofu that was consumed, the monk’s testosterone levels dropped allowing them to focus on the spiritual path to enlightenment. Very convenient  - if you’re a monk.

In recent years, vegetarians have come to believe soy products are the solution to the protein dilemma posed by not eating meat. Imitation meat products made from soy protein isolate have become commonplace. These products are highly processed and made from the sludge left over after extracting the oil. They’re a long cry from traditional soy products eaten in Asian countries.

A vegetarian meal needs to be carefully planned to include balanced proteins from plant sources without relying so heavily on soy. There is no need to purchase the expensive veggie burgers or tofurkey being marketed to us by the soy industry. Let’s stay as close to nature as possible!