The KInd Life Community Forum

I am always wondering that too. When I try to research on the internet I find alot of conflicting info. I understand staying away from the processed stuff because it is processed. They don't sell the vegan cheeses near me, which is probably good because I would want to eat it and it is probably highly processed also. But I think tofu is fine. I mean it is a big staple in the Japanese diet and I think they have a low cancer rate. I would be curious to hear what others say about tofu and soymilk. I use Almond milk on my cereal, but my sister uses soymilk everyday on hers.

I second Sarah, search the other threads. Miso, tempeh, and shoyu are the better sources of soy. Tofu is more processed, but a couple of times a week is probably okay for most people. Once you start getting into the soy milk, cheese, faux meats, those are ridiculously processed and should be consumed in moderation. Remember that if you do choose soy, you should choose organic, because otherwise, a lot of it, like corn, contains GMOs.

There are many other options for milk and cheese - almond, rice, coconut, oat, hazelnut, hemp. If you are trying to go vegan, or just kick the cheese habit, READ LABELS - most faux cheese contains casein, which is an animal product found in real cheese, and can keep those addictive pathways in your brain working.

Hope that helps some. I personally eat tofu rarely, I prefer tempeh and eat it more often, but still eat that only rarely, just because I prefer other beans and lentils. I almost never use soy milk, I choose other alternatives. Cheese - pretty much useless to me. I, like most, used to love cheese, but now I have actually come to find even the smell gross. And I just think of the whole blood and puss thing with milk, and the poor cows who are kept lactating unnaturally, and I really, really, really find milk and cheese gross.

You could try Daiya cheese, but not a lot of nutrition. Sunshine burgers are really yummy, contain no soy, and have really clean ingredients. Compare their ingredients to other veg burgers. But again, if you are consuming in moderation and not every day, it shouldn't be a problem.

I found these sources to be compelling

http://www.thefactsaboutsoy.com/index.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/01/anti-soya-brigade-ignore-scaremongering/print

http://natures-express.blogspot.com/2009/12/soy-is-healthy-in-breast-cancer.html

I have been vegan for over 20 years, and used soy as a big staple - and then developed a lot of health issues last year. Was tested for food sensitivities and came up positive for soy - completely eliminated it from my diet for the past 6 months and its made a big difference. Based on that went the same route with my mom - she eats a lot of soy but has a super clean organic vegan diet - who had come out of remission with her rheumatoid arthritis last year. Took her off of soy and wheat. Literally overnight her symptoms - horrible pain and grossly swollen feet/hands improved vastly.

So yes, we can argue soy is good/soy is bad til the cows come home, but the truth is soy is in EVERYTHING - its not just the soy milk/cheese or the tofu you might eat - if you read labels you will see it in many forms everywhere, and it is a very allergenic food. People who eat a lot of soy as part of their culture tend to rely more on fermented foods like miso, soy sauce and tempeh.

So based on all of that - even if you love your soy and eat it day and night, be careful because over time there is a chance you will start having problems with it. Its best to not eat any food too much (except maybe kale!), and not to rely on processed foods except for an occasional treat.

If I do introduce soy into my diet again, I will do it in fermented forms and only once or twice a week with foods like tofu or soy cheese only once in a blue moon.

I agree with other posters that minimally processed soy, in moderation, is okay. It is easy to over-do soy, but if you follow TKD and eat lots of fresh veggies and whole grains it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I found a great rice milk that I like to keep on hand for cooking and smoothies. And it doesn't need to be refrigerated until you open it, which makes it easier to just keep on hand.

I prefer barley miso, and have been wanting to try the brown rice miso. They are good replacements for soy miso.

Other than that, I may have organic tofu occasionally. I try not to have more than one type of soy product per week (eg. if I make a dish that uses a box of tofu, or if I make the soy creme from TKD) and that's it except for shoyu. Of course, there are times when I'm feeling lazy and will eat Tofurkey sandwiches for lunch all week; but even then, I try not to eat any other kind of soy.