Soy is a very versatile legume for our diet. More and more people are adding the soy drink to your diet regularly. However, consumption in the form of plant-based milk and tofu can produce a number of side effects. especially if consumed en excess. What are the risks and benefits? We tell you!
Soy drink for everyone
The calls vegetable milks are booming. According to a study carried out by Proveg International, 43% of Europeans already consume it on a regular basis. The majority is soy drink. But it is not the only one of its kind. There is also almond or oat milk, for example.
The figure is close to the data that a similar study shows from United States, 50% consumption of this type of drink. However, we are still far from the percentages managed by Asia. The normal figure in the diets of our neighbors is 66% consumption. These data should lead us to understand that the risks of soy drink would be more evident in the Asian population. However, it is not so. And this needs to be nuanced.
There are several elements that could influence the results of the surveys if they have not been previously taken into account. The first thing is to clarify that the consumption of soy milk It shouldn't be harmful, as long as it's taken in moderation. The example is between 200 and 300 milliliters daily. Soy could also have efectos positivos on people over 50 years of age. This is due to the presence of a component in the soy beverage: phytostrogens.
The presence of phytostrogens in soy beverages
This component of foods with soy increases the Bone density of consumers. This translates into a lower risk of bone diseases such as osteoporosis. It has been observed that people who follow a diet rich in soy, such as the Japanese, have a lower incidence of this type of disorder.
Another benefit of soy drink is the reduction of the possibility of suffering from breast cancer in women. Specifically, the probability is between five and eight times lower than in Europe. And not just breast cancer. There is also a reduction in ovarian cancer. It has been recommended as alternative to estrogen therapies to treat disorders caused by menopause.
On the contrary, these phytostrogens they also have a role in endocrine disruptors. It has been proven that a glass of soy milk provides approximately 40 mg of phytostrogens. And this is the greatest danger. When we drink beverages made from soy, we shoot the consumption of phytostrogens above what is recommended. The three main effects that this could cause us are a temporary reduction in fertility, a loss of body mass and a reduction in the quality of semen and eggs.
No need to be alarmed
It should be noted that we are referring to a consumption extremely excessive soy milk and derivatives. Soy milk has been around for quite a few years now. Soy drink gained more popularity outside the Asian-American community when the mainstream media in the US began to promocionar the health benefits of soy in the 1990s.
Thirty years later, the offer of alternatives to milk of animal origin is really overwhelming. The current public favorite is oat and coconut milk, due in part to the bad reputation it has had lately. However, as long as we consume with moderation, we can enjoy the resources that this drink offers us. Especially if we are looking for a tasty alternative to animal milk.
And you? Did you already consume any kind of milk substitute? Did you know these characteristics of soy milk?
