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5 Soy myths, busted!

Is it a super-powered health booster or a dangerous health risk? Does it prevent cancer or cause it? We’re getting to the bottom of those soy myths, once and for all.

1 Soy causes breast cancer

Most experts agree that one to two servings of soy foods a day is healthy. Even the American Cancer Society maintains that “moderate consumption of soy foods appears dafe for both breast cancer survivors and the general population.” However, the jury is still out on soy supplements, which are highly concentrated.

2 Soy allergies are common

Studies show only four in every 1 000 children develop allergies to it; most grow out of it by age 10 (though it’s not unheard of for adults to develop it later). Rarely, people will tolerate soy but react poorly to the protein isolate, found in some processed foods.

3 Eating soy is great for your heart

Although earlier research suggested that soy could reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol by almost 15%, recent studies have shown it to be more like 5%. According to the American Heart Association, “the direct cardiovascular health benefit of soy protein or soy supplements is minimal at best”.

4 Soy can mess with your fertility

The isoflavones in soy have like potential to affect fertility, but only if you’re consuming more than about eight servings a day. “A normal diet that’s rich in soy foods is going to be fine,” says Dr. Carmen Williams, a reproductive and developmental biologist.

5 If it’s genetically modified then it’s bad for you

Most soybean crops are genetically modified to resist agricultural herbicides. “But genetic engineering doesn’t affect the composition of the proteins or nutritional content of the seeds,” explains Dr. Bob Goldberg, a molecular, cell and developmental biologist at the University of California. “There have been hundreds of papers in the peer-reviewed literature that concludes the beans and other genetically modified foods on the market are safe.”

Looking for more health and diet advice? This is what you really need to know about gluten and here’s the naked truth about those ‘healthy’ oils

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