The Soy Debate...

While eating lunch with a group of co-workers, the topic of interest quickly turned to what I was eating for lunch. They ask: "What's that?" My usual response: "A fake chicken patty…" Their response: "It’s not real meat?" My response: "No, it’s made from Soy." And they think… hmmm... that actually looks edible. Then, the topic of what I'm eating usually ends there.

I’ve been a vegetarian for 10 years… Actually, to be more specific, I am a Lacto-ovo vegetarian since I eat dairy. And, recently, I attempted to eat fish (Although, I haven’t eaten it for 5 months; it’s an adjustment.), but I still consider myself a vegetarian. (Not like my friend in 12th grade who said she was a vegetarian but still ate ham; she loved ham.) I never eat meat, and don’t think I ever will. So, I rely on Soy based foods to get the nutrients I need.

Imagine my surprise when the topic of conversation turned from what was on my plate into a debate on Soy. Someone (who I’ve never eaten lunch with before) says: “Soy’s actually really bad for you, especially women, you are not supposed to eat a lot of it. Otherwise it could do real serious damage to your health.” Huh? Whaaat? Excuse Me?

So, I looked at him and said: (I tried to seem nonchalant about it.)

“Really?? I’ve been a vegetarian for 9 years, and I’ve never heard that.”

So, in turn he says: “I was a vegetarian for 3 years,” (I’ve already got 6+ years on him.) “and did all sorts of research on what constitutes a healthy vegetarian diet.” He also mentioned that he was able to find plenty of alternatives to Soy, and said:

“You just eat lots of vegetables.”

Which, truly, I can agree with- vegetables are obviously important in a vegetarian diet… but, really? For every meal? Almost impossible for me! This is usually how my meals go:

Breakfast: I quickly warm up a Morningstar(Which is a great brand of soy based products… they make everything from fake bacon, hot dogs, burgers, even cheese dogs.) Sausage Patty. Or, I’ll drink a cup of Chocolate Soy Milk.

Lunch: A Morningstar Chicken Patty w/ a string cheese and Wheat Thins. Or, I’ll make a fake turkey sandwich on wheat bread with an apple.

Dinner: Tacos with Morningstar Crumblers, ( which is their take on ground beef… it’s yummy.) don’t worry Jeffrey gets the real deal. But, he too loves the sausages- just the other night we made lasagna with the fake sausage- it was goo-od!

So, can you imagine how I felt when someone, who I didn't know, tells me that everything I’m putting into my body is damaging my health? (And, the thing that really drove me crazy was that he read it somewhere, but couldn’t remember where he read it. Oh, but he does have a friend who told him the exact same thing.)

After lunch, I thought, pulease… he knows nothing. I’ve been a vegetarian long enough to know that Soy is, in fact, very beneficial to women. Soy is a great alternative to something chalked full of fat. What’s healthier: a greasy hamburger, or a soy, grease-free burger? Easy. SOY!

But, for whatever reason, his take on Soy kept irking me. So, over the past few days, I’ve been doing some research…

Recent research has shown that what was previously found a few years ago claiming that Soy is a miraculous bean that can help save women from breast cancer, and even be a good alternative to hormone-replacement for the relief of symptoms in menopause, have indeed changed. A lot of studies show mixed reviews… Britain even recently took back claims of how beneficial soy is in kid’s diets.

I know there is still a lot to read and learn, but this article summarized what I think is most important:

Moderation in all things.

Even fake meat things.

So, I'm determined to eat more vegetables, and not rely strictly on a fake chicken patty for lunch just because it’s easy … I mean- there are PB&J’s (though, I’m not a fan of Goobers…), burritos with black beans, salads with kidney and garbanzo beans… And much more… I just need to be creative.

I’ll be keeping up on my research as the Soy Debate continues. (And, remind me not to sit with what’s-his-name at lunch. The other day he even made fun of the fact that I enjoy Salt-n-Vinegar Chips, too.)

And, yes, my love for Soy will still continue. Maybe I’ll even invest in a bumper sticker that reads:

“There is no mad Soy disease.”