Soy, Chicken, or Soy Chick’n

Meat replacements as stepping stones

Soy: Ahoy, or bon voyage?

The waters are choppy in the Sea of Soy lately…and people wonder why.

Soybeans have been around forever, but in modern days have morphed into just about anything: hot dogs, cheese, chips, mayo, butter, yogurt, pies, and heck, even candlewax.  But I stop and ask myself: Isn’t this a bit excessive?

Being a vegan means that I avoid the consumption and use of all animal products to the best of my ability and within the most practical reasoning.  As a Nutritional Advisor, I prefer to leave highly processed foods out of my food choices as much as possible.  To a large extent, this means that I do not consume soy meats, soy cheese, or other disguised forms of soy as often as I can.  Granted, there are some exceptions to every rule, but in general, I don’t get up in the morning and put soy milk in the cereal containing soy protein, while spreading soy butter on my toast, then proceeding to have soy turkey for lunch with soy mayo, and tofu cutlets for dinner marinated in soy sauce!  Yikes!  That’s a lot of soy in one day.  Right there that’s 7 servings of soy in one day.

When vegans don’t step outside of the soy box, he or she may enter the danger zone and experience Soy Overload.  Watch out!  The thyroid, skin, and hormones will be the first ones to try and tell ya to quit.

But in the meantime, on the flipside, I have lately begun to theorize why the general media is quick to point out the “darkside” of soy.  And how come we as a public have not seen this darkside sooner?  And why is the dark side of soy better known than the dark side of exactly what animals go through to become a dinner?

In response to this, I have a few thoughts.

Overall, even though the numbers are not drastic, more and more people these days are trying to eat healthier.  A shift to a primarily “plant-based diet” has begun in the lives of many.  However, these are the individuals that also, quite likely, are the ones choosing “free-range” meat and dairy products.  The companies play along with this public desire and seem to be appealing their products to the masses in the most pleasing, familiar ways possible.

The whole time these “new and improved” animal products are receiving positive press, soy is bearing the bash of it all—and the truth about factory farming and slaughter remains hushed.  I am firmly convinced this is due to the efforts of marketing groups I wish not to mention, who I feel use this as “bait” to hook the public mind into thinking animal consumption is the only option.

No serious amount of profit is promised with the soybean.  If the public is convinced that soy is no joy, and turn to “lean meats” like chicken and turkey (BTW, this is completely a myth; the effects on the body are the same as “non-lean” meat) then selling animals as food will remain profitable and all the rotting crumbs will remain comfortably under the rug…for now.

Education is knowledge and knowledge is power.  What are you eating for dinner?  Is it death?  Or is it life?  Our parents used to tell us, you are what you eat.  I say, “I am what I eat.  And what I don’t eat!”  If I eat a dead body I become…well…someone who eats dead bodies.  As for me, I think I’ll leave the torture off my plate, pluck some vibrant green leaves, chow down on plant food, and call it a day.

As for the soy, once a day is the max.  Too much of anything is a bad thing.  Too much sugar?  Diabetes and craziness.  Too much protein?  My poor kidneys.  Too much fat?  There goes my arteries and my gall bladder.  Too much soy?  An irregular menstrual cycle, disproportionate estrogen in both males and females, and a thyroid gland on a roller coaster.  No thanks.  But just because the media goes around bashing soy, just remember, the bean probably established it’s own reputation because of each individual’s choice to overuse something that was never meant to be over consumed.

Am I going to eat green beans 7 times a day?  No.
Am I going to eat oranges 7 times a day?  Definitely not.
Then why would I eat soy 7 times a day?
Green beans and oranges are great inclusions of one’s food selections, just not when they’re overdone.
Does it mean never to eat green beans or oranges?  No way!

Processed soy products can be ideal stepping stones when transitioning from eating meat to veganism, but don’t stay on the island for too long; sail on to the Main Land and welcome other non-soy sources of protein, while throwing those processed “first mates” a life line every once in a while.  Bottom line on soy?  Unless you have an allergy, give it a hearty “AHOY!” just do it in moderation, otherwise get the lifeboats ready for bailout!

In the end, soy in moderation when coupled with beans, nuts, seeds, and other plant protein, will float your boat much better than dead meat ever could.  I’d anchor my opinion on that any day!  Bon voyage for now…