5 Soy bean myths that you shouldn't believe anymore

Are you a lover of tofu, tempeh, or soy sauce? If so, maybe you are already familiar with the basic ingredients of the three foods, namely soybeans. Yes, soybeans are one type of legume that is good for health. However, there are still many dubious soy bean myths in society. Anything, huh?

Myth 1: Soybeans can interfere with fertility

Can eating large amounts of soybeans affect female fertility? Many believe that soybeans contain phytoestrogens, which are natural chemical compounds that may interfere with the endocrine system and cause fertility problems.

In fact, various other studies actually state that eating soy can properly help women who are preparing for pregnancy. This statement is reinforced by a study conducted in the long term, which found that women who consume large amounts of animal protein sources (meat, dairy products, or eggs) are more at risk of experiencing fertility problems compared to eating plant-based protein sources.

In fact, the researchers concluded that adding one serving of nuts, including soybeans, peas, and processed soybeans regularly in a daily portion of food is good for women's reproductive health. So, this soy bean myth is not proven true.

Myth 2: Soybeans are not a good source of protein

In fact, soybeans are able to supply large amounts of protein with calories that are much lower than animal protein sources. Not only that, soybeans also contain all kinds of essential amino acids that the body needs, are rich in fiber, antioxidants, cholesterol free, and do not contain saturated fats that are usually found in animal products.

That is why, soybeans are predicted as a food source that is rich in various important nutrients. Even if you cook a cup of soybeans, it will contribute 22 grams of protein to the body, which is almost the same as eating a serving of meat steak.

Myth 3: Soybeans can cause breast cancer

Not a few people doubt the benefits of soy because of the phytoestrogen content in it. This is because phytoestrogens, which have a structure similar to estrogen, are known to trigger the growth of cancer cells in the body. Of course this is a myth of wrong soybeans.

Various studies have shown that eating large amounts of soybeans will not increase the growth of breast cancer in women. On the contrary, soybeans are believed to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Reporting from the WebMD page, a study conducted on 73,000 women in China found that women who consumed at least 13 grams of soy a day (about one to two servings of soybeans) had an 11 percent lower risk of breast cancer than women who ate less than 5 grams of soy per day. day.

According to dr. Marleen Mayers, head of the Langone Medical Center cancer program in the US, says that some people who eat large amounts of soy from a young age are better protected from developing breast cancer later in life.

This statement is also reinforced by an analysis of 8 studies which showed that women who ate large amounts of soybeans were 29 percent less likely to develop disease than women who only ate less soybeans.

Myth 4: Breast cancer patients should not eat soy

Have you ever heard of this soy bean myth? Yes, some people suggest avoiding soybeans while undergoing breast cancer treatment. But again, you shouldn't just believe this.

The reason is, a study conducted on 9,500 women in the United States and China proved that women who regularly ate soy had a reduced risk of cancer recurring by up to 25 percent compared to women who only ate small amounts of soy.

Apart from fresh soybeans, some processed soy foods that were involved in the study were tofu and soy milk.

Myth 5: Men shouldn't eat soy

It turns out that the soy bean myth does not only lurk women. The content of phytoestrogens in soy has also been linked to decreased testosterone levels in men. Men who eat large amounts of soy tend to have lower (but still within normal limits) sperm concentrations than men who don't eat soy.

Even so, the research that proves this is still very limited and only a few in number. In fact, the researchers noted that there were other factors such as obesity and overweight that most of the men with relatively low sperm counts had.

This statement is supported by nutritionist Nancy Chapman, RD, MPH, who states that there is no relationship between eating soy and sperm quality and male fertility. What's more, research conducted by Chavarro and his colleagues shows that it is not soy that causes a decrease in sperm count in men, but rather excess body weight and an overall unhealthy lifestyle.

That is why, there is no strong evidence that says soy can reduce male fertility. So, for men who like to eat fresh soybeans and various other processed soybeans, you don't need to worry anymore.

Quoted from the Huffington Post, men can actually get many good benefits from eating soybeans, one of which can reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

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