Skip the edamame
Do you ever take blurbs like this seriously when you read them in magazines? (This is from the November issue of InStyle – I know, I need to find better sources for this stuff!)
I usually don’t, but this one caught my attention – they are taking smack about my beloved soy!
Okay, seriously, I do eat at least one serving of soy each day. Sometimes two! And I did forget to send my parents their anniversary card this year.*
Okay, I can’t take it seriously.
But this made me want to ask, do any of you eat soy products? Ever? Do non-vegetarians eat soy products on a regular basis? What a dumb question to ask, but I am wondering, because most restaurants and manufacturers (like Boca, Gardenburger, Morningstar, etc.) promote soy products as “nutritious,” as well as being vegetarian. These products are promoted as a “healthy alternative.” But I’ve always wondered if anyone eats them… besides us vegetarians!
*I am in charge of two things at home “Sentiment Manager” – keeping track of birthdays, anniversaries and holidays so we can send cards, gifts, etc. and “Scent Manager” – purchasing good- smelling things for the house (candles and wallflowers from Yankee Candle). We joke that I am in charge of things that begin with “s(c)ent.”
Themocracy
I use soy protein powder in a lot of things, drink soymilk b/c I am lactose intolerant, and yes, I like veggie patties even though I have no problem with meat. 🙂
The only bad thing I’ve heard is that it can mess with your estrogen and promote weight gain, but it doesn’t happen to everyone and you have to really ingest an awful lot of it.
I love soy. I guess it goes back to my vegetarian days. I always blame my lack of memory on my head injury but I guess now I can also attribute it to soy. I’m still going to eat it damn it!
I love edamame! However, I don’t eat it or other soy products probably more than once a week at the absolute most.
I avoid soy products because of the phytoestrogens in it – my breast cancer is fueled by hormones. But other than that my only concern with it is that it is over produced – it is depleting the soil and the earth because greedy people want to keep mass growing it. If you want soy products, go for organic. At least that way it is grown in a sustainable way. I am mostly vegetarian and although it is really hard to avoid soy – it’s in almost everything when you read labels – LOL, I am able to do it if I don’t mind making certain things from scratch. 🙂 I am aware it has it’s health benefits but sometimes I think the Asian diet is more healthy not because of the soy but because of the low fat and the high vegetable content. Sunshine Burgers and a few others like Amy’s California burger do NOT have soy in them at all in case anyone wanted a soy free burger to try.
diane – What do you mean, you “use soy protein powder in a lot of things”? Like to cook? That sounds interesting! Or do you take it with a drink mix for protein? I hadn’t heard the thing about weight gain or estrogen. Actually, that surprises me.
sizzle – I bet if we tried hard enough, we could find funny medical excuses for all of our shortcomings. “Oh, I forgot to pick you up because I ate a soyjoy and forgot what I was doing!” 😉
Jenn – I have only had edamame twice! But I was hooked the first time 😀
teeni – Oh my gosh! I didn’t realize any of that! I mean, I could of guessed that it was being overproduced. Hmm. Maybe I will try those brands and do a bit of research. Thanks for sharing that with me.
Oops – I didn’t mean to scare you – there are admittedly good benefits from using it in your diet. I just think too many times people concentrate on all these health claims for it but overlook other things. It is used a lot differently in other cultures than it is here in America and there are a lot of by products from it that are used in processed foods, like lecithin and mono & di glycerides. So I just mention it so everyone can make informed decisions. 🙂 Edamame is probably one of the healthiest ways of eating it since it is whole.
um, i don’t know that i eat anything with soy in it… not knowingly anyways, but on the same hand, i don’t “discriminate” against it… this reminds me of the whole deoderant/anti-persperant causes cancer thing… personally i think that anyone can find something wrong with any and everything if you look hard enough… at the risk of this sounding horrible, and without any thoughts on how to rephrase it at this time, if forgetting your parents anniversary card is the “biggest” thing you’ve forgotten you’re doing a hell of a lot better than me (being a non-soy person!) (don’t take that the wrong way- that forgetting your parents anniversary card isn’t a big deal, i’m just trying to say that it could be a whole lot worse!!)
that cracks me up that you’re in charge of things that begin with s(c)ent!!! OMG!!! i almost rolled out of my chair!!!!
=^..^=
People get a ton of soy and most never even know it. I try to avoid it if I can, because I actually have a mild allergy to it, and I’ve read enough things about it to put me off, but the fact is that most of us get it anyway.
I’m not vegeterian, but I eat soy. Daily! We actually switched from drinking milk to drinking soy milk. Love it. Put it in my oatmeal everyday. In cereal on the weekends. Have a glass of the chocolatey stuff at night from time to time. And ALWAYS order me up some edamame when I’m eating Japanese. Yumm!
I’m not a vegetarian, but I like Morningstar’s grillers and fake chicken pieces for a quick sandwich/burger that allows me to skip handling raw meat. I tried Soy milk years ago but didn’t really care for it. The soy cheese I tried was horrible. No more fake cheese for me!
I like the morningstar chicken nuggety things and their soy version of ground beef. I can’t do tofu because the texture grosses me out:( I haven’t tried edamame yet but it’s on my list of things to try. I’m not sure why I try the soy stuff, I’m a meat and potatoes kinda gal. Just thought I’d give it a shot and I’ve liked it.
??? what are they talking about and why are they trying to link soy and memory? personally I love edamame, as do my daughters and we are definately carnivores. in our house we eat food that tastes good and most of it 95+% happens to be considered healthy. it is not uncommon for us to have vegetarian meals.
we like black bean burgers and have tried boca burgers but without the “fixins” they are a little dry for our taste (sometimes my pantry is not fully stocked) . . . maybe I forgot to stock it from consuming too much soy
oy vay 🙂
teeni – Sometimes things are touted as healthy before we get a chance to look into it further. I hear what you are saying. Maybe it is time for a reread of Marion Nestle’s What to Eat.
CourtneyInControl – You’re so right. It all goes back to “everything’s okay in moderation.” Well, almost everything. Thanks for laughing at my joke.
Kyra – I am going to start reading labels more closely and see what else it is in! 🙂
Nilsa – I really like soymilk too. I don’t drink it out of the glass, but love it on cereal. And… it doesn’t make me feel as awful as real milk! 😉
claire – We keep talking about trying the fake cheese for fun. But I can’t imagine it is any good! And you bring up a good point – it’s all very easy to prepare!
em – I am happy you give it a shot! We have found out we LOVE Trader Joe’s fake chicken nuggets.
de – We have found a few ways to make boca so that they are not dry. It’s tricky 😉
I’m a big fan of Gardenburger and off tofu, too. Just don’t like to touch tofu…
hehe me and your blog are having comment issues 🙂
I don’t eat soy reg. but I am lactose intorlerant so I do eat it occasioinally. I have CRS (can’t remember stuff) and I don’t think it is related LOL 🙂
Gina (Mannyed) – Yeah, the silky kind is kind of nasty!
Felicia – CRS! ha. I am going to use that acronym now.
Oh goodness! If soy consumption decreases your memory I would not even be able to tell you my name! Soy substitution in our cooking is the key to Adam and I being able to eat the same dinner every night! Ground Boca + Taco seasoning = Vegetarian Dinner that Adam recognizes as food. So I guess that also qualifies Adam as a non-vegetarian that eats soy products. We have tried them all! I do have a lousy memory though!
I LOVE edamame and eat it all the time. And memory? I have no trouble at all wi … wait, what? Srry I forgot what i was going to say.
Can’t stand soy products. But I love the edamame… LOVE them (just like Catherine does)
Amy Kincaid – I like how you said that “Vegetarian dinner that Adam recognizes as food”! 😀 Do you use it for convenience, or health or do you just like the taste? That’s cool that you two are into soy products 🙂
Catherine – LOL! 😛
martymankins – Do they taste too “fake” to you? Or would you just rather eat “the real thing”?