Lately I've been hearing a lot of soy buzz... "it throws your estrogen levels out of whack and wreaks havoc on your hormones".  "The ony GOOD soy is fermented, like tofu".  I love tofu, Silk and Tofutti products and even Veggiedogs or Tofurkey.... but is there any truth to this stuff I'm being told or reading?  And if so, how do I know which one's are "good" or "bad"?

Karmen - try using the search function to find the other threads about soy, they'll provide many links for you. Also, have you read The Kind Diet? I think Alicia really puts it best in that you should really limit overly processed soy products (or any overly processed products for that matter) and that it's okay to have organic tofu and tempeh a few times a week (but some people eat tofu every day).

Oh, and last I read, though it may have changed, Silk soy milk, unless organic, is processed using a chemical. Organic soy products, and Turtle Mountain products, should be free of this chemical processing.

Tempeh is fermented actually, tofu is not.  Tempeh has tons of benefits that tofu doesn't and less of some of the negatives.

Well I've just started readin into The Kind Life this week... I suppose I haven't gotten far enough into it.  My mother, who has read tons of diet related books, LOVES to stop me and fill me in on HER thoughts/findings.  So far she's brought up the soy issue a few times... more recently dioxin has become a debate, but I don't have nearly the amount of knowledge about it to counter her arguements.  I have said I would like to try devoting myself to "The Kind Life" diet for a bit and then see how I feel.  In the meantime i want to try to absorb as much information as I can about "properly" adapting this diet to my cold Canadian lifestyle... my mother ASSURES me this is why we should eat animal proteins. (She only buys straight from farmers once assured of unethical treatments/grass fed "happy" animals).

I think all processed food should be limited or eliminated from the diet, whether it contains soy or not.

I also see many internet scare tactics regarding soy. Much of it was started by a pro-meat group called the Weston A Price Foundation. They are pretty much anti vegan too.

Karmen - I have seen plenty of Canadians on here, so you're not alone! Like Dian said, a lot of it is scare tactics, much from WPA like she said, If you can find those other threads, there is mroe info about it.

I used to eat lots of edamame and a few processed soy products, not to mention a lot of products that had soy in it. However, while I was doing research regarding PCOS (polycistic ovarian syndrome) I found multiple sources stating that women with hormonal inbalance should avoid soy. I haven't had any in 3 months and it's AMAZING how my symptoms have gone away. The only problem is that I now have to find a tofu/soy substitute for all the yummy recipes that i'm finding :-/  If you don't suffer from a hormonal issue, then it's fine in moderation, and should always be organic and not over processed (like fake chicken, sausage, hot dogs, etc). Miso is your best bet.

I agree that processed foods - soy or not - should not be used or only as "treats".  The soy debate is confusing. There is also a chemical that is often used in the processing of soy which is not good - can't think of the name!  But I believe organic products are safer for that (and other!) reasons.  I like what Terry Waters says in her great cookbook "clean food" - one of the few vegan cookbooks that does not rely heavily on soy products:

"The protein makeup of soy is particularly hard to digest and assimilate.  It is high in phytic acid, which prevents our bodies from absorbing essential minerals such as calcium and iron.  Soybeans also contain goitrogens, which interfere with thyroid function by suppressing the body's use of iodine.  It is, however, widely believed that slow cooking and fermenting soy neutralizes its high acid levels, allowing us to access its health benefits with less concern over its health risks.  Therefor, when it comes to managing soy intake, you can eliminate many of these concerns by sticking with organic, fermented or slowly cooked soy products prepared with kombu and consumed in medicinal quantities based on your unique constitution.