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There are some people who are of the opinion that soy use in young children is not healthy. As you may know, soy foods are a rich source of isoflavones, naturally occurring plant chemicals which can affect hormones in the body. Therefore, in young children one has to wonder how the isoflavones are impacting long-term development and sexual maturation that are mediated via hormones.

However, this is a highly debatable question to which nobody really knows the answer. As far as a numerical recommendation for how much soy is safe in the diet, we have not seen this available at this time. We are sure that in the years to come more research will be done on soy food use in young children.

There is not enough hard evidence to make a definitive statement about the health effects of soy-based estrogens on cancer risk. Some observational studies have found that women who consumed the most plant-based estrogens have a lower risk of breast cancer than women who consumed the least. But there is also a theoretical concern that those compounds may stimulate tumor growth in women who have estrogen-responsive breast cancer, particularly postmenopausal women. Researchers around the world are currently evaluating this possibility.

The best way to gauge your soy protein intake is to read labels on the foods that you eat. Soyfoods are not consistent in their nutritional value. A ¼ cup of roasted soynuts from one manufacturer can be quite different than another manufacturer. In the U.S. foods must be labeled with a Nutrition Label that you should find on the side of the soyfoods that you eat.

There are many food products available that contain soy protein and isoflavones. Some good choices include soy powder shakes (isolated soy protein), soy milk, tofu, soy cheese, meat alternatives (like soy burgers, soy sausage, soy bacon, etc.), soy cereal and soy snack bars. The best source of isoflavones is whole soybeans that have either been roasted or boiled. You can find many of these products in your local supermarket or health food store. Tofu, soy cheese, and tempeh can be found in the produce section while many frozen soy meat alternatives can be found in the frozen food case. Silk soy milk can be found in the dairy case, but most soymilks are in asceptic, non-refrigerated locations for, and a variety of other soy products.

We recommend that individuals start by including one serving or 6-7 grams of soy protein and 14-15 milligrams of isoflavones in their diet. They can work up to including 25 grams of soy protein and 50 milligrams of isoflavones in their diet. We believe this may be the optimal level of isoflavones needed to achieve health benefits related to heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, kidney disease, and menopausal symptoms.

The following are some ways to incorporate soy into your diet:

•	Roasted soynuts are whole soybeans that have been soaked in water and then baked until browned. These nuts are high in protein and isoflavones and taste similar to peanuts.
•	Green vegetable soybeans (edamame) are large soybeans that have been harvested when the beans are still green and have a sweet taste. They are high in protein and fiber and contain no cholesterol.
•	Soy milk is a good substitute for cow's milk. It is the fluid produced when soybeans are soaked, ground fine and strained. It is packaged in an aseptic container so it does not require refrigeration until after it is opened Soy milk is often fortified with calcium and other nutrients, in particular B-vitamins and is a great alternative for those who are lactose intolerant or vegetarians.
•	Many veggie burgers are made from soy protein, in particular, soy protein isolate or soy protein concentrate. Veggie burgers taste excellent and are easy to incorporate into your diet.
•	Soy flour, found in most supermarkets, is made from roasted soybeans. Soy flour is gluten-free; therefore it does not produce a product with the same structure as does yeast-raised breads. Consequently, soy flour cannot replace all of the wheat or rye flour in a bread recipe. For each cup of flour called for use ¼ cup soy flour and ¾ cup wheat flour (all-purpose or whole wheat). In addition, soy flour can be used as an egg-replacement. Replace one egg with 1 tablespoon soy flour and 1 tablespoon water. This is a healthy, cholesterol-free egg substitute.

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