Happy Soy Month!
Did you know that April is National Soy Month? To be honest, I didn’t know this either until very recently. So, why does soy even need a whole month dedicated to it? There are many misconceptions surrounding soy and today we’re going to address some of these.
First off, what is soy?
Soy products all originate from the same place - the soybean. This includes edamame, which are simply immature soybeans. Soy comes in many forms but most people are more familiar with soy milk, tofu, and soy sauce. Other products include tempeh, miso, soy butter, soy yogurt, and even soy puddings!
Soy is a good source of protein, fiber, and many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants! According to the FDA, soy foods consumed in moderation are safe for everyone, aside from those with an allergy to soy.
Fact or Myth? Soy is a complete protein
Fact!
Although most complete protein sources are meats, soy products are also complete proteins. In other words, they provide all nine essential amino acids in one food item. Vegetarians and vegans are able to get complete proteins from soy products, quinoa, chia seeds, and several other sources. They can also combine multiple ‘incomplete proteins’ to form ‘complete proteins.’ One example of this could be pairing rice and beans to have all essential amino acids in one meal.
While soy products are a great way for vegetarians and vegans to get complete proteins, they can (and should!) be consumed by those who eat meat too as they have many great health benefits and are not exclusively a substitute for meat.
Fact or Myth? Soy increases estrogen levels
Myth!
There is a (very false) belief that soy products increase estrogen levels in the body. This misconception is rooted in the fact that soy contains isoflavones, which are a type of plant estrogen. However, the research done on the effects of soy consumption on human estrogen levels has shown that there is no connection between soy and estrogen changes in the body. Even the American Cancer Society supports soy consumption, “the estrogen effects of soy seem to either have no effect at all, or to reduce breast cancer risk.” Ultimately, soy is considered safe and even healthy for human consumption.
Fact or Myth? Tofu tastes bad…
Both!
Taste preferences are subjective and depend on the individual. What I’ve learned most about tofu is that it has to be prepared right. Just like many other foods, it needs to be seasoned to have flavor and needs to be cooked properly. There are tons of blogs and articles you can find online about proper tofu preparation but I’ll give you my favorite tips!
My Tofu Tips
The type of tofu you buy matters significantly. Softer types can be good for smoothies or dips while firm and extra firm are preferred for crispier cooking (grilling, frying, or making stir fry for example)
If using extra firm tofu, you absolutely positively need to drain the liquid out if you want it to get crispy and have good texture. This can be done with a tofu press or, more conveniently, by placing the tofu on a table or in a bowl with paper towels above and below it and a heavy item on top of it to press the liquid out. This should be done for about 15 minutes and the excess liquid can be tossed. Then, tofu can be cubed, sliced, or crumbled depending on the recipe. It is also necessary to season it - this works really great with making or buying a marinade to add flavor. When cooking it, you can add cornstarch onto it to add extra crispiness!
My favorite tofu-cooking-“life-hack” is the freezer method. If you freeze your tofu, thaw it, freeze it again, and thaw it again before cooking it, it will have the best texture yet.
Of course, there are many recipes and cooking tips online that you can try! It can be a lot of trial and error but, with time, my tofu has only turned out better and better. I promise it's worth it!
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