Soybeans are particularly good at
producing seeds more protein-rich than most
other legumes (and all grains). This makes
them ideal for large-scale production but does
not automatically make them a healthy food
choice! You see, soybeans contain compounds
called isoflavones, which are types of
phytoestrogens (phyto meaning “plant,”
estrogen as in that female sex hormone).
These phytoestrogens are recognized by
our bodies—male and female alike—as a
female reproductive hormone. Got that? Our
bodies recognize these phytoestrogens as
estrogen! Some phytoestrogens act to
stimulate estrogen receptors in the body,
while others block the estrogen receptor. The
effects of soy phytoestrogens are tissue-
specific, meaning that the effect on one tissue
(such as breast tissue) is totally different than
on another tissue (such as uterine tissue or
prostate tissue).
You may have heard that “soy is heart