There has been a lot of controversy about whether soy is safe. I believe that soy is very safe, especially when used in moderation. There have been many, high-quality studies showing soy’s safety for short-term use. Now there is a reliable study showing that soy is safe for postmenopausal woman when taken long-term.
Many midlife women take soy supplements and eat foods containing soy to alleviate menopausal symptoms. They prefer this to taking traditional hormone therapy.
Soy contains phytoestrogens, which are plant compounds that have structural similarity with estrogen. Soy contains an active substance called soy isoflavones, which is very unique because it adapts to the body’s needs for estrogen.
People who worry about soy’s safety are concerned about its estrogenic activity. Certain tissues, like breast and uterine, have estrogen receptors. If these receptors are over-stimulated, it may increase your risk of cancer.
