FitSugar

DrSugar Answers: Could Soy Cause Acne Outbreaks?

DrSugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:24:16 -0800

DrSugar is in the house and answering your questions.

I am struggling with acne and have been for a while; topical options just don't seem to cut it, and I'm not sure how I feel about antibiotics. Anyway, I eat a lot of soy products and recently have noticed that my acne gets worse during periods when I eat more of them. I've been doing my own research, but the opinions on the web are conflicting. Is there a link between soy and acne?
-Suspicious of Soy

No one likes to deal with blemishes. If you're curious what the doctor has to say about this matter, read more.

When I first received your inquiry, I was not sure about the relationship, so I did an extensive online search of medical databases, including the biggest, PubMed. The search for "soy and acne" returned no relevant papers or articles. Next I went to a reputable online source of medical information called Emedicine and again came up empty-handed. The next place I turned was Google. The search for soy and acne led me to a number of forums, message boards, and health-related websites/blogs. Similar to your experience, I found these sources contain conflicting information. There are quite a few reports of people eliminating soy from their diets and noticing an improvement in their acne. However, there are also a number of websites that actually promote increasing dietary soy to improve acne.

The short answer to your question is no. There is no evidence of a direct link between acne and soy. However, everyone's body is different, and some people may have improved acne by eliminating soy. The only way to know for sure is to try a week or two without soy and see if it helps. Most health professionals, including dermatologists, actually do not believe that there is a strong relationship between food and acne. This is because most old wives' tales about the relationship between acne and foods, such as chocolate, have never been validated by scientific studies. However, this Newsweek article reports a possible link between highly refined carbs (such as bread and pasta) and acne. More well-established causes of acne include bacteria, hormones, stress, and inflammation. Wikipedia actually has a surprisingly good review of the causes of acne and the issues surrounding the relationship between food and acne.

If you have a question for DrSugar, send me a private message here, and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.

Does Eating Soy Cause Breast Cancer?

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0700

I will admit that soy scares me a little. I know it's an inexpensive, cholesterol-free source of protein that can be enjoyed in so many ways from tofu, to soymilk, from edamame, to soy ice cream. I've also heard that eating too much soy has been linked to breast cancer. That's because soy contains phytoestrogens, a group of chemicals that mimic the hormone estrogen. Women need estrogen to regulate their menstrual cycles, have babies, and it's also involved with bone and heart health. Some experts are concerned that these phytoestrogens will stimulate the growth of estrogen-sensitive cancers since high exposures of estrogen over a woman's lifetime are linked with an increased risk for breast cancer. Others may argue that these plant-based estrogens may actually prevent breast cancer since they block the activity of the stronger human estrogen.

So what's a soy lover to do? To find out read more.

A recent Japanese study found that there could be a potential benefit to eating soybean products for breast cancer prevention. This was just a single study conducted with 4,000 women, but definitely a great start to help figure out the connection between soy and breast cancer. I'm not quite convinced yet though since there's no clear evidence that the phytoestrogens in soy products cause or prevent breast cancer. I'm going to stick with what the experts are suggesting, and just enjoy soy products in moderation.

Tofu vs. Sprouted Tofu

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0700

Even though I am not a vegetarian, I am still trying to eat less meat. So it makes me happy to see tofu becoming more popular. There is high blood pressure and high cholesterol in my family, this soy product is a great alternative to meat being that it's cholesterol free, low in sodium, and high in protein. Tofu is such a wonderful ingredient because it's so versatile. Since it naturally tastes very plain, you can add diced or crumbled up tofu to soups, tomato sauce, and casseroles for some added protein. You won't even know it's there because it takes on the flavor of whatever it's mixed with.

If you enjoy cooking this soy product at home, you may have noticed a new tofu on the scene - sprouted tofu. To find out how it compares with regular tofu read more.

The big difference is in the name. Regular tofu is made from whole soybeans, but sprouted tofu is made with sprouted soybeans. When beans or seeds are sprouted, they're more nutritious and easier to digest than the regular beans or seeds. Wildwood Organics is the only company is the US to make their tofu with sprouted soybeans. As you can see from the chart below, the sprouted tofu contains more calcium, iron, and protein. However, it also contains more fat and calories as compared to regular tofu. I didn't notice much of a difference in taste and texture, so choose between the two based on your dietary needs. If you're trying to lose weight, you may want to choose the lower-calorie regular tofu. If you're a vegan and protein is on your mind, then I'd go for the sprouted tofu.

	Super Firm Tofu (79g)	Super Firm Sprouted Tofu (85g)
Calories	80	130
Total Fat	4g	8g
Saturated Fat	.5g	1g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg
Sodium	0mg	5mg
Carbs	2g	1g
Fiber	1g	less than 1g
Sugars	0g	0g
Protein	8g	14g
Calcium	6%	15%
Iron	8%	10%
Ingredients	Water, Organic Whole Soybeans, Magnesium Chloride	Filtered Water, Sprouted Organic Non-GMO Soybeans, Calcium Sulfate, Magnesium Chloride

Fit's Tip: Sprouted tofu can be hard to find so call around to all the nearby health food stores and supermarkets to see who carries it. If you can't find this kind, see if one of those stores would consider special ordering it.

Soymilk Taste Test

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:00:00 -0700

So you grew up drinking cow's milk. Why would you even think of switching? Well, for starters, soymilk is a healthy option because it's cholesterol free, plus it's low in saturated fat and high in protein. It also comes in different flavors, like carob or chocolate, and you can bake and cook with the unsweetened or vanilla flavors.

Due to soymilk's current popularity many companies make it, and the the brands all taste different: some soymilk is thicker like Edensoy, all vanilla flavors are sweeter, and some taste more like real milk such as Silk brand. My advice is to taste more than one brand and flavor. Why not buy a few at a time and have a soymilk taste test. Don't drink them directly from the grocery-store sheIf; stick the container in the fridge for at least an hour or two because soymilk tastes much better cold.

Aside from texture and taste, the soymilk brands differ nutritionally as well. To see how they compare, just read more.

Serving Size = 8 ounces	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Organic Edensoy Carob	170	4	.5	95	28	13	7
Organic Edensoy Chocolate	180	3.5	1	105	28	14	8
Organic Edensoy Extra Original	130	4	.5	100	13	7	11
Organic Edensoy Extra Vanilla	150	3	0	90	23	15	7
Organic Edensoy Light Original	100	2	0	90	15	10	5
Organic Edensoy Unsweetened	120	6	1	5	5	2	12
Silk Unsweetened	80	4	.5	85	4	1	7
Silk Vanilla	100	3.5	.5	95	10	7	6
Silk Very Vanilla	130	4	.5	140	19	16	6
Silk Chocolate	140	3.5	.5	100	23	19	5
Wildwood Unsweetened	70	3.5	.5	70	3	2	7
Wildwood Vanilla	90	3.5	.5	70	8	7	7
Pacific Select Soy Unsweetened	90	4.5	.5	15	4	2	9
Pacific Select Soy Vanilla	80	2.5	0	115	11	9	5
Soy Dream Enriched Refrigerated Original	100	3.5	.5	140	9	5	8
Soy Dream Enriched Refrigerated Vanilla	120	3.5	.5	130	14	10	8

Fit's Tip: If you're trying to get more protein in your diet, skip out on the cow's milk in your cereal and go for Edensoy Unsweetened instead. It contains 12g of protein while cow's milk only contains 8g.

Learn to Love: Edamame

FitSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 03:30:00 -0700

Looking for a tasty snack that's full of protein and fiber but low in carbs and calories? I'm talking about edamame, baby soybeans still in the pod. Beans might not seem like the most delicious snack in the world, but once you try them, you'll fall for their fresh and slightly sweet flavor; plus they're a fun to eat finger-food. Sprinkle a little salt on them and they'll satisfy your salty cravings.

I first had edamame as an appetizer at a sushi restaurant, but you can pick some up to have at home too. Look for bags of frozen edamame. Buy them in the pods to eat as a snack, or for convenience sake buy them already shelled and add the beans to soups, salads, and stir-fries.

Just how healthy are these little soybeans? To find out read more

A half a cup of boiled edamame in the pods (just eating the beans inside) provides four grams of fiber and eight grams of protein, for only nine grams of carbs and 100 calories. Impressive indeed!

There has been some debate about the benefits and safety of soy. Some worry about the connection between eating soybeans or soy products and developing breast cancer, but as of now, the American Institute for Cancer Research stresses that there's no conclusive evidence between the two. Studies have shown that the isoflavones in soybeans may help to treat high blood pressure, prevent osteoporosis, and lower cholesterol (soy protein is a great alternative to high-fat animal protein). If you agree that those are some great reasons to start including more soy in your diet, then edamame is a great choice.

Let me know how you feel about this wonder snack in the comments section below.

Food Review: Morningstar Farms Chicken Patties

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Although I'm not a full-fledged vegetarian, I do like to eat black-bean burgers, soy milk, and tempeh every once in a while because I like that they are cholesterol free. I never really go for meat alternatives that strive to look, taste, and feel like meat though, but since a good friend recommended Morningstar Farms Chik Patties, I reluctantly agreed to give them a try.

To see what I thought, just read more.

Serving Size	1 patty
Calories	170
Total Fat	5g
Saturated Fat	.5g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	480mg
Carbs	22g
Fiber	2g
Sugar	1g
Protein	10g

I've got to be honest. I wasn't expecting to like these one bit, but these vegetarian chik patties (made of a mix of soy and wheat gluten), were surprisingly good. I loved that the breaded outer layer was really crunchy and the inside was chewy and kind of shredded to make it look like real chicken (nice touch). The Italian herb seasonings were very flavorful and the overall texture was very much like a real chicken patty. As I was eating this as a sandwich, I was thinking about how good it would be in a chicken parm recipe.

Truthfully speaking, although I liked the way these tasted and the fact that each small patty contains 10g of protein, I probably wouldn't buy these again. Why? On the list of ingredients, it says "natural and artificial flavors from nonmeat sources." Um, gross. It also contains corn syrup and caramel color, which really surprised me. I guess it's a good reminder that you can't judge a food by its box - just because it's vegetarian doesn't mean it's healthy.

What's Soy Lecithin Doing in My Chocolate?

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:30:00 -0700

I've been trying to eat more chocolate, only because it has antioxidants, can lower blood pressure, and can even soothe a cough. Well, I'm also addicted, but that's beside the point. I was checking out the label of a bar I picked up and noticed soy lecithin in the list of ingredients. Is it something I should avoid? To find out read more

Soy lecithin is a food additive extracted from soybeans, and is a by-product of soybean oil. Only a small amount (about one percent of the weight of the food) is added to chocolate to keep the cocoa and cocoa butter from separating. It's not bad for you and actually is high in choline, which is also found in egg yolks, and has been found to be good for brain development, increased memory, and heart disease prevention. Awesome. Another reason to eat chocolate.

Fit's Tips: Soy lecithin is bad if you have an allergy to soy, since it's made from soybeans. So check labels on all products, especially candy bars, breads, cakes and other baked goods. It's used in dough to make it less sticky, and it's added to cake batter to make it spread in the pan more easily.

Source

Soy Wars: Tofu vs. Tempeh

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Whether you're a vegetarian or not, everyone can benefit from adding a little soy to their diet. Although there's some talk about a connection between soy and breast cancer, there's no evidence to back up the claim. Since soy products are a healthy source of protein they're a great alternative for people trying to cut back on meat and dairy products that are high in cholesterol.

Tofu and tempeh are both made from soybeans, but what's the difference between the two? Is one healthier than the other? To find out read more

Check out this chart comparing tofu and tempeh.

	Tofu	Tempeh
How it's made	By curdling fresh hot soymilk with a coagulant.	By fermenting cooked soybeans with a mold.
How it's sold	It comes in five inch sized blocks, and you can buy it in four varieties: silken (used for creamy dishes), soft (great for soups), firm, and extra firm (the last two are great for stir fries). It's usually packaged in water to help it stay moist.	It's sold in flat rectangular pieces about eight inches long.
Appearance	White, smooth, and wet.	Brownish in color and dry. You can see the whole soybeans.
Consistency	Soft, smooth, and spongy.	Firm and chewy.
Flavor	Has hardly any taste on its own, but when added to recipes, takes on the flavor of whatever you're making.	Has a slight earthy sweet taste.
Protein in 1/2 cup	10.1g	15.4g
Fiber in 1/2 cup	.5g	3.5g
Calories in 1/2 cup	97	160

Since tempeh is less processed than tofu, it's healthier in general, so that's why it has more protein and fiber than tofu. If you've never tried tempeh, you can find it at most health food stores (it's refrigerated). Start to incorporate this soy product into your recipes by crumbling it up and adding it to soups, casseroles, and your pasta sauce. It'll add a chewy consistency and some extra protein and fiber.

Go Meat-Free This Thanksgiving With Tofurky

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 13:30:00 -0800

Just because you're a vegetarian doesn't mean you have to miss out on having some turkey-like protein at your meal. Plus going meatless means you can eat a cholesterol-free Tofurky instead. It's made from a revolutionary tofu-wheat protein blend, and is known for its incredible, turkey-like texture and flavor. Tofurky is hands down the best alternative to turkey.

You can cook up a Tofurky feast, complete with one Tofurky Roast, eight cranberry-apple potato dumplings, Tofurky Giblet and Mushroom Gravy, Tofurky Wild Rice Stuffing, and a Tofurky Jurky Wishbone (I love that little detail). This feast is 100 percent vegan and cooks in about one hour.

If you don't want the entire Tofurky feast, you can just pick up a Tofurky Roast to have as your main dish or as a meatless option for your vegetarian friends.

Want to see how turkey and Tofurky compare nutritionally? Then read more

4 oz.	Turkey	Tofurky
Calories	240	190
Total Fat	9g	5g
Saturated Fat	3g	0g
Cholesterol	85mg	0mg
Protein	32g	26

How Much Do You Know About Miso?

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 03:30:00 -0700

Now that Fall has blown in, it makes me crave bowls of steamy, warm soup. Miso is one of my favorites, since it has a light salty flavor that you can add just about anything to.

I remember the first time I heard about miso, I knew nothing about it. So let's test your knowledge to see what you know.

Take the quiz