TOO MUCH IS TOO BAD (6)

6. SOYA

The Japanese eat soya and stay healthy and live longer. It is high in protein and has zero cholesterol. So what could be wrong with that?

That's true, but what is also true is that most Japanese eat only about 8 to 10g of soy protein a day, and even soya causes problems when eaten in excess.
“If overeaten, it may promote cancer, dementia, reproductive abnormalities, osteoporosis and thyroid disorders,“ says Dr Jain. “Increased consumption could also increase a woman's total estrogen level, which is a risk factor for breast cancer.“ For men, excessive soya can raise the risk of infertility, physical changes and hormonal havoc.

That's what happened to 36-yearold Gurgaon-based engineer Ramanujan Murthy. He switched to soy milk when he turned lactose intolerant and drank lots of it because he loved the taste. A few years later, he had emotional issues and his body was going through physical changes ­ all tracked to excess estrogen in his body, due to his excessive consumption of soya.

WHO'S AT RISK?

Everyone needs to be careful, particularly infants (so don't wean them on soya formulas).

HEALTHY LIMIT:

“About two servings (about 25-30g) per day of soya foods is safe,“ says Dr Sandhu. And eat more fermented soya products such as tempeh, soya sauce and miso soups, than non-fermented products like soy milk, tofu and so on. This is because these are high in phytic acid which causes most of the problems. Avoid soy supplements, energy bars and powders.

(KAVITA DEVGAN HTB 5FEB12)