Everyone is excited and happy to welcome the beautiful baby! So if you’ve ever neglected your diet and nutrition, pregnancy is a good time to control your diet. While some foods are good for your baby, some foods may not be good for your pregnancy or growing fetus. Which category does soy belong to? If this question is bothering you, keep reading this article! This article talks about the disturbing facts about soy in pregnancy and so on.
Is soy safe to use during pregnancy?
Soybeans belong to the family of pods and are one of the best sources of protein. This plant is native to East Asia and is now grown in many parts of the world. The main type of these beans is yellow. But there are also green, brown and black varieties.
Soy is rich in phytic acid. This acid blocks the absorption of heavy metals such as uranium, lead, mercury, etc. However, it may also prevent the absorption of many beneficial minerals such as iron, magnesium, zinc, and calcium that are beneficial for fetal growth.
Soy also lowers cholesterol levels, but during pregnancy cholesterol is essential for the production of pregnancy hormones, such as progesterone, estrogen, as well as vitamin D. But despite all these reasons, can it be said that soy is good for pregnancy?
The answer is yes, soy is good for pregnant women as long as it is consumed in moderation to avoid side effects. You can safely use soy products once or twice a day.
Benefits of consuming soy in pregnancy
Soy is very nutritious and one cup of this bean contains iron, magnesium, fiber, omega 3, vitamin K, manganese, phosphorus and copper. In addition, soy is a good source of flavonoids and isoflavones, phytoalexins, phytosterols, phenolic acids, proteins, saponins and peptides. This is a great food, full of nutrients and useful. Some of the benefits of eating this great food include the following:
1- Rich in protein
Protein is a vital nutrient for the pregnant mother and if you are a vegetarian get protein. Your daily needs can be difficult. However, soy is a great choice to meet your daily protein needs during pregnancy.
2- An excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids
Omega 3 is essential for fetal growth. Fish is a good source of omega-3s; However, if you do not like fish or are vegetarians, soy consumption will be beneficial for you.
3- Suitable for people who can not tolerate lactose
If you are lactose intolerant, adding soy milk to your diet would be an ideal alternative to milk.
4- Help lower cholesterol levels
You can add a good amount of legumes such as soy to your diet to lower your cholesterol.
5- Helping to fight obesity
Obesity is one of the main causes of many diseases and can be problematic during pregnancy. By consuming soy, you can control your hunger and appetite and prevent overweight.
6- Provides nutrients to the fetus
Soy is rich in nutrients and is a good source of nutrients for the fetus.
7- Prevention of congenital defects
Soy is a good source of folate (folic acid) and zinc. Both of these minerals are beneficial in preventing birth defects. Due to the presence of plant estrogens in soy, excessive consumption of it in pregnancy is not recommended at all.
Is it possible to harm the fetus by consuming soy during pregnancy?
Soy is an amazing food. Rich in a wide range of nutrients, and an excellent source of protein. As a food, soy is excellent in adapting to almost any taste and texture. As a result, soy plays its way into a significant number of our dishes. Of course, this includes foods in which the name of soy is visible, such as Adamam (green soybeans), soy sauce, tofu, soy milk powder and soy milk.
But if you look at the number of foods that contain a plant substance with terms such as, vegetable flavors, emulsifiers, vegetable gum, vegetable starch, the presence of soy in a wide range of our foods. If soy is so great, then what is the controversy about it? The controversy over soy is only due to the presence of a chemical called phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens are molecules found in plants that are similar to the estrogen molecule in humans. As you know, estrogen is a female hormone that causes the formation of breasts and controls the menstrual cycle and helps maintain pregnancy and lactation. The concern is that estrogen-like compounds in soybeans actually have estrogenic effects on the human body. This substance makes small differences in hormone molecules, leading to significant differences in function. For example, when estrogen is slightly altered, it is converted to testosterone, a male hormone. So we understand that a very small change can make a big difference in performance.
So the question is, if you take phytoestrogens through soy, does that happen? So far, the evidence strongly supports this answer: Not. If this substance acts as an estrogen in the human body, we should see breast growth in children and witness premature puberty in girls and its delay in boys.
There is no evidence of any side effects in people who consume soy products. Some research suggests that phytoestrogens may be more effective in reducing the risk of breast and prostate cancer in adults. But there is basically no information about any group of people whose lives are different because of consuming soy or consuming or not consuming soy. But it has been observed that mothers who consume large amounts of soy products during pregnancy give birth to baby boys with urological defects.
So for now, until we find the real effect of soy on people, we advise people that soy consumption is safe and harmless for pregnant women, babies and all people.