Vegan Health Tips with Michael Klaper, M.D.

Michael Klaper, M.D. is the author of Pregancy, Children, and the Vegan Diet; one of only a few books that covers vegan pregnancy on the market today. He has postgraduate training in medicine, surgery, anesthesiology, and obstetrics. He continues to educate people on the benefits of a vegan diet.

Disclaimer: The medical opinions stated here are for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

Question:

I've been hearing a lot about tofu and soy being bad and having too many phytoestrogens. Are we to limit our soy consumption? What is the real story behind all the hoopla?

Answer:

I really think there is more smoke than fire in the current "anti-soy frenzy." In theory, the phytoestrogen content of soy products may be a concern, but in the "real world," it doesn't seem to have a significant biological effect. The first generation of infants raised on soy formula are now in their thirties and there seems to be no evidence of any adverse effects from the soy phytoestrogens they ingested early in life. That is, to this time, no one has detected any higher incidence among this population of breast cancer, endocrine disorders, or any other effect that could be ascribed to soy phytoestrogens.

Like all foods and medications, "too much" is to be avoided. I would not feed a child excessive amounts of soy, especially every day, not so much to minimize phytoestrogen intake, but in order to reduce the chances of food allergies developing in a growing child. I think children will do quite well with a small to moderate portion of soy products (up to 1 cup soymilk or 2 ounces of tofu, etc.) every two to three days, beginning at approximately 10 months. The equivalent of a 4 to 6-ounce helping of tofu or tempeh every two or three days would be a "common sense estimate" of a reasonable soy intake for adults.

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