Fake meat is hitting the mainstream like never before. Last August, KFC did a trial run for plant-based chicken and sold out in just five hours. And it’s nearly impossible to drive past a Burger King without seeing an ad for the Impossible Whopper. But long before plant-based meats came into the spotlight, their root ingredient, soy, was already finding a way into our stomachs.
Soy is in a plethora of processed foods — everything from baby formula to granola bars to sports drinks. But as soy snuck into more and more foods over the past decade, one part of the plant has prompted concerns — phytoestrogens. Also known as plant estrogens, these compounds have the ability to bind with our hormone receptors the same way human estrogen does.
But how much does soy actually mess with our hormones? Research has shown that the impacts of the plant aren’t black and white. Some reports suggest that soy-based infant formula may have an impact on babies with hormonal issues. And if you’re a woman about to enter menopause, you may hear that soy supplements could help quell symptoms.
For most people, soy is safe to consume in reasonable quantities. But let’s start with the extremes. What happens when you drink a lot of soy milk — say, three quarts a day, for example?
