December 17, 2003
Meal Planning, Food and Diet
Question from Singapore:
I’ve read a lot about the benefits of soy and soy-based products and understand that it’s a good daily food source for diabetics, especially in the area of vegetarian food which mainly uses soy flour. Does that mean that my dad (who is a Type 2 diabetic) can henceforth consume large amounts of all types of soy-based food products and vegetarian food made from soy flour? I also need to confirm once and for all whether their carbohydrate and protein content is safe to be consumed in large quantities as a staple food, without any worry that it may harm my dad’s kidneys because of their protein content.
Answer:
Soy is a good source of food because it is low in cholesterol, saturated fats, can be used as a protein source. It has also been shown to contain increased amounts of flavinoids. Unlimited quantities of anything are not good. This is especially true if people have diabetes, proteinuria, and still have to watch their protein content. In the absence of kidney problems, soy is a good alterative to high meat intake. Soy should be substituted into the usual diet in usual quantities, not unlimited quantities.
JTL
