Protein Powder, Soy, and Cancer

Pinny150

Pinny150

Cathlete
I'm sure a lot of us have read the debate on whether Soy is cause or cure for breast cancer....and apparently the latest studies have shown that Soy isn't so great after all.
Pretty much in every protein powder I've researched it shows that it contains soy.....which I've decided to try and stay away from.
So I"m just wondering what anyone's thoughts are, or looking for alternatives to pre/post workout nutrition....
 
I use hemp protein powder exclusively. I was using whey, but I found that it did not agree with me, and I am now attempting to eat a vegan diet, mostly raw.

I use Prairie Naturals Hemp-Force. It is non-gmo, organic and hexane free. It is cold milled, so I believe it is also raw (anyone please correct me if I am wrong.)

per 30g serving:

120 calories
3.5g fat (good fat :))
8g carbs with 5g fibre and 1g sugar
15g of protein
40% of daily requirement of iron

http://www.prairienaturals.ca/
 
Thank you!! I will definitely check it out! Honestly, I've never heard of it........I'm so glad I asked! ;)
 
IMO, concentrated and isolated soy proteins (the types used in protein powders and bars) are best avoided. In addition to their questionable links to breast cancer, they are usually processed with hexane (unless organic, which most of them are not), and they are a very processed food. (I think that soy FOODS like tempeh, miso, tofu and edamame are fine in moderation--maybe two servings a day).

I agree with coradora that hemp protein is EXCELLENt. It is raw. It contains all the essential amino acids. And the types of protein that make it up are very digestible. Heres more info: http://www.innvista.com/health/foods/hemp/seedprot.htm

I haven't tried the brand she mentioned, but I like Nutiva brand. They have free shipping for orders over $30 ( www.nutiva.com ).
I also use hemp nuts (the shelled seed) a lot. Nutiva and Ruth's are two brands I like. I sprinkle it on salads, on dips, on soups. I throw a handful in my smoothies. I make chocolate or carob balls (with almond butter, carob and/or raw cacao, yacon syrup) and roll them in hemp seeds.

Another option is brazil nut protein powder (though it's a bit difficult to find).
 
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Thanks for the tip on non-soy protein mixes, Kathryn. Very helpful!

As a breast cancer survivor, I put this question to my oncologist six-ish years back, as well as to the Cancer Care research docs in Seattle. Both my local doc and the ones at the Care Center warned cancer survivors against adding soy. They didn't think it was necessary to stay away altogether - but deliberately adding regular large quantities in concentrated form was not something they recommended. At the time I also read through all of the studies available, and while these were not conclusive, the results were concerning enough that the convenience of typical soy additives has never seemed worth it. What then was being touted as a preventative effect in those who had not had cancer at that time had not been shown to help cancer survivors avoid recurrence. Since that's the category I am in, I felt there was no point in taking the risk. Studies since then have not changed my impression of how to handle soy in my own life, though I haven't put much energy into that particular question - I don't avoid soy the way I avoid trans fats, but I don't add processed soy products or even add the whole foods on a regular basis. Perhaps one or two servings of food-based soy a week, most weeks.

I have been getting my post-workout protein in whole foods - but it's nice to know that there are good sources of protein powder that don't involve soy. More portable for travelling, I'd imagine, and sounds convenient to toss in a little into other meals throughout the day as well.
 
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Pinny150 said:
I'm sure a lot of us have read the debate on whether Soy is cause or cure for breast cancer....and apparently the latest studies have shown that Soy isn't so great after all.
Pretty much in every protein powder I've researched it shows that it contains soy.....which I've decided to try and stay away from.
So I"m just wondering what anyone's thoughts are, or looking for alternatives to pre/post workout nutrition....
Click to expand...

My understanding is that soy is problematic for menopausal women, but good for women that haven't reached that stage of life yet.
 
I third the hemp protein, I like that. I also use whey protein (Jay Robb is my favorite brand for powder and he has some great bars too). I also like Greens+ protein bars - they are whey protein. I can get all of this at Whole Foods - the bars are with the protein powders, not where the other protein bars are.

If you are looking for a bar - www.elementbars.com lets you make your own protein bars and they are the same in cost (sometimes less) than the Jay Robb bars. It's a lot of fun too to pick out your ingredients. They have lots of organic options for the ingredients.
 
i have a lot of food sensitivities and my nutritionist recommended pea protein--- it is very good--- to sweeten, i use a packet of black cherry emergen-c--- tastes great :)
 
If you are eating a normal diet

with diary, eggs, meats, etc. the supplementation with protein powder is not necessary or recommended.

The typical American diet is protein rich and excess protein is not used to build muscle but is stored as fat.

No food builds muscle - only regular, progressive, challending strength training does.
 
Ah, but what is a "normal" diet and what is "excess" protein? That's the key issue. On this forum, there are as many diets as there are people. I've been a vegetarian for the past 23 years and didn't get enough protein for most of that time. While the typical American omnivorous diet does tend to be too high in protein, it also is too high in bad fats, sodium and processed carbs. What is too high in protein for an average, sedentary woman might be very different from, say, an average highly active woman competing in a figure competition.
 
morningstar said:
Ah, but what is a "normal" diet and what is "excess" protein? That's the key issue. On this forum, there are as many diets as there are people. I've been a vegetarian for the past 23 years and didn't get enough protein for most of that time. While the typical American omnivorous diet does tend to be too high in protein, it also is too high in bad fats, sodium and processed carbs. What is too high in protein for an average, sedentary woman might be very different from, say, an average highly active woman competing in a figure competition.
Click to expand...

excellent point morning star
 
According to researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, exercisers who ate whole-grain cereal with skim milk post-workout activated more proteins in the body than people who drank a sports drink. It would be interesting to see the actual comparisons.
Joan
 
JoanC said:
According to researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, exercisers who ate whole-grain cereal with skim milk post-workout activated more proteins in the body than people who drank a sports drink. It would be interesting to see the actual comparisons.
Joan
Click to expand...

Also it would be very interesting to see what was in the sports drink.

I use a whey protein which is grain free/wheat free etc. It seems to work out ok. There is no soy in it. I avoid the soy since I found out I was estrogen dominant and that excess estrogen is converted into testosterone which makes my PCOS symptoms worse. Mostly I avoid it. I do use some soy sauce in cooking but not a lot. I tend to avoid it in baked foods (I only make my own for my cheat day.) and I don't eat soy based foods anymore. I do miss my tempeh. :(
 
I'm with you Rapid Breath on avoiding Soy.

Joan- That is very interesting!! I might give that a try as a test one of these days. I always have oatmeal before I workout, cuz I"m hungry in the morning!! lol

I know that supplements arent' exactly recommended, but in the morning, when I know I"m not going to cook eggs and I want something quick after or before workout, powder is the way to go. That being said, I'd like to find the safest and most effective powder I can! And I'm not a big dairy person...........too much upsets my stomach......

 
For those who want to supplement with protein powder: The body can only process about 21 grams of protein a meal. Everything above that will be stored as fat. I have noticed some protein powders claiming to give you more than 30 grams a serving. Those are not beneficial; they just make the body work harder and can result in kidney stones for example.
 
Agree

morningstar said:
Ah, but what is a "normal" diet and what is "excess" protein? That's the key issue. On this forum, there are as many diets as there are people. I've been a vegetarian for the past 23 years and didn't get enough protein for most of that time. While the typical American omnivorous diet does tend to be too high in protein, it also is too high in bad fats, sodium and processed carbs. What is too high in protein for an average, sedentary woman might be very different from, say, an average highly active woman competing in a figure competition.
Click to expand...

I am training for a bodybuilding show that is 8 months out and my trainer has me on an 8 meal schedule. I would never be able to get through those big workouts without all the nutrition!
 
I think there is a distinct difference though as to what is healthy and what gets you through a figure competition.

I have found that no distinction is being made between being healthy and being at a healthy weight. I have a friend who is at the "perfect" weight for her height, all she does is high protein shakes, protein bars, protein puddings, all processed and out of a plastic container. She constantantly complains that she is hungry and keeps upping her protein. In the meantime she catches every bug that is out there.

I am not big into any kind of protein powder anymore because if you really think about it, it is highly processed food and I don't think it is healthy despite of what the marketing claims are. But I particularly avoid soy in all forms, except small amounts of fermented soy like miso or raw soy sauce.

That being said as someone who has dealt with breast cancer ITA with Shadowpup. The research may not be 100 % conclusive (which it never is anyway because for every 10 researchers who say yay there will be just as many who will say nay) but if there is only the slightest question of soy being a potential problem I stay away from it.

In fact, on Saturday I watched this documentary with a friend "The World according to Monsanto" where they talked about our current food supply, including our soybean supply(Round-up ready soy beans), GMOs, etc. and at the end of the movie I was ready to plant my own veggie garden :eek:.

Here is a link http://www.twilightearth.com/environment-archive-2/the-world-according-to-monsanto-full-documentary/
 
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