I have a confession to make -- I don't drink soy products. But many people do.
During today's PNE taste test we decided to see if people who are reluctant like me, would be willing to try it.
When you say soy some people think healthy. Others think gross. Mention drinking soy milk and at least one person will make a face and say "No thanks -too chalky," or, "Alright, but it's not my favourite."
We decided to try two chocolate soy beverages, targeting those who do not usually drink soy along with those that do.
We pitted Silk Soy Beverage -- an American product -- against So Nice -- a Canadian product. Both are organic. When the votes were counted:
- 77 per cent preferred the Silk brand;
- 23 per cent liked the So Nice.
But could consuming soy increase your estrogen and increase your cancer risk as some fear?
"It has become an area of great controversy," said Dr. Shirin Kalyan, an immunologist with the Women's Health Centre.
She says when you consume soy products your body then automatically detects the estrogen and makes less of its own.
"If you're consuming whole foods such as tofu, soy milk. There has been no indication that that would be harmful to you, in fact there is indication that it would actually be helpful in terms of health protective affects," she explained.
Shirin said soy is a natural estrogen, not the synthetic estrogen that is a concern in some plastics. But as with any food, the best advice is moderation.
So if you like soy, make it part of a balanced diet
Good news for those who took part in the taste test and now think they'll give soy a try.
Eighty-five per cent of those who tried it said that they would buy the product they liked.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
