Soya and Hashis

[topaz1]

I am tempted to try Schar GF cream crackers but soya is included in the ingredients. Dont know how much, but is it inadvisable to eat any soya at all or would a little be OK?

[AngieAsh]

Hi. I had read in a few places online that Soya wasn't a good idea if you have a Thyroid problem but I am a vegetarian and eat a fair bit of Soya so I asked my Endo about it. He told me that Soya is fine unless you have a goitre when it can cause problems. I don't have a goitre so he said it would be ok to carry on eating it.

I'm starting to realise from this site that not all Endocrinologist are up to speed on the effects of diet and supplements when it comes to Hashi's though and I'm new to it all myself so maybe wait for other posts and experiences before making a decision.

[greygoose in reply to AngieAsh]

Oh, dear. Your endo is talking rubbish. Eating soya can cause a goitre, but that doesn't mean it's ok to eat if you haven't got one - talk about twisted logic!

Soya is a goitrogen, which means that it impedes the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland. However, if you don't have a thyroid, for whatever reason, or are on a full replacement dose of thyroid hormone replacement, goitrogens aren't going to affect you.

However, unfermented soy - the fermented variety is ok - unfermented soy has a double effect, because it also impedes the uptake of thyroid hormone by the cells. Meaning that you may have high levels of T3 in your blood, but you are still hypo, because it isn't getting into the cells.

Besides that, unfermented soy is pretty poisonous stuff, it has lots of nasty side-effects. And, if you are eating to as a source of protein, you are going to be protein deprived, because it also contains a substance that blocks human digestive tracts from absorbing protein. It's really, really best avoided.

[AngieAsh in reply to greygoose]

See, this is why I suggested waiting for others to reply. Thanks greygoose. Can I ask is the soya in say Linda McCartney sausages or Tesco Soya mince classed as unfermented?

[Lentil61 in reply to AngieAsh]

Yes. Products such as tempeh are fermented. Search on google for a full list (not that there are many!).

Pete

[AngieAsh in reply to Lentil61]

Ugh! Thanks for the answer but that sucks, it's going to really limit my choices and means being stuck with Quorn as a meat replacement which is nowhere near as nice.