The Soy & Breast Cancer Conundrum

By Victoria Shanta Retelny, R.D., "The Soy Conundrum," November/December 2009

Does eating soyfood prevent or promote breast cancer? Or both?

More on Breast Health
Does Eating Red Meat Increase a Woman’s Risk of Breast Cancer?
Eat to Beat the Odds of Breast Cancer
What to eat right now for better breast health

Bottom Line: Adding soy to your diet in midlife might not offer much protection against breast cancer. But it probably won’t hurt either: soyfoods are a healthy, protein-rich, low-saturated-fat alternative to foods like red meat, says Sally Scroggs, M.S., R.D., at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Because theoretically soy isoflavones can act like estrogen, it’s best to eat soyfoods in moderation at any age—up to two servings daily, which is equivalent to 1⁄2 cup tofu or edamame and 1 cup soymilk.