Is tofu safe during pregnancy?

[MyZymurgy]

And I mean a LOT of tofu. LOL! I've heard it can mimic estrogen which I would imagine could be a bad idea...

But I LOVE tofu. Like I can and sometimes do eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I'm nervous about it now - can someone tell me for sure if it's safe?

[cristeen]

Nope, nobody can tell you for sure one way or the other.

You'll probably get plenty of people who tell you that soy is one of the things, they avoid, and plenty of other people telling you they eat it regularly. Personally soy is something I avoid completely because I know it messes with my system. Not to even get into the prevalence of soy hidden in foods and the fact that the preponderance of soy is GMO...

I will say though that eating any one food to the exclusion of others is not a good thing, particularly during pregnancy, when you need all sorts of vitamins and minerals.

[Raene]

Like the other poster said, I'd worry about the non-organic soy. Also, never eat it straight out of the container. Some people do this and it's really risky...you definitely should cook it first.

I'm an anti-soy vegan (well, vegan when not pregnant)...one of the few I suppose, but I think soy is pretty bad. It's super processed and the estrogenic properties scare me.

That said, if you love it, just eat it in moderation. You shouldn't feel like you have to do an all-or-nothing kind of thing. Just limit yourself

[MyZymurgy]

So it sounds like I should not indulge in my tofu-madness? (I have been avoiding it - except for the occasional tofu-scramble in the morning) but I was really hoping to have some. I have some in the freezer calling my name.

I only eat the organic kind, and always cook it - for whatever that is worth.

*sigh* I guess the worry over it being potentially harmful isn't worth the yumminess.

[JennaH]

Originally Posted by MyZymurgy

And I mean a LOT of tofu. LOL! I've heard it can mimic estrogen which I would imagine could be a bad idea...

But I LOVE tofu. Like I can and sometimes do eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I'm nervous about it now - can someone tell me for sure if it's safe?

The upper limit I've heard is 100 grams of soy protein per day. That is toxic to normal people. I've not heard of a limit specifically for pregnant women. Also, I've heard that even in Asian cultures they don't eat more than around 25 g of soy a day.

[sugareemoma]

I try to limit my soy. If I eat tofu I'll have almond milk that day. If I don't have tofu I'll have soy milk. My biggest problem is when I go for a whole tub of soy dream icecream yum! I honestly prefer the taste of seitan to tofu so its pretty easy for me to avoid. Does anyone know if less processed soy like temphi or plain beans are as high in estrogenic properties as tofu or not?
Also when I'm preggo I crave dairy so I drink kiefer and eat yoghurt so much I tend to not drink soy milk. Kudos to you mamas who can stay vegan despite cravings!

[Keeta]

I was really concerned about it my first pregnancy, but this time around, I'm just not. I vary our protein sources enough that soy is not the only source - we usually have tofu 1x per week and maybe tempeh 1x per week for dinner, and the rest of the time it's beans/lentils. If you're really concerned, just eat what you want for a week and keep a very detailed food journal. It will be more useful and indicative of what you are ACTUALLY eating. Soy's one of those things that loom large in people's minds, but you might actually eat less than you imagine.

And then, if you're still worried, mix it up - add more beans to your diet, make funky kinds of hummus, incorporate more nuts into your diet, switch out soymilk for almond (my fave) or (shudder) hemp milk. I think this is one of those things you can get yourself overly concerned with and you needn't be. That's just my take.

[Pookietooth]

Soy gives m migraines. I think it's a good idea to eat a variety of food rather than only one.

[KoalaMommy]

There's some debate over whether or not tofu and soy in general is healthy at all. We no longer consume it in our house.

[Snapdragon]

The Farm, in Tennessee, where the famous midwife Ina May Gaskin is, has a cookbook from the 70's that is all vegan. They use tons of soy. In the back of the book (The Farm Cookbook) is a section for pregnant nutrition and I think they are fine with soy.
I think people associating soy with high estrogen is a recent occurrence. I know I considered it when I was ttc cause I love soymilk regularly.
Anyway- back then it was considered fine but you may see the farm's website (I think they have one) to see if they have updated that info.

But also- trust your instincts. If you are craving tofu, I think it is fine.

[MyZymurgy]

Glad to see this thread brought back.

I've been avoiding tofu. Sadly, this isn't due to any real efforts on my part. I've been really suffering from morning sickness the last week or two, so I'm lucky to keep down fruit (which is the only thing I really crave right now)... but I suspect once I get into the second trimester and I'm feeling better (knock on wood) I'll be wanting the tofu again.

Why are tasty things bad for us? That's just cruel. *sigh* I'll try to keep it to one tofu-based meal a week. I think a total ban isn't realistic for me, although I like the above protein suggestions.

I've never tried almond milk... hmmm... I think it sounds good (or it will sound good when I'm not so nauseous!) I'll check it out!

[Norasmomma]

I eat whatever I feel like when I am pg pretty much. In my first tri I went vegan(due to my m/s) and tofu was the only protein I could stomach, I don't eat a ton of it, but tofu curry, stirfry, tofu sandwiches all were wonderful when I was puking anything else up.

I am not one to really follow rules about food though, I mean do women in Greece stop eating feta, do women in China stop eating tofu-um I don't think so. I eat what I crave be it local organic goat cheese and olive tapenade or fried tofu sandwiches. I guess I'm a moderation type of pg mama.

[firewoman]

Fermented sources of soy like tempeh and miso would be better choices and I echo what others have said about soy being enjoyed in moderation. I eat tofu on occasion and really like it, too, but I don't believe it is as healthful as it can be made out to be. I certainly wouldn't have it be a staple protein.

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by Norasmomma

I eat whatever I feel like when I am pg pretty much.

me too.. I try to keep at least 80% of my food whole food, and allowed for 20% processed or "fun" food..

I ate soy throughout both my pregnancies with boys, and they are great, healthy, and very 'boy' (ie, my 2 yo loves trucks, cars, trains, and doesn't want to play with dolls).