Soybeans - in their traditional fermented form - have been a staple in the Asian diet for thousands of years.

While these members of the legume family provide a complete protein source, soybeans have estrogenic properties and contain compounds that act as anti-nutrients including trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid.

Because conventional soybeans are almost always genetically modified and often treated with hexane, it is important to choose organic, fermented soy foods, not processed with hexane including: fermented soy milk, fermented tofu, tempeh, miso and tamari.

Soybeans provide numerous phytonutrients including the isoflavones genistein and daidzein, as well as saponins.

Talk with your doctor to determine if soy foods are safe if you have had any type of cancer or if you are having difficulty getting pregnant.