Are Soybeans Good or Bad for Crohn’s Disease?

Many people ask if soybeans are bad for Crohn’s disease. Luckily, there is a large body of research on soy to explore its anti-inflammatory effects. Here are key things to know.

Co-written by Renata Cauchon-Robles

Crohn’s disease is identified by inflammation in the digestive tract. Including foods like soy can be supportive and healing for the intestines.

Soybeans and different products made from fermented or unfermented soy are growing in popularity around the world. Decades of research have investigated this high-protein food that has important nutrients and anti-inflammatory benefits. This article will help you understand different soy-based foods and how they react in the body. I’ve also included some helpful recipes with soy!

What is Soy?

Soy comes from a bean, known as soybeans or edamame (young soybeans). It is a quality source of protein and one of the few plant foods that naturally contains all the amino acids we need to build important proteins throughout the body.

You might be less familiar with soybeans, and more familiar with tofu or soy milk. Soybeans can be boiled, ground, fermented, or otherwise processed to be turned into tofu, tempeh, soy milk, soy sauce, miso, soy yogurt, or imitation meat called textured vegetable protein.

Now that you know more about what soy is, you might be wondering how it’s processed in the body.

Is Soy Healthy?

Be aware that some soy-based products may sometimes have added ingredients, such as salt, sugar, or other spices. Luckily the nutrition facts label can let you know how much!

Just because a food is processed does not mean it isn’t healthy. For example, fermented soy foods like tempeh and miso can offer additional health benefits for the gut.

Does Soy Cause Inflammation?

As you have likely learned, inflammation is a concern with IBD. It’s in the name. The “Standard American” or “Westernized” diet has shown to increase IBD inflammation and symptoms from its high levels of saturated fat, animal proteins, and refined carbs.

Soy, on the other hand, has decades of research showing it has anti-inflammatory effects on the body. That’s because soy has important antioxidants called isoflavones, which are also found in broccoli, fava beans, and peanuts. Isoflavones are considered higher in soybeans than other soy-derived products.

There is also ongoing research to better understand how soy interacts with, supports, or disrupts different hormone activity in the body.

But specifically for Crohn’s disease, there are some nutrition-related things to consider with soybeans.

Are Soybeans Good for Crohn’s Disease?

You might be wondering, can people with Crohn’s disease have edamame? The answer is…yes, if tolerated.

Nutritional Benefits of Soybeans for Crohn’s

Soybeans can be helpful for people with Crohn’s disease because of their calcium, zinc, and iron, which all hold a spot on the list of top 10 nutrient deficiencies in people with Crohn’s disease. They also have about twice the amount of protein as other beans!

Soy and Long-Term Health for People with Crohn’s

Crohn’s disease is known to sometimes increase the risk of colon cancer and bone loss. The good news is that dietary changes can help prevent this! A lot of research has been done to understand if soy can help prevent cancer from developing in the colon. Results are still mixed. Tests in animals have shown that adding soy to the diet supports healthy bone growth.

If you are someone living with IBD, you are probably more specifically interested in your symptoms and gut health.

Educational Graphic on Soy for Crohn's Disease

Reintroducing Soybeans Carefully

If you haven’t tried or reintroduced soybeans yet, you may want to wait until you have mild symptoms. When you do reintroduce them, start with small amounts and monitor how you feel. Pureeing soybeans into a dip or spread (like hummus) could also help with tolerance.

Is Soy Bad for Your Gut?

Soy products often pass through most of the digestive tract, and end up being great food for the bacteria in the large intestine. This is especially helpful because IBD is often related to a change or imbalance in gut bacteria.

Fun fact! The second part of the small intestine, called the jejunum, is where most of the digestion of soy’s beneficial isoflavones takes place.

In addition, the benefits available from soy may be directly related to the state of your microflora. That means that having a more balanced microbiome (the mix of bacteria in your intestines), means you and your microbiome can better digest the soy and get the benefits it offers.

5 Gut Friendly Soy Recipes

So, now that you have a better understanding of what soy is and how it behaves in the body, you might be ready to add some into your diet, but don’t know where to start! Here are some ideas that are gut-friendly approved!

  1. Swap the meat for tofu or tempeh in this Gluten-Free Fried Rice
  2. Try substituting meat with tofu or tempeh in these Mushroom Lettuce Wraps
  3. Dress up breakfast or snack time with a Strawberry Soy Milk Smoothie
  4. Try a Tofu Breakfast Scramble
  5. Make a one-pan dinner with a Tofu Stir Fry with Zesty Almond Sauce

Take Home Message

There’s a lot of research done on soy, and a range of mixed results, but overall soybeans and soy products like tofu or soy milk are known to have anti-inflammatory effects. Eating to support inflammation can help anyone dealing with Crohn’s disease or IBD. Give these foods a try and see how you feel!

Helpful Info

References

  1. Belobrajdic DP, James-Martin G, Jones D, Tran CD. Soy and Gastrointestinal Health: A Review. Nutrients. 2023;15(8):1959. Published 2023 Apr 19. doi:10.3390/nu15081959
  2. Asbaghi O, Yaghubi E, Nazarian B, et al. The effects of soy supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Cytokine. 2020;136:155282. doi:10.1016/j.cyto.2020.155282
  3. Metzger CE, Narayanan SA, Zawieja DC, Bloomfield SA. A moderately elevated soy protein diet mitigates inflammatory changes in gut and in bone turnover during chronic TNBS-induced inflammatory bowel disease. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2019;44(6):595-605. doi:10.1139/apnm-2018-0514
  4. Basson AR, Ahmed S, Almutairi R, Seo B, Cominelli F. Regulation of Intestinal Inflammation by Soybean and Soy-Derived Compounds. Foods. 2021;10(4):774. Published 2021 Apr 4. doi:10.3390/foods10040774
  5. Wiseman A. Crohn’s disease leading to bowel cancer may be avoided by consumption of soya isoflavones: adjunct-chemotherapy with oxaliplatin. Med Hypotheses. 2006;66(5):934-935. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2005.11.038
  6. Messina M, Duncan A, Messina V, Lynch H, Kiel J, Erdman JW Jr. The health effects of soy: A reference guide for health professionals. Front Nutr. 2022;9:970364. Published 2022 Aug 11. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.970364

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About the Author

Picture of Danielle Gaffen, MS, RDN, LD

Danielle Gaffen, MS, RDN, LD

Understanding the link between nutrition and gut disease prompted me to obtain my master’s degree in Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University and become an IBD Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Now I work with people who have Crohn’s and colitis who are struggling with confusion around what to eat. My favorite part is helping them to build confidence to eat without fear while managing their symptoms.

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