Yes, it will kill you.

:-\

So, I have been hearing mixed things about whether or not soy is safe.  Recently, I just heard the only fermented soy products are really safe.... i guess I was under the impression that tofu is fermented, but that was on the list of "unsafe" stuff.  I guess I do eat a lot of soy... soy milk and TVP are the two big ones.  I am trying to give up dairy and eat vegan sour cream, ice cream, some cheese, and sometimes meat substitutes but not that often. 

What do you guys think about all this?? 

It's true that soy can be harmful if not fermented over many many years especially for women and children (it's like ingesting 100% estrogen). This is not being done here in America for sure, if it's still a common practice in Asia I don't know. Not to mention more than 80% of soy is genetically modified and it hard to say what effect that has on the body(not recognizing the genetic blue print of the new soy). Unfermented soy contains two enzymes inhibitors that prevent the body from digesting much of the protein that it contains. This is why many people will develope allergies and not tolerate them at all. Not to mention the damaging affects it has on the thryroid and anti-growth factors make especially dangerous for new born  babies who need to grow in the early stages of life.

My advice would be to avoid it, I don't know that TVP is fermented long enough to neutralize the anti-nutrients and enzyme inhibitors, as I stated this takes years.

Should you decide to try to avoid soy, keep in mind that soy is in almost every processed food on the shelves at almost every store. This is just one reason eating whole foods are so important.

I just got told that I have an enlarged thyroid.  So I'm thinking that maybe it is somehow related to my soy intake as i didn't have problems until I started consuming LARGE amounts of it. 
I rely on tofu and soy milk for protein.  What other sources of protein are available? Besides the normal Seitan and legumes. Thanks.
Im going to conduct an experiment by reducing my soy intake and see if my energy comes back and my thyroid goes down.  I dont have insurance and would rather avoid having to have an ultrasound like the dr wants.

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/soyinfo/a/soy_4.htm
http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/blogs/jerrybrainum/?p=156

I think these two articles do a good job of explaining how soy affects the thyroid (which is much more indirect than people think). Soy is no worse than say dairy or cruciferous veggies or birth control pills or anything else on the thyroid.  There are so many misconceptions about it.  That said, I think processed soy in things like soy protein or soy cheese, commercial breads, crackers etc  (and for omnivores, in mayonaise, soy fed animal meat which is more than half of farmed animals and fish, many canned or packaged processed foods etc) is unhealthy in general.  And soy is found in so many hidden processed ingredients.  Makes you wonder if some of the health effects arent just from soy but from the other processed stuff in those ingredients as well.

I have had hypothyroidism for over 23 years (first discovered when I had a goiter at the age of 16...I feel so old  :-[).    I have found that moderation of soy and other controversial substances on the thyroid works best and I try to consume anything soy or high calcium or cruciferous vegetables related at least four to six hours after taking my thyroid meds.  I do not consume a lot of soy.  I do eat tempeh two to three times a week (doesnt bother my thyroid at all or affect my TSH levels) and very occasionally will have soy yogurt or once a month or so tofu.  I do not eat the fake cheeses or meats at all and do not use soymilk except on extremely rare occasion for some baking recipe where it works best.  If I were to consume soy very regularly every day I am guessing it might dysrupt my thyroid medication.  It certainly wasnt the cause of my hypothyroidism.  I have yet to hear of soy CAUSING thyroid disease in and of itself.  It is a complex disorder that involves autoimmune response and other factors.  I do believe there are toxins that can interfere with thyroid hormone and I have read of studies on fish, seagulls, and frogs in the great lakes area (where I live) that have reportedly had hypothyroidism.  So it isnt even just limited to humans or one substance. 

http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/qendoc.asp

My sources of protein are mostly legumes, beans, occasional nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, hemp, almonds, walnuts...), high protein grains (quinoa, buckwheat groats, wild rice, brown rice, bulgur wheat, amaranth, oats...), occasionally organic  hemp or rice protein powder if I am running low on a given day and need a boost (a container of that stuff will last me two months as I dont use a ton of it).  Lentils are especially high in protein and very versatile.  i can make burgers, casseroles, fillings, soups, all kinds of things with them.  They go well with Indian, Mexican, italian dishes and I discovered red lentils a few months ago.  Red lentil dahl is soooo good!  I also discovered yellow split peas.  Sometimes I make white bean dip or hummus for a sandwich filling and it keeps for a week in the refrigerator. 
Don't discount vegetables as a source of protein either.  Eat five or more servings a day (easy to get a few servings in a high speed blender making a green juice/smoothie for breakfast) and there is a bit of protein just in that alone. 

Hope this helps.  I am no expert by any means but I have experimented a lot eating a mostly whole foods diet with a few allowances (commercial almond milk unsweetened or the occasional coconut or soy yogurt etc) and this is what works for me.  I dont have an extremely high protein intake (usually in the 40's to 60's when I count it) but I am very active and have not suffered for it except when I eat too little (that is another story).