Читать книгу Simply Laura Lea - Laura Lea - Страница 24

varies from company to company, but it is still a

better choice than conventional. If you’re not sure

about the quality of the dairy you’re purchasing, I

suggest reaching out directly to the company offering

the product.

As you can see, there is a generous amount of

research that supports including high-quality dairy

in one’s daily food routine. In this cookbook, I use

cheese, butter, and sour cream, which are fermented,

probiotic rich forms of dairy that can be easier to

digest than milk. Many adults are lactose-intolerant

and have Primary Lactase Deficiency, in which case

the production of lactase, the enzyme responsible

for the digestion of lactose, declines over time. This

typically begins around age two, but symptoms may

not appear until later in childhood or even early

adulthood. However, some pepople do fine with

cow’s milk on a regular basis. Note that I offer a non-

dairy substitution in most recipes, but not all. That

said, the majority of my recipes are still dairy-free.

Soy and Tofu

I didn’t include a single tofu recipe in my first

cookbook, for two primary reasons: 1) I didn’t enjoy

eating it, and 2) I had the option of including tempeh

as a soy-based source of protein. Tempeh is always

fermented, which can make it easier to digest. While I

still absolutely adore tempeh, I have also fallen in love

with tofu. I don’t remember when I began my tofu

affair, but I do remember immediately running out

to buy more and start experimenting. I also began to

dive into the controversial research about tofu.

Much of the conflict surrounding soy, and

particularly tofu, centers on its high concentration

of isoflavones. Isoflavones act as phytoestrogens,

or plant-derived estrogen, in mammals. As a result,

when we eat sources of isoflavones, such as soy, our

bodies may respond as if human endocrine system

estrogen were present. This has led certain studies

to conclude that consuming soy may negatively

impact hormone-driven illness, particularly

estrogen-dominant breast cancer. On the flip side,

a Japanese study found that the consumption of

soybeans may reduce the risk of breast cancer.

What’s the deal? Well, it all depends on context.

Factors such as age, hormone levels, ethnicity, the

type of soy, and countless qualifiers about the studies

themselves can all impact an ultimate conclusion

about soy intake.

When I synthesized all of my research, I came to

the conclusion that consuming moderate amounts

of tofu, tempeh, and miso paste can be a beneficial

part of one’s diet. As Jie Yu notes in an article in

Nutrients: “[Soy] isoflavones exhibit impressive

anti-inflammatory properties in various animal

models, and even in humans, through increased

antioxidative activities.”⁶

Of course, this is barring any specific conditions

that have led your doctor to caution you to limit or

omit soy. As usual, I cannot say what is “moderate

consumption” for you, but I enjoy tofu or tempeh

two or three times a week and miso paste five or

six times a week (in very small quantities). I also

love organic edamame as an appetizer or snack

every month or so. I urge you to do your own

research if you’re still unsure about your stance

on consuming soy, or if you’re simply interested

in learning more.

A WORD ABOUT VEGETABLE OIL

Vegetable oils are inflammatory due to their undesirable ratio of omega 6 to omega 3. They oxidize

easily, which means they can more easily go rancid. In addition, vegetable oils are heavily processed,

making them an all-around no-go for me. If you’re going to spend the time and money to buy high-

quality dairy (also applicable to meat, seafood, and eggs), please prioritize quality oils as well, such as

extra virgin coconut oil, 100 percent first cold-pressed olive oil in dark glass bottles, and avocado oil.