Soy Products: Health Benefits & Concerns - A Vegetarian's Guide

Question
I am thinking of becoming a lacto-ovo vegetarian and I tried vanilla flavored soy milk today.   I thought it tasted pretty good, but I also read a lot of mixed comments about soy products on the internet.  Some say it is good whereas others say it is bad.  Would you say I should just eat a small amount of soy products until there is a concensus?  Or is it hard to tell whether the studies are even accurate due to special interests of the groups conducting the studies?

Answer
Hi Earl,

For a lacto-ovo vegetarian, soy is not that essential a source of protein: you'll be able to have sufficient protein amounts with diary and eggs so it's a yes your questions. Now, regardless the lacto-ovo diet, what is known about safety of soy? I suggest that you read a Newswire release:

Soy: The Pros and Cons
http://dietandbody.com/did-you-know/2006/09/soy-pros-and-cons.html
Intensive research on soy has shown a number of identifiable benefits as well as a few cautionary flags, especially for using supplements.

= Tanya Zilberter