The story of soy and how it went from a relatively obscure and rarely eaten food to a $6.6 billion a year and growing major industry is a curious one.
In 1913, soybeans were listed in the USDA manual not as a food but as an industrial by-product. Originally planted in the US extensively to extract soybean oil, which eventually replaced much healthier tropical oils, the byproduct of the process was a massive amount of soy protein.
One would think that the (already existing) knowledge that soy was not a suitable food for animals would have led someone to conclude that the same applied to humans. But the temptation to turn a big problem into a big opportunity won out.
Through brilliant marketing, intense lobbying with the FDA, and a smear campaign against tropical oils, the soy industry has been very effective in presenting soy as an ideal protein and a great way to lower cholesterol; reduce the symptoms of menopause; and protect against heart disease. Could not be farther from the truth.
It seems ironic that soy is so accepted as a health food when Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of the most comprehensive book ever written on this soy hoax, “The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Favorite Health Food,” states: “Thousands of studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive problems, immune system impairment, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility, including cancer and heart disease.”
After reviewing decades of studies on the health benefits of soy, the American Heart Association’s Committee on Nutrition found little or no evidence to support the above claims: that soy-based foods lower cholesterol or limit symptoms related to menopause, or that, in addition, soy helps prevent prostate, breast or uterine cancer.
So is it that safe? Consider the following: Soy contains some potentially harmful components including:
o antinutrients, which contain inhibitors that deter enzymes needed for protein digestion,
or hemagglutinins that cause red blood cells to clump together
or goitrogens which can lead to depressed thyroid function
or phytates that prevent the absorption of minerals
or phytoestrogens that block the hormone estrogen
or aluminum
I have toxic levels of manganese, a trace mineral that we actually need daily in minute amounts, but excessive exposure to can negatively affect the nervous system
And if that’s not enough to stop you, most soybeans are genetically modified and contaminated with large amounts of pesticides.
Two-thirds of processed foods contain some form of soy, so you may be eating it and not even know it. Learn to read food labels and watch out for soy protein isolate; soy oil; soy protein concentrate; textured vegetable protein; and hydrolyzed vegetable protein in the ingredients.
What about the dangers of soy milk? Although soy milk is nothing more than the waste product of the tofu-making process, its popularity continues to grow as more consumers drink it instead of milk. Did you know that drinking even two glasses of soy milk a day for a month has enough phytoestrogens to disrupt a woman’s menstrual cycle?
Furthermore, tofu is not ‘natural’, but rather a highly processed form of soybean curd, and has all of the health risks associated with other highly processed soy foods, including potential brain risks.
If the soy is fermented and non-GM (genetically modified), soy can be a healthy addition to your diet. Fermented soy products include tempeh, miso, natto, and soy sauce or tamari.
Frankly, the words “soy” and “health” don’t seem to belong in the same sentence –. You would be doing your health a huge favor by completely eliminating all soy from your diet.
