Soy: panacea or poison?

Soy “stops cancer and baldness” (1)

“Soyfoods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and cause thyroid problems.” (7)

“Increasing soy consumption could reduce the risk of breast cancer.” (5)

“A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that soyfoods protect against breast cancer or any other form of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.” (8)

Confused?

This article on soy will examine the following: · History of the humble soy · Its role in the Asian diet · Its role in the Western diet: where is it lurking? · Critical questions about your safety · Guinea pigs

The beginnings of soybeans The soybean plant was initially used as a ‘green manure’ or cover crop to enrich the soil, and was known to the Chinese as ‘the yellow jewel’. Soybeans did not become human food until the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BCE), after the Chinese developed a fermentation process to turn them into soybean paste, called miso, with the run-off liquid called soy sauce. Tofu came after miso and in Japan and China it was rarely served as a main dish except in monasteries where it was eaten with miso or fish stock. Around AD 1000, fermented soybean foods, natto, and tempeh entered the food supply. Modern soy products, such as soy protein isolate and concentrate made using highly processed methods, were unknown in Asia until after World War II. Also, neither soy milk nor infant formula are traditional in Asia. The first person to make soy milk was actually an American missionary and physician, Harry Miller. “Claims that soybeans have been an important part of the Asian diet for more than 3,000 years, or ‘time immemorial,’ are simply not true.” (6)

Soy in the Asian diet According to a spokesperson for Cancer Research UK “There is a lot of research indicating that countries with a high consumption of soy in their diet, such as Japan, tend to have lower rates of prostate cancer and some other types, with the active ingredients in soy believed to be isoflavones.” (1) Sounds very convincing, however, let’s take a look at how much soy is actually in the Japanese and Asian diet. According to figures from the soy industry itself, the Asians consume very little soy, around 9.3 to 36 grams per day in China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and Taiwan, for comparison, a cup of tofu weighs 252 grams or soy milk 240 grams (6). Still, the quality is hardly comparable, as Asian countries generally eat their already-fermented soybeans as miso soup, not as tofu, sausage, or meat replacement foods, according to Sally Fallon of the Weston A Price Foundation (independent health group leader) about 65% of Japanese calories come from fish, while in China the same percentage comes from pork. Therefore, it is far from being the backbone of your diet (8).

Soy in the Western Diet Aside from the obvious, where else does soy lurk? Research estimates that soy is present in 70% of all supermarket products and is widely used in fast food chains. Soy is used to augment and bind many processed foods, such as hot dogs, lasagna, beef patties, and chicken nuggets (food companies may add a higher protein value to them). Even the peel is used as fiber in breads, cereals, and snacks. The biggest one is in vegetable oil: Soybean is the most widely consumed vegetable oil in the world, used in margarines, salad dressings, and cooking oils. Food labels simply list soybean oil as a vegetable oil. In addition, 90% of the 200 million tons of soybeans produced annually is used to feed animals (3).

Soy and the thyroid According to Mary Shomon editor of http://www.thyroid-info.com (9) “Soy products increase the risk of thyroid disease. And this danger is particularly great for babies who take soy formula… More than 70 years of human, animal, and laboratory studies show that soy puts the thyroid at risk.” Dr. Mike Fitzpatrick, an environmental scientist and phytoestrogen researcher who has done extensive research on soy, particularly the use of soy formulas published in the New Zealand Medical journal. Dr. Fitzpatrick makes it clear that soy products can have a detrimental effect on both adults and babies. In particular, he strongly believes that manufacturers of soy formulas should remove isoflavones (the part of soy products that act as antithyroid agents) from their products. (2) How do researchers induce thyroid cancers in laboratory animals? They use thyroid-inhibiting foods like soy in combination with thyroid-boosting drugs like Synthroid. (6) How much can strange thyroid problems occur? Maybe as little as 30 mg or less than a glass of soy milk. (4)

Soybeans and Reproduction Here’s an interesting fact. Buddhist monks consume tofu to reduce libido. Humans and animals appear to be most vulnerable to the effects of soy estrogens prenatally, during infancy and puberty, during pregnancy and lactation, all major phases of hormonal changes with growth and development. How powerful can the hormonal system be? A landmark study showed “that as little as 45 mg of isoflavins could alter the length of the menstrual cycle in a premenopausal woman.” (4) Obviously, it is more difficult to find a cause and effect relationship, since there are many potential triggers for hormonal imbalances and reproductive problems. However, in animals this has been further tested. According to Dr. Mary Enig (world-renowned lipid and hormone specialist), sows can only ingest it in quantities not higher than 1% during the lactation phase or face developmental problems in piglets (8).

Soy and the environment Soy was previously considered a good source of protein that appealed to vegetarians looking for alternatives to meat. But it’s a double whammy for environmentally and health-conscious vegetarians, as the effect of growing soybeans on the environment is dramatic. It is forecast that 10,000 hectares of forest each year in Argentina (20 soccer fields per hour). If this continues at this rate within five years, the country’s native forests will be gone. Similar scenarios are playing out in Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia, all thanks to companies like the genetic engineering giant Monsanto. The World Wide Fund for Nature recently published a report estimating that 22 million hectares of forests and savannahs in South America (an area the size of Great Britain) will disappear by 2020. Crops have also caused soil erosion and land use. Widespread use of pesticides and chemicals are destroying some of the world’s most sensitive habitats. (3).

Soybean business Soybeans are traded as an international commodity, like oil and gold. It is a multi-billion dollar industry. “The reason there is so much soy in the United States is because [the soy industry] He started planting soybeans to extract the oil from it and soybean oil became a very big industry. Once they had as much oil as they had in their feed supply, they had a lot of soy protein residue left over, and since they can’t feed the animals except in small amounts, they had to find another market.” (2 )

Conclusion So Soy’s reputation as a health panacea is now badly tarnished. They still have some supporters, but it’s important to examine their backgrounds to make sure they’re not just public relations mouthpieces for a very powerful soybean industry. Big Soy, like Big Pharma, has been a powerful force in shaping attitudes toward nutrition and health. Given mounting evidence that does not support soy as a health food, I think we should be very nervous about accepting the big soy twist as nutritional gospel.

your 3d coach

craigburton

References

1. BBC News 2004, Soy stops cancer and baldness, 11/14/2004

2. http://www.mercola.com/2004/jan/21/soy.htm, Soy: Is It Healthy or Harmful?

3. Anthony Barnett, The Observer, Called It a Wonderful Meal, 7/11/2004

4. [http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/articles/Shadow.htm]Sean Carson, The Shadow of Soy or, How I Stopped Loving and Learned to Care About the Bean

5. http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk, Health Benefits of Soy: Why Increasing Soy Consumption Could Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

6. http://www.thewholesoystory.com, The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Favorite Health Food. Daniel, K.T.

7. New Zealand Medical Journal (vol. 113, February 11, 2000) Soy formulas and the effects of isoflavones on the thyroid.

8. http://www.westonaprice.org, Soyfood Myths and Facts

9. http://www.thyroid-info.com, editor by Mary Shomon.