Soy Safe - Soy Dangerous

Soy Safe - Soy Dangerous
by Tina Marian

You'd think that the (already existent) knowledge that soy was not fit food for
animals would have led someone to conclude that the same held true for humans.
But the temptation to turn a massive problem into a massive opportunity won out.

Through brilliant marketing, intense lobbying with the FDA, and a smear campaign
against tropical oils, the soy industry has been highly effective at portraying soy as an
ideal protein and an excellent way to lower cholesterol; reduce menopause
symptoms; and protect against heart disease. Nothing could be further from the
truth.

It seems ironic that soy is so accepted as a health food when Dr. Kaayla Daniel, the
author of the most comprehensive book written on this soy deception -- "The Whole
Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food" states, "thousands of
studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown,
thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility- - even
cancer and heart disease."

After reviewing decades of studies on the health benefits of soy, The Nutrition
Committee of the American Heart Association found little to no evidence
substantiating the above claims -- that soy-based foods lower cholesterol, or limit
menopausal related symptoms - or that, additionally, soy helps prevents prostate,
breast, or uterine cancers.

So, is soy safe? Consider the following -- soy contains some potentially harmful
components including:

antinutrients, which contain inhibitors that deter enzymes needed for protein
digestion,
hemaglutinins which cause red blood cells to clump
goitrogens which can lead to depressed thyroid function
phytates which prevent the absorption of minerals
phytoestrogens which block the hormone estrogen
aluminum
and toxic levels of manganese, a trace element that we actually need daily in
minute quantities, but excess exposure to which can adversely affect the
nervous system

And if that isn't sufficient to give you pause -- most soybeans are genetically
modified and contaminated with high amounts of pesticides.

Two-thirds of processed foods contain some type of soy, so you may be consuming
it and not even know it. Learn how to read food labels, and watch out for soy protein
isolate; soybean oil; soy protein concentrate; texturized vegetable protein; and
hydrolyzed vegetable protein in the ingredients.

What about soy milk dangers? While soy milk is nothing more than the waste
product of the tofu-making process, it continues to increase in popularity as more
consumers drink it in place of milk. Did you know that drinking even two glasses of
soy milk daily for one month has enough phytoestrogens to alter a woman's
menstrual cycle?

Furthermore, tofu is not 'natural,' but a highly processed form of soybean curd, and
it has all of the health risks associated with other highly processed soy food, including
potential risks to the brain.

If 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.

Quite frankly, the words "soy" and "health" do not seem to belong in the same
phrase --. you would be doing yourself a huge health favor by eliminating all soy from
your diet completely.

About The Author

Tina Marian

Give your health the priority it deserves; work on your health goals and nutritional
needs with a trained holistic health professional. Go to
to schedule your free full-hour consultation.

The story of soy and how went it
from a relatively obscure, seldom
eaten food to a mainstream $6.6
billion a year industry and growing is a
curious one.

In 1913 soy was listed in the USDA's
handbook not as a food but as an
industrial by-product. Originally
planted in the US extensively in order
to extract the soybean oil -- which
eventually replaced the far healthier
tropical oils -- the by-product of the
process was a massive amount of
soy protein.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The content on
this website is for educational purposes only. Please consult with your physician before using natural
remedies and before making any drastic changes to your diet or exercise program.