Why You Should Rethink Eating Soy
Do you know why so much soy is in our food supply now? It is because after the tobacco industry was down sized due to the successful health campaign to discredit its use, tobacco farmers were scared about what to do. In came the government to the rescue by encouraging them to plant soy instead. Next came the blitzkrieg of news articles promoting it as "heart healthy" to encourage the public to accept it as a good food. This was done with little evidence by the way, and completely ignored known problems with it as a food source. Do you know which country has the highest rate of stomach cancer? It's Japan, which coincidentally has the highest comsumption of soy. Now it is in everything. You can barely find any food without soy additives, and many people are allergic to it without even knowing.
On the food blog by Mr. Cabbage Head, he asks: So, is soy good for you? Soy has become very popular and has been pushed as a health food. We are lead to believe that it is a major component of the Asian diet, but this is not true. In Asian countries, soy is used more as a condiment and only in quantity after fermentation which reduces the danger.
SOY WAS INITIALLY GROWN AS A NITROGEN FIXER IN CROP ROTATION AND NOT USED AS A FOOD.
In 1913, soy was listed in the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) handbook as an INDUSTRIAL PRODUCT - not as a food.
LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE REASONS WHY SOY IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH
Phytic acid in soy
Soy contains high levels of phytic acid, which is not neutralized by the usual preparation methods. High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Vegetarians who consume soy as a major source of protein risk SERIOUS MINERAL DEFICIENCIES.
Haemagglutinin
The haemagglutinin in soy is a clot-promoting substance that causes red blood cells to clump together.
Vitamin D
Soy foods increase the body's need for vitamin D. This is serious given that many people are already vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D is needed by the body to fight cancer.
Vitamin B12
Soy contains vitamin B12 analogs. These are not absorbed and can actually increase the body's need for vitamin B12. This is especially a problem for vegetarians who need to be more diligent in obtaining vitamin B12.
Trypsin inhibitors in soy
The trypsin inhibitors in soy INTERFERE WITH PROTEIN DIGESTION and may cause pancreatic disorders. Animal based tests with soy containing trypsin inhibitors showed stunted growth.
Aluminium
Soy foods may contain high levels of aluminium which is toxic to both the nervous system and kidneys.
Accelerated brain aging
A study by Dr White of Japanese Americans living in Hawaii, showed a significant statistical relationship between two or more servings of tofu a week and "accelerated brain aging". Those participants who consumed tofu in mid-life had lower cognitive function in late life and a GREATER INCIDENCE OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA.
Phytoestrogens
The phytoestrogens in soy can disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and breast cancer in women.
Babies Fed Soy
Infants fed exclusively soy-based formula have up to 22,000 times more estrogen compounds in their blood than babies fed milk-based formula. This is the equivalent of at least five birth control pills per day. Premature development of girls has been linked to the use of soy formula, as has the under development of males.
SOY AND CANCER
The soy industry pushes soy as a cancer preventing food. On the contrary, soy contains toxins such as lysinoalanine and nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are highly carcinogenic. Laboratory rats fed soy develop thyroid cancer, pancreatic cancer and digestive cancers. Note that cancer preventing compounds are found only in fermented soy not in tofu, soy milk and other soy products.
References:
Alarcon P. et. al. Clinical trial of home available, mixed diets versus a lactose-free soy-protein formula for the dietary management of acute childhood diarrhea. Journal of Pediatric and Gastroenterol Nutrition. v.12 (2), Feb 1991.
As if all of this were not bad enough, I have just learned from some research that aproximately 85% of soy is genetically engineered to be pest resistant. Do you know what that means? It means that the seeds have their DNA modified by adding pesticide DNA, so that farmers won't have to spray the pesticides. If a pest eats the plant, any part of the plant, it will die. So if you eat soy, you are unknowingly eating pesticides! Disgusting!!! (On a side note, corn is 55% genetically engineered in the same way.)
Reasons Why it is in our Food
Follow the Money
Try finding canned tuna without soy protein added. It is almost impossible. Why manufacturers can put out a product that is tuna and soy without labeling it as such is beyond me. It should have to say "Tuna and Soy", not "Tuna."Try finding hot dogs without soy. Or canned chicken.
Or any frozen meals with a protein component.
The reason? Soy is easy and cheap to grow. But what about the cost to our bodies?
In the Texas prisons, inmates were fed a diet with mostly soy as an experiment, to save taxpayer money. Prison officials had to abandon the experiment because inmates were lethargic,(possibly thyroid related) and had severe abdominal problems including increased flatulence and cramping, plus constipation. This is not surprising since dieticians and doctors alike know that soy in the intestines gives off a compound that paralyzes the villi, the tiny hair like extensions in the wall of the intestine that push food along. So in sensitive individuals, digestion actually stops! This is a severe allergic reaction, and many people are walking around not knowing that this is happening to them, and are taking massive amounts of laxatives to counteract the effects of eating soy or soybean oil.
Besides just the hydrologized protein that is soy, the other way it is poisoning our bodies is in the amount of soybean oil that is in products that used to contain olive oil, canola oil, or corn oil. Almost all salad dressings, breads, chips, crackers, cereals, margarine,and prepared frozen foods contain it. Unfortunately the oil is even more insidious than the protein. For many people, using soybean oil will completely stop digestion, forcing them to use laxatives, and at the least, they will experience extreme flatulance. For some individuals, this will produce anal bleeding. Amazingly, stopping all soy will cause all these symptoms to disappear. But since it is in everything these days, it is very hard to eat at restaurants or buy frozen foods to eat. Only a diligent shopping excursion will allow you to buy a soy free diet.
And all of this is because soybeans are so easy and inexpensive to grow and stockpile and prepare for food. To get us to accept soy as a great food, the government embarked on a campaign to tout it as "heart healthy" and a boon to menopausal women because of the phytoestrogens, but all of this has been discredited.
Here is an exerpt of an article about soy advertising:
Promotion of modern, industrially processed soy products should be viewed with skepticism. This is a huge and powerful industry. Archer Daniel Midlands, the world's major soy processor, spends heavily on advertising, especially for news programs on major networks. The company spent $4.7 million for advertising on "Meet the Press" and $4.3 million on "Face the Nation" during the course of a year.
ADM also has holdings in major newspapers. Naturally, the press presents soy in a favorable light. ADM lobbies heavily in Washington, and supports university research programs. ADM president Dwayne Andreas is a fanatic about spreading soy-based food around the world. There's a lot in it for him- but not much in it for us. Consumer beware. There is no joy in soy--it's a ploy.
~Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PHD
Soy Politics
Who Funds Soy Research and Why?
$4 Million in Research Grants to Examine Soy Health Benefits. The soybean checkoff's Soy Health Research Program solicits research proposals to study soy consumption and its impact on the prevention of osteoporosis, breast cancer, prostate cancer and the health benefits of isoflavones, a component of soy protein. Scientists submit research proposal applications to USB and, if their applications are selected, USB awards a $10,000 grant to scientists to help defray the cost of preparing the proposal submission to the NIH. In 2000, the very first year of the program, it yielded a $1.2 million NIH grant. Since then, an additional $4 million has been secured.Multiple millions of dollars are spent on soy research each year. Most State Soybean Boards fund their own research programmes (e.g., Arkansas Soybean Board which spent US$1.1 Million in research in 1998-1999) but the grants offered are insignificant when compared with that of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The USDA Soybean Promotion and Research Program was established by the Soybean Promotion and Research Order and is authorised by the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act [7 U.S.C. 6301-6311]. The Act was passed as part of the 1990 Farm Bill. It authorized the establishment of a national soybean promotion, research, and consumer information program. The program became effective on July 9, 1991, when the Order was published. Assessments began September 1, 1991.
As required by the Act, USDA conducted a referendum among soybean producers on February 9, 1994, to determine whether the program should continue. Of the 85,606 valid ballots cast, 53.8 percent of soybean producers voting favoured the program. As required by the Act, USDA conducted a producer poll on July 26, 1995, to determine whether producers supported conducting a referendum to determine if refunds should continue. Only 48,782 producers participated in the poll--less than the 76,200 required to cause a refund referendum to be conducted. Refunds were discontinued on October 1, 1995.
The program's goal is to strengthen the position of soybeans in the marketplace and to maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets and uses for soybeans and soybean products. It is funded by a mandatory assessment of 0.5 of 1 percent of the net market price of soybeans. All producers marketing soybeans must pay the assessment. Assessments under this program total approximately $80 million annually and are used to fund promotional and informational campaigns and to conduct research with the objective of expanding and improving the use of soybeans and soybean products.
You can read more about the USDA Soybean Promotion and Research Program at the United Soybean Board Site.
Of course there's nothing wrong with research, but Soy Online Service thinks that the motivation for research should be the honest search for scientific truth (remember the good old days!!). The vast majority of current USDA and industry funded soy research is obscenely slanted toward the benefits of soy. And, what do you know? Soy cures cancer! Little surprise soy consumption is up, the soy magnates are laughing all the way to the bank and the US economy also gets a nice little boost.
Well the facts are that if you believe the industry message about how great soy is then you are just another sucker. Soy Online Service views the soy industry as the worst type of scum on the face of the earth; happy to promote dubious health claims and take your money, while at the same time endangering more than a million soy formula fed babies each year.
You can read more of this report and more at www.SoyOnlineService.com
Symptoms of Soy Allergy
Stop All Soy and See if you Get Better
Here are some symptoms of soy intolerance or allergy:Severe Abdominal Cramping
Weight Gain
Puffiness
Irregular Menstruation
Inordinant Flatulence (Bad Gas)
Inability to Pass Gas
Anal Bleeding
Stomach Aches
Intestinal Pain
Lumps under the Arm or on the Neck
Lethargy (Severe lack of energy)
Constipation
Shortness of Breath after eating
Swollen Tongue
Swollen Eyes
Migrane Headaches
Sinus Infections
Hives
Thyroid Disease
If you have any of these symptoms, try stopping all soy, especially the oil, and see if you get better. I would bet on it.
What You Can Do
Save Yourself and Your Children and Your Pets
Don't buy any products with Soybean oil in them. Ditto soy isolate, hydrologyzed protein, soy flour.This will be hard! Since it is so cheap, it is in everything now. But it can be done; you just might have to make more food the old fashioned way and be diligent in your shopping. Read all labels.
Write your congressman(or email) and tell them you want it out of our food supply and labeled on everything it is in. If it says tuna, it should not be part soy.
Write your food manufacturers and tell them you won't buy their products with soy. Money still talks.
Tell the deli people that you can't have soy and you want only soy free baked goods.
Don't give it to your pets either. It's not good for any of us.
How to Contact Congress about this
Take Radical Action for your Life and Health
It's true you can't afford to hire a lobbyist to hand them a paper bag full of cash.
But you can let them know your opinion and what you want them to do.
They do pay attention because they actually have to win re-election.
Shock them by letting them know you're watching.
Remember:
1. Go to BrasscheckTV.com
2. Go to Defending Civili Liberties
3. Go to "Truly Radical Action"
Soy Information on various blogs
- Dangers of Soy | Food Renegade
- Are you convinced yet about the dangers of soy? Many aren't. Is soy bad for you? ...Really? I hear the question so often I want to scream. After decades of hearing marketing spin about how soy is a wonder food, a protein-rich legume ...
- Why Salads Are Not Usually Healthy and How To Do It Right
- Soy is virtually always genetically engineered, and it is particularly damaging to the thyroid, and thereby causes hormonal imbalances. The dangers of soy could fill up multiple articles. Why A Salad Is Often The Most Unhealthy Choice ...
- 5 Simple and Quick Tips for Substituting Soy
- In today's market 60% of the food commericaily available contains some form of soy. Consumers need to know where the soy is hidden in such common items as prepared frozen foods, sauces, seasoning mixes and salad dressings. ...
- The Dangers of Soy: Why Soy is Thought to be Bad for your Health ...
- Though a popular ingredient of modern non-dairy, vegan products, soy is associated with many health dangers you should be aware of before continuing to consume it.
Books about Soy Dangers
One of Many Who Warn of the Dangers of Soy
Dr. Mercola is a world renowned health practitioner
He is one of several health practicioners who warn of the dangers of soy. In fact, all of the major alternative doctors that I follow have come out against it!
Fetching RSS feed... please stand bySome Healthy Alternatives to Soy
Pecans Halves and Pieces, Raw - 12 Ounces
Amazon Price: $5.76 (as of 12/10/2009) 
NOW FOODS ORGANIC QUINOA GRAIN 1 LB
Amazon Price: $3.97 (as of 12/10/2009)
Macadamia Nuts, Roasted and Salted - 12 oz - Bag
Amazon Price: $4.22 (as of 12/10/2009)
Amaranth Grain - 1 Pounds
Amazon Price: $2.52 (as of 12/10/2009)
NOW FOODS ALMOND FLOUR PURE 10 OZ
Amazon Price: $3.95 (as of 12/10/2009)
Guestbook
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- Heather426 Heather426 Oct 8, 2009 @ 11:16 am | in reply to Cherrybomb2009
- Sounds like rice milk would be the only alternative for you! If you have not had problems digesting soy, maybe you could switch to fermented soy which is not as bad for you as raw unfermented soy.
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- Cherrybomb2009 Cherrybomb2009 Oct 8, 2009 @ 5:49 am
- So what would you suggest for someone like me who has had a soy-based diet for 25 years? Oh, and I should mention that I can't have any dairy (and that includes casein- the name for milk protein, which is the main culprit), no eggs or egg products, and DEFINTELY NO nuts or nut products, so almond milk is completely out of the question for me. Sesame, caramel color and barley are a problem for me as well.
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- kimmanleyort kimmanleyort Sep 9, 2009 @ 10:51 am
- Great lens! I am reading another interesting book which also talks about soy - The Unhealthy Truth. I've learned that even if you don't think you eat soy, you do. It's in almost everything.
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- CherylK CherylK Sep 8, 2009 @ 8:53 pm
- Who knew? I love soy milk, unfortunately...will have to rethink this. I don't think I consume enough to cause any real damage. Actually, I believe that we should all live by the "everything in moderation" mantra. You have certainly given me something to think about!
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- sandyspider sandyspider Sep 8, 2009 @ 9:19 am
- Very interesting lens. I never thought of soy in this way.
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- KarateKatGraphics KarateKatGraphics Sep 4, 2009 @ 8:10 pm
- I took soy supplements for some hormone problems and ended up having a very bad reaction to them. Looking into it, I discovered why--soy isoflavones (active ingredient in these supplements, which of course were also pricey) in particular are really bad for you. I get bummed that a lot of the high-protein kids' snack foods, even the "good" brands like Clif Bars or Kashi, are full of soy. My guys hate most meat, so protein is a challenge. Thanks for discussing the dark side of soy...
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- 24websurf 24websurf Jul 4, 2009 @ 11:53 pm
- Great info! Wonderful research! You present your argument beautifully 5*s
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- ElizabethJeanAllen ElizabethJeanAllen May 24, 2009 @ 8:19 am
- Excellent resource
Thanks for sharing
Lizzy
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- Pastiche Pastiche May 6, 2009 @ 9:17 am
- Uh oh. I switched over to soy milk for coffee and cereal when I was menopausal and hubby had trouble digesting cow's milk. Plus we eat tofu instead of meat occasionally. I knew about TVP and have found one tuna without it which is all I will buy as TVP really bothers my digestive system. Thank you for raising my awareness on what I thought was a healthful alternative.
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- GrannyNan GrannyNan May 4, 2009 @ 3:09 pm
- Did you know Vegetable oil is no longer Vegetable as in corn.....it use to be corn or a mix of corn an canola!! If you read your label it is SOY. They never even let folks know they changed it. Soy can kill ya!!
In the very beginning they warned on their new spread...may cause anal leakage......really ruined my appetite!! I avoid soy as much as possible!!
Hard thing is getting folks you love to read labels!!
Great lens!!! 5*
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- athomemomblog athomemomblog Apr 28, 2009 @ 5:50 pm
- Wow, what great information. My son really can`t drink milk though and we don`t have access to nut milks here . . . I wonder what we can do instead.
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- mukunda22 mukunda22 Apr 25, 2009 @ 9:39 am
- WoW!! I, too, have been seduced unknowingly by the soy industry! Drats!!
High fived and faved!!
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- CCGAL CCGAL Apr 23, 2009 @ 2:02 am
- Wow. I can honestly say that I had no idea anybody had the opinion that soy was not a good food. This was a totally new concept to me.
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- Jewelsofawe Jewelsofawe Apr 17, 2009 @ 1:10 pm
- I did not know soy was bad for you. I don't like soy anyways. Great lens!
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- hlkljgk hlkljgk Apr 17, 2009 @ 12:43 pm
- great info - you don't see much of this out there.
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- Heather426 Heather426 Apr 15, 2009 @ 5:10 pm | in reply to JaguarJulie
- I tell people that don't want to do dairy to do almond or rice milk instead. Both are tasty and not poison!
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- JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Apr 15, 2009 @ 5:03 pm
- OK, hubby and I are in trouble as we are into soy -- we drink the soy milk in our cereal and coffee and we like other soy products. When I was menopausal -- I tried soy products to help with that. An interesting set of facts that you present!
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- FitSteph FitSteph Apr 14, 2009 @ 1:21 pm
- Wow what a great blog! If anyone is looking for an easy online place to create a food journal This is one of my favorite health & fitness sites. It lets you track food, workouts, and calories!
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- GrowWear GrowWear Apr 5, 2009 @ 8:50 pm
- You've made a very nice resource here. Thank you. :)
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- dotcomboy dotcomboy Apr 1, 2009 @ 3:31 am
- I've never heard anyone say anything bad about soy. Thanks for the interesting new info. 4/5
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- Heather426 Heather426 Mar 25, 2009 @ 11:23 am
- Right! Coconut oil is extremely good for you and I take it every day and cook in it too. thanks for visiting and rating.
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- Margo_Arrowsmith Margo_Arrowsmith Mar 25, 2009 @ 6:59 am
- Soy and vegetable oil are so popular because their lobby's convinced people that coconut oil is bad. They went to Congress with it. The fact is the opposite. ******
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- Demaw Demaw Mar 8, 2009 @ 7:44 pm
- Very good lens on the overuse and dangers of soy. I had cut down when I first heard of the dangers. It is always a good idea to research claims made by "researchers" about products we use.
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- Heather426 Heather426 Mar 7, 2009 @ 12:25 pm
- I know, I visited it earlier and left you a 5* rating! thanks for getting the word out....
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- Ladymermaid Ladymermaid Mar 7, 2009 @ 9:39 am
- An article after my own heart........I also researched the negative affects of soya and created a lens on the subject. From what I read as I researched, I am very surprised that they still allow this product to be fed to babies and young children, the future consequences will be devasting for some kids. Thanks for contributing your article.
Ladymermaid
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by Heather426
Eating soy is bad for you! I have done a lot of research on this subject. If you read what I have collected here and research on your own, I am s... (more)
