Soy

Soy, or not soy---it's a good question

"In the US, the soybean industry is filling our shelves with soy derivatives such as soy flour, textured soy protein, partially-hydrogenated soybean oil, soy protein isolate, soy cheese, milk, margarine, burgers, hot dogs, baby formula, They should not be confused with the natural and fermented soy components of the traditional Japanese diet."
John R. Lee Medical Letter, December 1999.

Because I am very sensitive to soy, one of my frustrations, as someone who eats a plant-based diet, has been the prominence of recipes featuring soy in vegetarian cookbooks and magazines.

When people ask me about tofu and other soy products, I show material that will balance all the pro-soy stuff that's out there. Here are some questions to consider:

Can you eat it raw?

I have eaten fresh soybeans, but not raw; they were steamed. Most soy products, however, are highly processed. When we show the tofu-making segment in a video by John McDougall MD, members of our Let's Be Well classes all come to the same conclusion: how can tofu have any nutritional value after it has been soaked for 10-12 hours and pressure-cooked for 12-15 minutes?

What are some dangers of eating too much soy?

In his March 1999 newsletter, John R. Lee MD says some women are eating "tofu, tempeh, taking soy protein powders, eating soy energy bars, and taking soy for phytoestrogenic effect–every day! This is over doing it and leads not only to blocked thyroid function, but also to blocked uptake of glucose in the brain, blocked absorption of minerals, and blocked absorption of protein." In his May 1998 newsletter, he writes that abstracts submitted at a conference on soy held in Brussels reported that soy protein isolates increased proliferation of breast cells in humans. And this is consistent with his own research. Dr Lee does not recommend the use of soy protein powders or drinking soy milk on a regular basis.

Is it genetically altered?

In "Insidious Disinformation Campaign Exposed, " in Healing Newsletter 15, Charlotte Gerson, whom I highly respect, writes: "[T]here has been a huge campaign underway to get the American public to accept and buy soy and soy products. These products, among other things, claim to prevent or even help cure cancer. However, the public is not being told that 70% of the soy produced in the US has already been genetically modified. In Britain recently, some 300,000 acres were ‘accidentally' planted with GM seeds. Nothing about this incident was reported by the US media, while it was big news in Europe. Should we wait until there are [verified reports of deaths resulting from GM food] after our foods are permanently modified and changed? We all must vigorously and loudly reject the tampering with our food crops."

Who's promoting it?

Note the following from "Soy food trends," in the January 2000 magazine Delicious, that I picked up at our co-op: "In the past few years, manufacturers have succeeded in transforming soybeans into everything from faux lunchmeats to milk-free dairy products. The government is now officially recommending Americans make soy a significant part of their daily diet… [A soyfood manufacturer is] elated over a recent FDA health claim on soy protein…'People put a lot of faith in what the government recommends... This FDA ruling is the stamp of approval that many people need before they will use a product.'" Another soy company is putting their 800 number on their packages because "helping to make Americans comfortable with soy" is one of their main goals. A different corporation has been "working to integrate soy into the American diet by making foods that are more familiar and easy to use."

What do studies show?

That depends on your resource. As the author of "Why Nutrition Advice Flip-Flops All the Time…Or Does it?" in Environmental Nutritions, March 2001, points out, "controversial news sells." The experts were telling us to eat soy foods for their isoflavones to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancers. Now they are saying that "soy's effect on hormone sensitive cells is inconsistent, leaving uncertainty about the safety of taking large amounts of isoflavones if a person has or is at risk for a hormone-sensitive cancer [e.g. breast and reproductive system cancers."

I like their bottom-line: "Stick with the tried and true–a diet of minimally-processed foods. Choose plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Go easy on saturated and trans fats and salt. Plus practice portion control."

Soy or not soy? You choose.

+++