Why Soy is NOT a Health Food

Soy milk has enjoyed an undeserved health label in recent years.  Sadly, I too bought into it hook, line, and sinker in the late 90's and early 2,000's prior to doing my research, and suffered some health consequences because of it.  According to Dr. Mercola, the Chinese have enjoyed the health benefits of soy for centuries.  The difference between the healthy soy that they eat and the soy that we get here in the United States comes down to fermentation.  Fermented soy is good and healthy, unfermented soy is downright dangerous.  

WHY?

Our soy is genetically modified to stand up to poisonous pesticides.  The studies are showing that the damage is even manifesting in 2nd and 3rd generations instead of those who are originally exposed.  Even if you have organic soy, (only about 5% in USA, by the way), it is dangerous.  Soy has estrogen components and phytic acid.

SOY THAT IS OKAY TO EAT

• Natto
• Tempeh 
• Miso 
• Soy Sauce 

These are all fermented.

 

SOY THAT IS NOT OKAY

Over 90% of the soy in the US is not fermented. Shocking to think that soy gets such a good reputation without ever thinking or considering the facts behind the good and the bad! Tofu is not fermented.  There are a lot of foods that vegetarians eat, like tofu, edamame, soy yogurt, soy cheese, soy oil, soy burgers, etc.  These are NOT HEALTHY.

Now to the part that just makes me sick to my stomach.  The most troubling soy food to me is something that a lot of people feed their kids on the advice of their doctors.  What is it? Soy formula.  Research finds that the amount of manganese found in soy formula for infants causes brain damage in infants and behavior problems in adolescents.  The manganese found in soy milk is 200 times the amount found in mother’s breast milk.

From Dr. Mercola’s site….

“The best-selling brand is Isomil (Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories), followed by Enfamil ProSobee (Mead Johnson), Nursoy (Wyeth-Ayerst) and Alsoy (Carnation).

According to Crinella and Tran, the discovery of potential harm from such products began in 1980 when a federal agency then called the Food and Nutrition Board established safe and acceptable values for manganese in adults, toddlers and infants.”  See  Dr. Mercola’s Site for further reading.

Some of the illnesses associated with soy are cancer (specifically, prostrate and breast), brain damage, infertility, thyroid disorders, infant abnormalities, immune dysfunction and severe allergy.  Soy is an endocrine disruptor and it disturbs regular cell formation.

Silk bought Chinese soybeans for years, building a commanding share of the soy milk market, before substantially decreasing its support of organic agriculture altogether. Few Silk products are certified organic anymore, and some are processed with hexane, a neurotoxin. While the green “USDA Organic” seal is gone, hexane-processed soy milk can still be labeled “natural,” and if it contains organic ingredients, the label “made with organic ingredients” is still used.

You just have to wonder how these things can be sold to us.

Please eat whole foods that are not genetically modified.  Do not eat processed foods, not even those that have been pushed as health foods.  Anything that has been altered in a factory should not be on our plates or in our baby’s bottles.

Because of the way we have “learned” to eat, healthy eating sounds difficult.  It is not.  All you have to do is break out of the old paradigm of box, can or bag, and go back to the older values of whole foods.  It isn’t hard, it is just different for many of us.  Once you do the changeover, you will find, it is worth it and you will be so glad that you did.

Thanks for “listening” to me! If you feel inclined, please share your thoughts on soy…

(ps.......I used to drink Silk soy milk for 5 years thinking it was a health food.  It caused hormone imbalances in me that made it difficult to get pregnant.  Once I got rid of ALL unfermented soy and processed foods, my hormones got back to where they should be.)  I've never felt better. 

Be well,

Janelle

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