Where did soy come from and what is it?
The beans grown in fuzzy green pods are soybeans. Traditionally Asian soy plants were grown for fertiliser not food. It wasn’t until the Chinese came up with fermentation methods that destroyed undesirable elements that it was eaten as a food.
In the west, soy has mostly been used for soy oil, shortening and spreads.
How did soy become a so called health food?
For years, the soy protein left over from the soy oil was given exclusively to animals. In 1975 the soy industry hired a top gum marketer to change its image. The soy industry recommended that the fastest way to get working and middle class people to accept the product was to have the affluent consume it on their own merit. This is why when you get a coffee you pay more for soy milk.
Are some types of soy better than others?
Yes. Traditional soy products such as tempeh, miso and natto are okay when eaten occasionally. The fermentation process destroys nasty mineral blockers and deactivates some of the anti nutrients.
Manufactured soy is the real problem as this has added chemicals, heat and pressure to change its structure and is not fermented. Tofu is an example of this.
What about soy and men?
Soy lowers testosterone, leading to a decreased libido and lower sperm count. Also ingesting soy will make it harder to lose weight and build muscle. ‘Real men don’t eat tofu’
What about soy and woman?
Soy can help reduce hot flushes in menopausal woman due to its high estrogen levels however it can also lead to fatigue, depression, hair loss, poor skin and a diminished sex drive, heavy menstrual cycle, increased cramping and infertility. There are more and more reports of interstitial cystitis and urinary condition and vulvodynia which is a pain of the female genitals that is so severe sex is almost impossible. Oh and women that consume large amounts of soy are often diagnosed with low thyroid making weight loss near impossible.
What about soy and baby’s / children?
This is what concerns us most. Pediatricians are reporting boys who were fed on soy formula are reaching puberty with breast and small penises. Also undescended testicles are getting more common. There are reports of vegan mothers giving birth to sons with hypospadias, an estrogen induced birth defect which the opening of the penis is on the underside, located anywhere from the tip to the crotch. Another problem is that receptor sites intended for testosterone are being occupied by soy estrogens and delaying puberty in boys
For females, soy has the opposite effect. Girls reportedly as young as 7 are going through puberty and many struggling with reproductive difficulties later in life.
It has been calculated that an infant on soy formula is getting the hormonal equivalent of the estrogen found in three to five birth control pills every day.
How come people in Asia eat soy and are fine?
Asia is a huge continent, it includes people of very different cultures with different dietary customs. The average consumption per year in China, Indonesia, Korea, Japan and Taiwan ranges from 9.3 grams to 36 grams per day. Compare that to a single cup of tofu that weighs in at 252 grams.
Also Asians eat very different forms of soy such as miso and tempeh. In the west we eat soy burgers, soy sausages and soy chicken.
With all this in mind, we personally avoid soy however if you do choose to eat it, we highly recommend buying and eating fermented products.
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