Referenced from Weston Price
Myths & Truths About Soy
Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of
years.
Truth: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty
(1134-246 BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soy beans
to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.
Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.
Truth: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10
grams (about 2 teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods in
small amounts as a condiment, and not as a replacement for animal
foods.
Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as
traditionally fermented soy foods.
Truth: Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralize toxins
in soybeans, and are processed in a way that denatures proteins and
increases levels of carcinogens.
Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.
Truth: Like all legumes, soy beans are deficient in
sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. In addition,
modern processing denatures fragile lysine.
Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian
diets.
Truth: The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be
used by the human body; in fact, soy foods cause the body to
require more B12
Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.
Truth: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein
digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets
high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic
disorders. Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin D,
needed for strong bones and normal growth. Phytic acid in soy foods
results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc which are
required for the health and development of the brain and nervous
system. Soy also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the
development of the brain and nervous system. Megadoses of
phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current
trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and
delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.
Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.
Truth: Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D,
both needed for healthy bones. Calcium from bone broths and vitamin
D from seafood, lard and organ meats prevent osteoporosis in Asian
countriesnot soy foods.
Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.
Truth: A British government report concluded that there is little
evidence that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other
forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk
of cancer.
Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.
Truth: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower
cholesterol, but there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol
improves one's risk of having heart disease.
Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.
Truth: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary
levels, they can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of
cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of
soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms of lethargy,
constipation, weight gain and fatigue.
Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their
postmenopausal years.
Truth: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent
tumors and cause thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is
associated with difficulties in menopause.
Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.
Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels of
estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive
function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is
associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease in later
life.
Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS (Generally
Recognized as Safe) status.
Truth: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its
application to the FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones
following an outpouring of protest from the scientific community.
The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because
of concern regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in
processed soy.
Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.
Truth: Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause
infertility in animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in
middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone levels. Japanese
housewives feed tofu to their husbands frequently when they want to
reduce his virility.
Myth: Soy beans are good for the environment.
Truth: Most soy beans grown in the US are genetically engineered to
allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.
Myth: Soy beans are good for developing nations.
Truth: In third world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops
and transfer the value-added of processing from the local
population to multinational corporations.
