Lately, you can’t turn on the TV or flip through a magazine without hearing the praises of soy. It’s in everything from diet foods, health foods, to desserts. Many health gurus sing its praises and encourage large amounts of consumption of soy products. Many times, it is considered a good meat substitute for vegetarians. However, the truth is soy is not good for you and should be avoided as much as possible outside of fermented soy such as soy sauce and perhaps occasional use as a condiment.
Many people will point to the use of Soy by Asians but the truth is, soy is not eaten at high levels in Asia as it is in the USA. They typically eat less than 8 grams of soy per day. Whereas in America that amount is growing rapidly to totally, replace animal proteins. Asians did not eat unfermented soy products because soybeans are impossible to digest properly and cause many digestive upsets. Today, studies have shown soy to be an estrogen, which causes cancer in test animals.
In addition, soy also has a substance that causes red blood cells to clot called haemagglutinin, which can increase the chances of contracting dangerous flu as well as contribute to stroke and heart attack. Also, soy is known to actually block the body from absorbing certain nutrients like protein, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. The fermentation process helps avoid these issues to a point, but the other factor is that 99% of soy is genetically modified and very contaminated with pesticides.
Products containing such ingredients as soy protein isolate are highly processed foods. To be healthy humans need to eat foods as close to their natural state as possible and soy protein isolate is not something that can be made easily. A highly detailed chemical process has to take place to produce soy protein isolate. This ingredient, unfortunately, found in baby food, many health foods, school lunch programs and snacks is quite dangerous since it blocks absorption of vitamin and minerals. Unfortunately, marketing and the greed for money is at work in making soy into the so-called health food that it is perceived as today. You may agree or disagree with this article, but I invite you to look at the research regarding soy products and determine for yourself what is healthy for you and your family.
