Myths & Truths About Soy

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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

countries—not 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.

© 1999 Weston A. Price Foundation. .

 

http://www.westonaprice.org/mythstruths/mtsoy.html