Have you heard of phytic acid? If you had, you probably wouldn’t have the same perception that soy is supposedly good for our diets. Soy has high levels of this kind of acid, which is not neutralized by our traditional Western methods of cooking. This acid inhibits calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc and has been known to cause growth problems in children. We know that vitamin D and vitamin B12 are very important for our body, but soy actually increases our need for them. Monosodium Glutamate or MSG, which most of us have heard of and associate with toxicity, can be formed during the processing of soy foods. When we hear that high levels of aluminum can be found within soy, there is little wonder that we each should be concerned for our nervous systems.
Phyto estrogens, common in soy, are a disaster waiting to happen when absorbed into the human body. For example, estrogen is involved with endometriosis, infertility and breast cancer, and this leads us to believe that soy milk estrogen could have serious potential consequences too. Soy can suppress your thyroid ability as it is goitrogenic and this can lead to stress, weight gain and fatigue. Soy will also affect your ability to digest protein, as it is rife with trypsin inhibitors. Get ready for stomach cramps and diarrhea, potential pancreatic problems, as well.
In order for us to consume soy safely, it must be fermented first. The Asians include soy in the diet, but in relatively small amounts. Unfermented soy is simply not considered by them and they usually only use it as a condiment and not as an essential food. Generations of healthy eating habits have also taught the Chinese and Japanese to eat foods that are high in nutrients and minerals, which counter balance and can counteract the effects of the fermented soy on organs like the thyroid.
Isolated soy protein, is a byproduct generated when a soy bean is turned into oil. This ingredient is used to produce milkshakes, ice cream, burgers and milk substitutes, popular in the Western diet. We are incorrectly told that, as we are avoiding “red meat,” a burger made with soy is theoretically healthier. In order for us to accept these soy products and crave the taste, they must be loaded with MSG, flavorings and other additives, so that they are palatable to us.
Don’t be tempted to opt for tofu, often linked to soy products, as this is also a nontraditional product that only originated within the Asian markets as populations expanded and demand for the widespread availability of cheap foods exploded.
From allergies to infertility, depression to weight gain, to alcoholism to development problems in children, the dangers of soy are evident, yet are suppressed within our food education system. We need to be sure that the real story is told. Find out why the Asians only use very sparing amounts of soy and this will tell us why it is far from a healthy option for us, exploding the myth, once and for all.
