When it comes to eating soy products there’s really only one question to ask yourself -
‘Do I want to believe the marketing or the facts?’
Because the truth is that soy food has never been proven safe and that there are countless studies showing it can permanently damage your health. Here are five compelling reasons to avoid this dangerous food:
1. It is one of the world’s most commonly genetically modified (GM) foods. Although there are some dubious advantages to GM foods (such as food staying fresher for longer), GM technology has never been proven safe, and laboratory tests on rats and insects have shown GM produce to cause stunted growth and immune system dysfunction. Another major concern with GM foods is that they are gradually destroying naturally sustainable agriculture and farming. GM technology can also impact on the molecular structure of plant proteins and fats, causing digestive and metabolic disorder. GM soy is everywhere – up to 60% of food on supermarket shelves contains some GM Soya. Now if that’s not a reason to read labels then I don’t know what is!
2. US Government scientists Drs Daniel Doerge and Daniel Sheehan recently broke away from the FDA (America Food and Drug Administration) after not wanting to put their name to pro-soy propaganda. The Drs quoted 28 studies listing the dangers of soy. Of the many concerns the greatest were that soy foods can increase the risk of breast cancer in women, brain damage in men and women, and abnormalities in children.
3. Isoflavones are one of soy’s most harmful chemicals and they mimic your body’s natural estrogen hormone. This can cause hormonal imbalance leading to thyroid problems (your thyroid helps to regulate your metabolism), infertility and digestive sensitivity.
4. History shows that people in Asian cultures did not consume soy in large quantities except in times of food scarcity. Even then, careful care was taken to prepare the soybeans through fermentation. This rids the bean of harmful chemicals and soy toxins.
5. It’s worth saying again – soy has NEVER been proven safe, nor have any of the numerous studies showing its harmful effects been disproven.
I know I don’t want to risk it.
But what if you love soy and don’t want to cut it out of your diet? You can play it safe:
- Choose only certified organic soy products. They will not be genetically modified, and will not have been grown with the aid of harmful pesticides and toxins.
- Fermented soy products are the best choice. Tempeh , miso, soy sauce, and natto are all fermented soy foods. You will find organic versions of them in your local health food or organic store.
Want to know more? Check out my sources:
Soy May Cause Cancer and Brain Damage – Mercola.com
And remember: Life is Now. Press Play.
Kat
*PS: My favourite new cleansing and weight loss products, the fabulous Isagenix IsaLean shakes, do NOT contain harmful soybean products from GM sources. (Of course 
) For those who have followed my detox and are unsure about how to order the products, or which program is right for you, email me at info@playlife.com.au
If you’re not interested in improved digestion, releasing stored toxins and body fat, and the convenience of a quick, tasty and filling shake that costs less than a gourmet sandwich, then don’t click here.
Hi Katrina
I am a little concerned about the information above.
Whilst all genetically modified foods are potentially dangerous until proved otherwise, there are many local Australian products that use non-genetically modified soya beans.
There are numerous conflicting studies about soya products, yet you can say exactly the same thing about meat and dairy products. In fact, the single biggest contributer to heart disease and cancer, is believed by many to be meat consumption.
It is well-know that the life-expectancy of vegetarians is well above that of meat-eaters. Now whilst, I wouldn’t advocate people give up meat completely, moderation is important and THE USE OF HIGH QUALITY ORGANIC PRODUCTS.
Specifically regarding soya products, so long as you don’t have a thyroid issue, soya in moderation can be safe, and a healthy part of a balanced diet. Soya is a legume, and like other legumes contains a myriad of cancer-fighting agents, is high protein, and high fibre. Many soya products contain fortified calcium. The calcium from soya products is generally speaking absorbed better than from dairy. Women with a family history of breast cancer should eat soya products in moderation, as their has been a link made between the potentially oestrogenic effect of soy isoflavones and breast cancer. However, this is once again, an issue of debate.
In conclusion, for most people, I would advocate soya intake in moderation so long as it is organic and non-genetically modified. Fermented soy products like tempeh, natto, miso, are all fantastic high-protein snacks, or meat-replacements.
Thank you for the interesting discussion.
Hey Dave
It’s always good to get an educated response – thanks for commenting! You raise a good point on the availability of locally-produced non-GM soy foods. Can you name a brand? I’ve had a pretty hard time finding any that are non-organic. Non-GM or not, if they are non-organic I would not be encouraging people to eat those foods, as soya beans are extremely heavily sprayed with pesticides. As for thyroid and breast cancer related concerns, I know I wouldn’t want to be taking the risk with anything not proven safe and repeatedly linked to harmful outcomes.
You’ve prompted me to delve back into some of my research, so I appreciate that. I’ll be posting some more detailed information on the true history of soy as a food, as well as some concerning studies.
You’ve also given me a good idea for an upcoming post – ‘do vegetarians really live longer?’ I think the quality of meat used in studies showing such an outcome really has to be addressed. In my research experience the comparison is usually between burger eaters and vegetarians, rather than high-quality organic meats. Now that would be an interesting study!
Talk soon ..
K
Hi Kat
What’s this I ask………….attacking one of my favourite foods!
Mind you everything you have said about the beloved soy bean is true. I did a lot of research into soy when I first had to move on to it because of my lactose intolerance to cows milk. There has been a lot of campaigning against companies like Monsanto who genetically engineer foods. Sometimes their work is OK. They were able to engineer potato blight out of potatoes to yield greater crops. The potato blight was responsible for decimating potato crops in Ireland less than a century ago and as the staple in their diet saw many families starve. In terms of the soy bean crop, Monsanto engineered them to withstand herbacides, so farmers didn’t have to go out into the fields and manually weed around their crops. They can be proud of their achievement to have successfully engineered the first poisonous bullet. A bean, which is the seed of the plant and rich with nutrients that it takes from the
soil, so that it can germinate, was also very rich with herbicide. Thank god for greenies! They keep their eye on these things and let us know. There is also another tale about apples and pesticides, but maybe for another time.
On another note I have found organic soup at the supermarket and recently….joy! Oh joy!…… organic beetroot chips and organic sweet potato chips with “celtic” sea salt (which is one of natures greatest resources of deep sea minerals). YUM!
Cheers
Gail
Soy foods are by and large processed beyond all recognition from the humble soybean, therefore they are toxic to consume. As an example, when the soybean undergoes processing to be placed in foods such as soy cheese and soy milk, phytic acid is released (see Weston A. Price Foundation’s information on this subject…http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/index.html) which is toxic to the body. Asians do not consume soy in the same amounts as we in developed countries, and theirs is more often as a condiment and/or includes fermented soy such as miso or tempeh. For more information on the dangers of soy, visit Agriculture Society…http://agriculturesociety.wordpress.com/2008/04/(also includes information on truly sustainable living). Thanks much for including information about this important subject!
-Raine Saunders