Is Soy a Health Food ?

Soy is still widely perceived to be a "health food" in the United States, bringing in some $4 billion a year.

Many people consume soy because of claims that it can reduce the risk of heart disease, alleviate symptoms of menopause,lower cholesterol and even cut your risk of cancer.

But in reality,when people consume soy products it can eventually lead to health problems ranging from digestive upset and bloating to hormonal disruption. And among infants, the estrogens in soy formula can be devastating, causing problems in their brains, reproductive systems and thyroid glands.

There are  100 years worth of studies demonstrating that soy products can be hazardous to your health, but soy is nonetheless found in our food supply and often hidden in processed foods.

A Host Of Disorders

There are hundreds of studies linking soy with such disorders as :

• Digestive  problems
• Thyroid dysfunction
• ADD and ADHD
• Dementia
• Reproductive Disorders
• Cancer

Phytoestrogens Are The Culprit

The Israeli Ministry based its advice on the findings of a panel of nutritionists, oncologists, pediatricians and other specialists who spent over a year looking at the available evidence. They concluded that the phytoestrogens in soy (estrogen-like plant hormones) can be harmful. Their recommendations are in accord with those made by the United Kingdom's chief medical officer and the British Dietetic Association.

The panel found that:

• The evidence that soy alleviates menopausal symptoms is inconsistent
• Soy Phytoestrogens increase the risk of breast cancer
• Soy phytoestrogens can also reduce male fertility.
• Soy has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, yet there is no proof that it reduces the risk of heart disease

The panel concluded that the proven risks of soy foods outweigh the possible benefit.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has convened a scientific panel to review the safety of soy baby formula and genistein, a plant estrogen found in soy.

Genistein can mimic the effects of estrogen in humans, which raised concerns about effects on human development and reproduction. The panel intends to look into these possible effects, such as the research that suggests soy consumption could affect the menstrual cycle.

Many people are still convinced that soy is a health food, but it is important to recognise that soy clearly has a downside.

Soybeans are high in Natural Toxins, also known as antinutrients.

This includes a large quantity of inhibitors that deter the enzymes needed for protein digestion. Further, these enzyme inhibitors are not entirely disabled during ordinary cooking. The result is extensive gastric distress and chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake, which can result in dangerous pancreatic impairments and cancer.

• Soybeans contain hemaglutins, which cause red blood cells to clump together. Soybeans also have growth-depressant substances, and while these substances are reduced in processing, they are not completely eliminated.

• Soy contains goitrogens, which can frequently lead to depressed thyroid function.

• Most Soybeans are genetically modified, and they contain one of the highest levels of pesticide contamination of all foods.

• Soybeans are very high in phytates, which prevent the absorption of minerals including calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc, all of which are co-factors for optimal biochemistry in the body.

• Finally, in an effort to remove antinutrients from soy, out of the final product, soybeans are taken through a series of chemical processes including acid washing the soy in aluminium tanks. This leaches high levels of aluminium, a toxic heavy metal, into the final soy products. Many soy foods also have toxic levels of manganese. Soy formula has up to 80 times higher manganese than is found in human breast milk.

FERMENTED SOY PRODUCTS like tempeh, natto and miso and soybean sprouts don't have these problems and can be beneficial to your health.

I recommend that you avoid all non-fermented soy such as tofu, soy protein products, soy milk and especially soy baby formula, which should never be used for infants, and only eat fermented soy if you choose to eat it.

Barbara is a qualified nutritionist and health and wellness expert offering one to one nutritional counseling in person or online. See Barbara's healthy lifestyle course with tips and support for a healthier lifestyle.

'The Mediterranean Lifestyle Program' is a 12 week course developed to create healthy lifestyle habits and attitudes.