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Soy Myth

You've heard about the research touting soy's benefits, but some experts say you haven't heard the whole story.

ON THE LAND OF HEALTH FOODS, SOY IS KING. It's considered a near-perfect protein, one that's packed with compounds that can fight disease and promote health. Soy's plant estrogens--isoflavones--are said to prevent cancer, cut cholesterol, reverse osteoporosis, and wipe out menopausal symptoms. Earl Mindell, Ph.D., a registered pharmacist and author of Earl Mindell's Soy Miracle (Simon & Schuster, 1995), joins many nutritionists and doctors when he says, "Anyone who wants to live longer should be eating this food."

Yet a few scientists think the coronation of soy as a miracle food is premature. They claim that while some soyfoods offer distinct health benefits, others pose health risks, particularly to people who consume large amounts of soy. Critics cite four main potential dangers associated with eating too much soy or too much of certain kinds of soyfoods:

  1. Soyfoods can disrupt the functioning of the thyroid gland.
  2. Soyfoods can interfere with the digestion of proteins.
  3. They contain substances that rob the body of minerals.
  4. Soy's isoflavones may upset hormone balance.

The above is excerpted from: http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0NAH/2_29/53929987/p1/article.jhtml

There are some undeniable benefits to eating soy. It's high in protein. Low in saturated fat. It's easy on the stomach for some folks--especially babies. And, it's a tasty meat and dairy substitute.

But like Dr. Jekyll's flip personality, soy has a dark and possibly dangerous side that few people know about.

To start, unlike other legumes, soybeans aren't safe to eat when picked fresh. They're actually toxic. And in laboratory tests in animals, soybeans have been shown to cause everything from cancer to birth defects.

In order to remove the harmful toxins mentioned above, manufacturers must use harsh chemical processing. The beans are subject to acid baths and extreme heat, then they're spray dried to produce a high-protein powder. Next, to improve the taste of the soy powder, artificial flavorings are added.

But manufacturers don't stop there. Carcinogens called nitrites are also added to soy products during the spray drying process. These harmful chemicals are found in hot dogs and other fast foods. . . and they've been known since the dark ages to cause cancer.

Plus, after all that, despite nearly a 1/2 billion dollars in funding, nobody's figured out how to remove all the toxins from soybeans. That's right. There's not enough money in the world that can make soybeans as safe to eat as black beans.

The problem is, manufacturers can't get rid of all of the soybean's natural toxins. One especially dangerous toxin, called a trypsin inhibitor, can interfere with digestion and could theoretically cause cancer in humans. And, it's been proven to slow the growth of rats in laboratory tests. The big question still looming for experts is. . . does it inhibit growth in children? Scientists can't say for sure yet. But it makes you worry doesn't it?

Processed soy powder also contains residual phytic acid; a substance experts know blocks the absorption of calcium, magnesium, zinc, and other essential minerals in the intestinal tract.

In feeding experiments, a soy-based diet requires supplementation with vitamins E, K, D, B12, and creates significant DEFICIENCIES in cooper, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. This revelation is especially important for post-menopausal women. By eating quantities of soy, you could be putting yourself at risk for serious nutritional deficiencies and osteoporosis.

You may have heard that eating soy can protect you from developing breast cancer. There's research to say that's so! But, in one significant study completed in 1996, researchers found that women who ate soy protein had an increased incidence of epithelial hyperplasia, and early form of malignancy. A year later, a chemical found in soy was shown to encourage breast cells to metastasize.

You may have heard that soy contains beneficial substances called isoflavones. They're thought to improve symptoms associated with menopause. But isoflavones can also wreak havoc on your hormonal system. Here's how. . . . One hundred grams of soy protein daily--the amount recommended by a national soy organization--provides the estrogenic equivalent of taking the birth control pill. Some experts believe this excess estrogen can lead to thyroid problems, learning disabilities, and even premature sexual development.

In 1991, Japanese researchers found that as little as two teaspoons of soy protein a day caused goiter and hyperthyroidism in some patients. Isoflavones were believed to be the culprit.

One of the most shocking discoveries about soy came to light at the Third International Soy Symposium in 1999. One researcher presented his three-decade long study of Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii. It showed a significant statistical relationship between eating two or more servings of tofu a week and "accelerated brain aging." Individuals who ate this amount of tofu in mid-life had lower cognitive function later in life and a greater incidence of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Again, researches believed isoflavones were the offenders.

Excerpted from promotional material for Dr. Jonathan V. Wright's, Nutrition & Healing magazine (P.O. Box 925, Frederick, MD 21705-9913)