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Soy Will Kill You!

The Giant Noodle

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Well..... maybe. :roll: Read on! :2wave:

Is Soy Bad for you?

Of late there are a number of studies that seem to suggest that soy foods may be actually harmful to the body. Let us look at some of these. There are studies, which suggest that Soy products may actually:
  • Contribute to thyroid disorders:

    There is potential for certain individuals to consume levels of isoflavones in the range that could have goitrogenic effects. Most at risk appear to be infants fed soy formulas, followed by high soy users and those using isoflavone supplements. The report noted that infants fed soy formulas are exposed to high levels of isoflavones, which are potent anti-thyroid agents, and that the risks to normal growth and development were significant. The Ministry of Health in New Zealand has found that infants with a history of thyroid dysfunction should avoid soy formulas and soy milks. Soy based infant foods have profoundly adverse hormonal effects as discussed above, but it also has over 1000% more aluminum than conventional milk based formulas.
  • Contribute to an increased risk of breast cancer in women:

    Two senior US government scientists, Drs. Daniel Doerge and Daniel Sheehan, have revealed that chemicals in soy could increase the risk of breast cancer in women, brain damage in both men and women, and abnormalities in infants.
  • Contribute in promoting kidney stones:

    New research indicates that soybeans and soy-based foods, a staple in the diets of many health-conscious consumers, may promote kidney stones in those prone to the painful condition. The researchers measured nearly a dozen varieties of soybeans for oxalate, a compound that can bind with calcium in the kidney to form kidney stones. They also tested 13 types of soy-based foods, finding enough oxalate in each to potentially cause problems for people with a history of kidney stones, according to Linda Massey, Ph.D., at Washington State University in Spokane.
  • Weaken the immune system:

    A hormone-like compound found in soy products, including soy-based infant formulas and menopause remedies, may impair immune function. When mice were injected with the “plant estrogen” genistein, which is found in soy products, levels of several immune cells dropped and the thymus, a gland where immune cells mature, shrank. A few reports from the late 1970s and early 1980s suggested that a soy-based diet impaired infants’ immune functions. About 15% of infants in the US, or roughly 750,000 children, consume soy-based formula each year.
  • Contribute to severe and potentially fatal food allergies

    A Swedish study shows that soy, like its botanically-related cousin the peanut, could be responsible for severe, potentially fatal, cases of food allergy, particularly in children with asthma who are also very sensitive to peanuts. Soy has probably been underestimated as a cause of “food anaphylaxis”.
Soy products also contain:

  • Phytoestrogens (isoflavones) genistein and daidzein, which mimic and sometimes block the hormone estrogen.
  • Phytates, which block the body’s uptake of minerals.
  • Enzyme Inhibitors, which hinder protein digestion
  • Haemaggluttin, which causes red blood cells to clump together and inhibits oxygen take-up and growth.
In the US, Most soybeans are grown on farms that use toxic pesticides and herbicides, and many are from genetically engineered plants. When you consider that two-thirds of all manufactured food products contain some form of soy, it becomes clear just how many Americans are consuming GM products, whose long-term effects are completely unknown.
Conclusion:
In some ways, the pros and cons of consuming soy products can be baffling for the ordinary reader. However, it must be remembered that soy can be a valuable source of protein in a vegetarian or vegan diet, but it should not be relied upon as the sole source of protein. Variety in our diet is an excellent way to ensure balance and good health. Choosing traditional and less processed forms of soy (such as tofu, miso, tempeh, edamame and even soy milk) over highly processed soy foods (such as soy cheeses, soy meats, and soy protein isolates) is likely to be a safer choice. Traditional Asian diets contain fermented Soy and use Soy as a light condiment. 65 % of the Asian diets consisted of fish and pork. The Soy intake in Japan and China account for 2 Tbsp per day only.
There are some redeeming qualities to soy, however these are found primarily in fermented soy products like tempeh, miso and natto and soybean sprouts. If you want to get some health benefits from soy, stick to these four forms and pass up the processed soy milks, soy ‘burgers’, soy ‘ice cream’, soy ‘cheese’, and the myriad of other soy junk foods that are so readily disguised as health foods.
For more reading, visit:
Is Soy Good or Bad for You ?
 
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Malarkey. I'll bet this research was funded by the U.S. Cattle and Beef Industry.
Are you aware that in most if not all Asian countries (where soy and soy derivatives are daily staples of the average diet), the median lifespan is significantly higher than in the US, and that they typically enjoy much greater health, independence, and mobility than we do in old age?
 
In my home we consume soy products regularly including tofu, soy milk, miso, and edamame. in fact we had miso soup with our supper this evening. I have been using soy milk on my granola for almost 20 years. My wife is Korean and grew up eating soy products. I think these studies are a crock.
 
I have had reservations about soy for several years. Imo, when it can mimic hormone activity and attach to hormone receptor sites, it's something that deserves at least some serious consideration.
 
This sounds almost as bad as the Dihydrogen oxide scare
 
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