I am always asked the question… “What about soy?”
Plain and simple– I do not like soy.
At all.
As a recovering soy addict… I invite you to read this article, before you order another Low Fat Soy Latte…
Ten Reasons to Avoid Soy.
1. Soy is not a cure
Did you ever wonder who funds those studies that tout soy as a wonder food? Funny story, there are organized “boards” for that stuff. The United Soybean Board funded research that linked soy protein consumption with a reduced risk of heart disease. They are also partially funding a study that looks at the role of soy and prostate cancer (1). (There are also boards for almonds, walnuts, milk, olive oil… etc. etc.).
Soy, (and food, in general), is not a cure all… there is not one magical berry, oil, or bean that will cure all of our ailments. However, these foods are often marketed to us, as such, and we end up consuming lots of these magical products, instead of making sensible lifestyle changes, in our diet (like avoiding the fried chicken, or cheese puffs, and adding more veggies).
2. Marketing soy as a “health food” – Who Benefits?
Of the USDA’s, thirteen committee members, “seven [have] ties to either the food or drug companies (or both), or have received funding from such companies (2).” Now… when the USDA is the one telling us to consume 3 cups of milk per day… isn’t that a bit suspicious? It would be like me owning stock in flax seed oil, and telling you to have one tbsp, with every meal. The point being, you should always question any “wonder food” that is being aggressively marketed.
3. Soy is processed, processed, processed.
The soy products found on our super market shelves are rarely in their raw, or natural form. The point being… even if a soy bean was to be a “healthy” source of protein… the soy products more commonly see, are treated and processed– processed is not a good thing. In order to produce soy products, like soy milk, the soy is heated to extremely high temperatures, making it “unnatural,” and then pumped with preservatives, stabilizers, and sweeteners.
4. Soy is very difficult for the body to break down, and digest.
Soybeans contain enzymes inhibitors. Enzyme inhibitors, inhibit the enzymes needed for protein digestion. Soybeans are a source of protein, yet they contain a substance that does let the body break down this protein. This causes stress on the body, and will cause bloat, indigestion, constipation, etc. in some form or another. *(Fermented (organic) soy products are not as difficult to digest).
5. Say hello to sinus problems. Soy is mucus forming.
Because soy is so difficult for the body to digest and breakdown, it aggravates our body’s delicate system, and leaves a sticky residue (like mucus), that coats our gastrointestinal tracts, and therefore slows the body’s natural flow (digestive and respiratory). This leads to excess mucus, which then contributes to sinus infections, asthma, colds, IBS, and other digestive issues, etc. (3)
6. Soy can inhibit the absorption of precious minerals.
Soy is high in phytic acid. Phytates, like those found in grains, inhibit the body’s absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc.
7. Soy is genetically modified.
Unless the soy product is labeled as organic, it is most likely genetically modified, and treated with herbicides. When something is genetically modified, it means that its original chemical makeup is altered, so that it can resist toxic fertilizers—and thus farmers can grow more, and more, cheap soy! (Um… these fertilizers may not kill the soybean… but we are the lucky ones that get to eat that stuff).
8. Soy has the ability to alter hormonal levels.
Soy contains phyto-estrogens. These compounds mimic human estrogens. Anything that has the ability to disrupt the normal functioning of the endocrine system is not a winner is my book.
9. Soy is contaminated with chemicals.
Soy is a “commodity crop.” When farmland is used to grow only one or two crops, it is called monoculture. “Monoculture doesn’t return nutrients to the soil, so it can’t be effective without the chemical fertilizers (4).” (Once again, this means more chemicals for us!)
10. Soy has a negative impact on the earth. “Globally, 90 percent of soy meal is fed to animals (5).” What does this mean? Soy is not being grown to supply us with an endless amount of edamame (soybeans). Soy is not being grown to feed our hungry bellies, and stave off world hunger. Soy is being grown in order to inexpensively fatten up animals for slaughter.
Soy leaves behind a giant ecological footprint, because of our societies demand for cheap meat.
Additionally, large amount of chemical fertilizers are required to sustain these enormous monoculture farmlands. In order to get these fertilizers, fossil fuels must be refined, and transported long distances (4).
Translation: Energy. Energy. Energy. Being consumed. Consumed. Consumed.
If we were to instead use that farmland to grow produce, that we could actually hold in our hands, and eat… our health would improve, as would the condition of our earth, all the while diminishing world hunger.
* I would just like to point out that someone who substitutes a soy burger, for a hamburger patty, is being more eco-friendly.
Summary:
- Soy is not a health food and it slows down the body’s natural flow—leading to all sorts of digestive, skin, weight, and respiratory problems.
- Soy is not good for weight loss.
- Soy can affect our endocrine systems—and thus alter our hormones.
- Soy is generally, genetically modified, and chemical ridden.
- Soy is not eco-friendly.
Other articles that may be of interest:
Works Cited
Food Matters, by Mark Bittman: (1) page 60, (2) page 50, (4) page 25, (5) page 24
The Raw Food Detox Diet, by Natalia Rose: (3) page 29
Great post, Lauren! I went through a vegan stage in college where I ate a lot of soy. I gained a lot of weight, and in addition to this I “developed” awful seasonal allergies and horrible stomach issues. I’m so grateful I came across this wonderful knowledge when I did, and especially glad that I learned how awful soy really is.
Keep up the wonderful writing! xoxo
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hey girl -
i LOVE this post! i have been looking for an article to reference people to that is simple to read and easy to apply. i think yours fits the bill. do you mind if i reference you?
- rebekah
clarity in creation
ps – love the blog! keep it up!
Thank you for writing this! I’ve been telling people to chill out on the soy. Typical amount of soy that the Japanese eat is about 9 grams a day. That’s the amount of those tiny cubes in ONE miso soup. We have a habit of taking something and going to the extreme with it and then wondering why we have issues. Well done.
You are very right! Thanks for that great comment!
Finally the voice of reason! As a perimenopausal woman I am sick of doctors and others trying to get me to take things because they are “all natural”(as I told my doctor, so is Poisen Ivy, but I’m not going to eat it) and soy. I have Hashimotos, and thus, hypothroidism. Soy quite possibly is extremely harmful to the thyroid gland and cause goiter enlargement.
I wish that I didn’t have to educate my health care professionals about these things. Reminds me of back when I had my kids and the doctor was telling me to rub my stretch marks with cocoa butter. Also when my daughter didn’t want to go out with her coat on and her science teacher told her she would catch a cold….
You forgot “lactose tolerance”. Of which I have none.
I have no delusions about soy’s magical/cure all properties.
I do know that, being unable to process any milk, cheese or cream, (as well as being allergic to eggs) soy helps me.
@Olive, the lactose tolerance (or rather, “intolerance”) you mentioned could be partly due to over-exposure to foods like soy. Cows milk also carries a range of antibiotics and troubles, I know. I’m allergic to soy and here in Australia, it’s slightly easier to avoid as there’re many packaged meals available that are safe at supermarkets. Thankfully all I have to avoid is soy. I appear to be fine with dairy, egg and wheat (though I ‘appeared’ to have problems with these as well whilst on a ‘normal’ diet). However, there still remain many questions in my mind as to how wholesome cows milk actually is in our diets so try not to consume too much dairy on an everyday basis. I often go with rice milk for breakfast cereals and tend to stick with lactose free full cream dairy milk for cooking and baking – the lactase enzyme works as quite a nice sweetener.
So I definitely hear these critiques of soy. As someone with naturally low estrogen counts, however, the phytoestrogens in soy have been really benefiting me lately–especially as an alternative to synthetic hormones (i.e. birth control). My question is–what about miso? As a fermented food and a naturally alkalizing food, it would seem to have a lot of potential health benefits. Do you happen to know where it fits in?
Thanks for all this awesome information! I am a new fan of this blog!
Hey Jenny,
Thanks for the input!
I am not exactly sure how alkalizing I believe miso to be. Fermentation is not always a good thing… but all that aside, it really depends on the origin of the soy (where was it grown, pesticides used, organic?) and how it was processed. Miso can be a much better alternative to meat, true… but I am not sold on it. I think that anything that is difficult for the body to digest cannot be beneficial long term. That being said, every body is different and moderation for certain foods, especially something like miso, is definitely important.
L
Fascinating well-researched post…bookmarked!! I am considering switching to almond milk…but am a bit leery of caloric content/digestibility..and if it “combines” well with certain grains for a healthy breakfast…Do you have any personal idea for someone who was formerly a cereal/milk person in the morning?..Finally, .Why does soy NOT help in weight loss? The answer would be KEY to my giving up my organic soy yogurt for EVER….Thank you so much for any enlightenment…Much respect….Donna
oh God. Like real milk is NOT a thousand times worse? Do you know what crap they put in milk these days? Just look for non GMO and your fine. And Starbucks soy is organic so it shouldnt be problematic. Look at it this way, when putting milk and soymilk side by side, soymilk is always always healthier.
I would not disagree with you. Which is why I wrote multiple articles under the topic: The Truth about Dairy. I do think that there are better alternatives to both milk and soy.
This is my first visit here and I’ve already come across so much valuable information. I was so excited to learn that my baby likes tofu, now I read here how terrible soy really is…and I’m giving it to my baby ;(
I guess i shouldn’t beat myself up too hard, its organic at least. Can you advise on other aternatives.
Blessings, Marisa
No worries. You are far better giving your baby organic soy than many other foods!! The closer you get to wholesome and less processed– the better! Check out this article: for milk alternatives: http://diaryofanutritionist.com/2010/02/09/milk-alternatives-for-developing-babies-and-growing-children/. It would be hard to answer this question without more info! But checkout: detoxtheworld.com for more baby specific info, and choosingraw.com for some awesome recipes.
This article must have been written by David Wolfe.