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Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.
Truth: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soy beans to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.
Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.
Truth: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods in small amounts as a condiment, and not as a replacement for animal foods.
Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as traditionally fermented soy foods.
Truth: Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralize toxins in soybeans, and are processed in a way that denatures proteins and increases levels of carcinogens.
Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.
Truth: Like all legumes, soy beans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. In addition, modern processing denatures fragile lysine.
Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets.
Truth: The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be used by the human body; in fact, soy foods cause the body to require more B12
Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.
Truth: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic disorders. Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones and normal growth. Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc which are required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system. Soy also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and nervous system. Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.
Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.
Truth: Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, both needed for healthy bones. Calcium from bone broths and vitamin D from seafood, lard and organ meats prevent osteoporosis in Asian countries—not soy foods.
Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.
Truth: A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.
Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.
Truth: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol with soy protein improves one’s risk of having heart disease.
Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.
Truth: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms of lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.
Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their postmenopausal years.
Truth: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and cause thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is associated with difficulties in menopause.
Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.
Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease in later life.
Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.
Truth: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of protest from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of concern regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed soy.
Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.
Truth: Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone levels. Japanese housewives feed tofu to their husbands frequently when they want to reduce his virility.
Myth: Soy beans are good for the environment.
Truth: Most soy beans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.
Myth: Soy beans are good for developing nations.
Truth: In third world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops and transfer the value-added of processing from the local population to multinational corporations.
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Really interesting stuff but I still don’t get something: Are there ANY problems with fermented soy or is it just the unfermented one that causes trouble??
Mainly the unfermented soy.
careful Laura, you need to mention that for Soy to be safe, it must also be Organic in addition to being properly Fermented for safe for consumption but personally i would avoid Soya and all Soy products regardless because it has such a high risk of cross-contamination with genetically adulterated Soy making Organic soy not truly Organic. You should be careful to avoid all processed foods with Soy ingredients listed on the back or side of the package. Soybeans, Soybean oil, Soy oil, Soy Lecithin or Lecithen (various spelling) etc. good luck – See more at: http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/myths-truths-about-soy/#comment-330504
..I NEED CLARIFICATION, GENERALLY, is soybean or drinking soy milk is really bad for our health?
I really like drinking soy milk, as well as my 4 yr old daughter. I’m selling a homemade fresh soy milk as my source of income , so am I putting myself in any possible danger? Because of negative side of soybean, many also of my customer asking me about the health benefits of soy milk. So, what will happen or any advise from the site?
Does organic soy have the same consequences as is described above in truths and myths about soy?
yes it does, Organic soy is extremely toxic, it must be both Organic and properly Fermented to be safe for consumption but personally i would avoid Soya and all Soy products regardless because it has such a high risk of cross-contamination with genetically adulterated Soy making Organic soy not truly Organic. You should be careful to avoid all processed foods with Soy ingredients listed on the back or side of the package. Soybeans, Soybean oil, Soy oil, Soy Lecithin or Lecithen (various spelling) etc.
good luck
Is organic soy bad for you to??
yes, Organic soy is extremely toxic, it must be both Organic and properly Fermented to be safe for consumption but personally i would avoid Soya and all Soy products regardless because it has such a high risk of cross-contamination with genetically adulterated Soy making Organic soy not truly Organic. You should be careful to avoid all processed foods with Soy ingredients listed on the back or side of the package. Soybeans, Soybean oil, Soy oil, Soy Lecithin or Lecithen (various spelling) etc.
good luck
This article has no references. WHo has made those conclusions about soy? Based on what facts or studies? Plesae, provide references. THank you.
You know that’s not an argument, right? This article was meant to be a succinct rebuttal to common myths about soy consumption. It is clearly based on both facts and studies, the references to which can be found on this very website. Laziness is not an argument. Asking for sources is not a rebuttal.
If you find something disagreeable, present your own facts to the contrary. Asking for sources while lacking your own exposes your reactionary resistance to ideas that challenge your poorly-founded preconceptions, and makes it look as though you’re approaching a discussion in bad faith.
Do better.
Lol. It’s somewhat unsurprising that this is the hostile response to someone who very politely asked for references for these claims.
Please tell us where to find the “facts and studies” references specifically about soy in this website that you are mentioning, I’ve looked but can’t find them. Thank you.
Dozens of citations. I’ve read most of the original research articles and (as one trained in biochemistry) found little to disagree with.
http://web.archive.org/web/20110724194358/http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/
THIS LINK YOU POSTED IS FROM A WEBSITE THAT HASN’T BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2006
Hi I would love to know your thoughts on Cold washed, NOn GMO soy? Does it still carry the same negative implications? Thanks in adavance
As an Asian-American, I have been rather bemused by the soy scare of recent years. I think it’s become rather overblown. And I think that those who perpetuate this stuff aren’t familiar with Asian culture, including foods.
Who says soy was first consumed during the Chou Dynasty? Archaeology and carbon dating show that soy cultivation and consumption goes back WAY before that!
Also, it is an oft-repeated myth that all soy products in Asian cuisine are fermented. Tofu is not fermented, and in some Asian cultures it is eaten at nearly every meal either as a side item or as part of a main dish. It’s the same with soy bean sprouts, which are not fermented.
And finally, I don’t know where this idea comes from about tofu being used to deliberately reduce male virility, LOL! This business about soy being bad for male hormones seems to be very very recent. Star bodybuilders of the forties and fifties such as Steve Reeves regularly consumed soy protein, and never, EVER complained about any hormonal issues because of it. And that is one field in which hormones need to be kept at optimum levels.
THANK YOU! With all the yeas and nays, I was ready to flip a coin! I’m going to continue to consume non-GMO, organic soy. Comment?
I used to drink soy milk and eat Tofu regularly. I became very fatigued and slothful and put on weight; I now have hypothyroidism. Soy products, Ive learned, are goitrogenic; slow your thyroid down.
Be careful with soy there are side effects. If it’s grown in US where GMO is common it is difficult to avoid GMO soy even in organic soy crops.
No smoke without fire, don’t dismiss this article but carry on researching if you feel strongly that you want to eat soy.
Thank-you, I couldn’t agree more. Do some real research people. I can’t trust a site that doesn’t have ONE good thing to say about soy, unreal. There are pros and cons to everything, but people need to stop with their overpowered scare tactics, when really most of them are misinformed or uneducated in food as a whole. They are quick to believe an article or documentary without doing actual research. Okay, I’m done
I hadn’t heard of housewives per se but yes it IS well-established that monks eat soy to make it easier for them to be celibate, as it reduces libido.
There are so many things wrong with this comment, so I’ll start at the top. If you’re Asian American, you’re American. American soy is gmo soy.
When you’re talking heirloom soy from Asia, your taking an entirely different plant than the gmo American one. Similar to heirloom corn in Mexico, versus gmo corn. Yes Asia grows gmo’s now, but they didn’t until quite recently. When you ferment something poisonous, you’ll concentrate the toxin. Also, heirloom organic tofu always says aged. Aged always denotes fermentation!!! Sooo… Even though it has become a fad in Asia today to eat a manufactured, gmo food that was actually traditionally sparingly consumed, always organic, and always aged, that doesn’t make it a healthy choice.
Also, it was started that it was grown FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION in the Chou dynasty. That’s absolutely correct, even by Asian historical literature. Even though it was obviously grown in crops, there is NO evidence of it being used for anything other than animal fodder. Simple to look that one up… Took me all of five minutes.
Soy being used in the fifties absolutely had the well known side effect of reduced sexual virility! Not only was it documented in the day, but it’s well known that men in the body building community don’t eat soy because it is estrogen… Which messes up their hormones! This also took me all of five minutes to confirm.
On another note, there was another comment about showing proof/references. The entire bibliography and references are on this damn website. Stop being a lazy idiot and read, then assess the ENTIRE website, not just the parts you happen to notice. Think critically, do your own research, and consider the facts. The diet dictocrats are invested that you believe soy is the greatest. Nobody here is gaining anything or asking for any money to prove to you that soy is bad. They’re simply providing information without attempting to make a profit.
I was 33, over 200lbs, was diagnosed hypothyridic and prediabetic. I started drinking water, and stopped eating soy/gmo’s. Nothing more, nothing less. I’m now 48 and still have healthy periods, a healthy weight, and healthy energy. Making the decision to delete soy saved my life.
Soybeans are for cows – not people.
My son was put on soy formula. I think goats milk would have been better from the research I have encountered. Folks do your research
on anything. I’ve worked in marketing & advertising.
Yes, read more a lot more about soy and don’t forget to search the countries of; Argentina, then Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, India, Paraguay, Mexico,… and soy effects on small farmers (campesinos) and agriculture problems of the area… “Follow the Money” Soy is not un ethical business. Moreover is a business with deleterious consequences for human race, is not wise to feed soy to the cows, or pigs.
Grass is for cows.
I’ve been drinking soy milk for years coz I have an intolerance to milk. My eldest child (she’s 36 now) was put on prosobee, after I stopped breastfeeding, coz she had an allergy to cows milk. I have NEVER had an issue with soy milk. If it’s as toxic as they say, then isn’t it banned. There’s good and bad with everything. Even the nightshade vegs (eg potatoes, Tomatoes etc) have supposedly negatives too, coz they have natural nicotine in them. If we take notice of all these naysayers, we wouldn’t be able to eat or drink anything…..just saying
Cannot be banned as we have too many mouths to feed. This form of agriculture is also a source of money for many people, for others it’s culturally important. It’s like we know that many people suffer from cancer due to the amount of carcinogenic materials in vegetables, but vegetable production cannot be stopped see. It’s a question of socio-economic stability. There are positives and negatives to everything, we, as consumers, should just make the right choices.
Our stance here at WAPF is that we can feed the world, and well, using traditional and non-toxic methods of food production. Such methods are also profitable for the small family farms that produce such foods, sustaining local economies.
“Food, not lawns” is one relative slogan to the question of how to feed the world.
You are correct, it is up to us to make the choices necessary to provide good food, and consequently good health, for ourselves, our families, and the world!
We’ve been lied to about nicotine. It’s the sugars they soak the tobacco in that make cigarettes addictive. Our bodies actually have nicotine receptors. Per Dr. Bryan Ardis nicotine patches or gum help detox the body of venoms in the bioweapons and jabs. Research his podcasts and articles to find out amounts and more information.
I would agree with the statements on GMO unfermented soy, but
what is interesting is when I look at the statistics on breast cancer Japan doesn’t even come up in fact your odds of getting breast cancer in Japan is less than 3% yet they consume soy daily and have for thousands of years, but if someone from Japan comes to American and consumes GMO soy those odds increase by 35%,
Dr William Li, MD lectures on the benefits of Soy if you are fighting cancer, He is a cancer expert look him up he has quite an impressive Bio, also I noticed that MD Anderson which used to say no to Soy on their website for those fighting cancer but now has changed their position upon receiving new research on soy its the same research that Dr William Li MD is sharing,
I am a certified nutritionist and use Supplements made with properly grown and processed Soy with my clients to help them fight cancer and other health challenges and I have seen amazing results,
Hello,
Could you please link proof to studies for your claims?
Thank you
R
You want a real study, try totally quitting soy for 6 months, because this is how long it takes to leave your body, then totally gorge yourself with your favorite soy meal, if you can stand to eat it, then decide what you think of it, you will find out how disgusting and toxic it really is!!!
hi jack again
ive been using a high quality soy protein shake from pro cap las vegas
it has 7 gram protien in a serving.i also put some whey and a scoop of
collagen peptides.does thi sound ok? i also eat eggs ,butter ,fish. meat?
the pro cap P tastes real good please comment thanks