Are you consuming this highly marketed “Health Food”? …. Buyer Beware

If you’re an avid food label reader like I am, you have notice that Soy is finding its way into many products at your local grocery store. There has been a significant amount of marketing propaganda from the highly subsidized Soy foods lobby promoting Soy’s health benefits. I’m always suspicious of any food product that requires this kind and this amount of marketing to convince us it’s healthy. By comparison, you never see a lobby team of marketing professionals pitching the health benefits for Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, or Lettuce. These foods aren’t strategic, nor do they represent big business like Soy.

After reading a significant number of studies on the topic, I strongly believe you would reach the same conclusion I have—which is, the risks of consuming unfermented soy products FAR outweigh any possible benefits. Notice I said unfermented soy products.

For centuries, Asian people have been consuming fermented soy products such as natto, tempeh, and soy sauce, and enjoying the positive health benefits. Fermented soy does not wreak havoc on your body like unfermented soy products. Unfortunately, many North Americans who are committed to healthy lifestyles have been hoodwinked and manipulated by brilliant marketing into believing that unfermented and processed soy products like soymilk, soy cheese, soy burgers and soy ice cream are good for them like fermented soy products.

How Did Soy Products Become A Health Food?

Soy foods seemingly appeared out of nowhere to be regarded as the “next miracle health food” of the 21st Century. From 1992 to 2006, soy food sales increased from $300 million to nearly $4 billion, according to the Soyfoods Association of North America. This growth came about due to a massive shift in attitudes about soy. And this shift was no accident—it was the result of a massive investment in marketing and advertising by the soy industry. Soy is indeed big business, very big business.

From 2000 to 2007, U.S. food manufacturers introduced more than 2,700 new soy-based products, and new soy products continue to appear on our grocer’s shelves at an aggressive rate.

According to the survey Consumer Attitudes About Nutrition 2008 (by the United Soybean Board):

As of 2007, 85 percent of consumers perceive soy products as healthy
70 percent of consumers believe soybean oil is good for them
84 percent of consumers agree with the FDA’s claim that consuming 25 grams of soy protein daily reduces your risk of heart disease

This is the result of shrewd brand marketing taking root among the masses with the end result of producing large profits for the soy industry and impaired health for most who have been deceived into using unfermented soy foods for long periods think they are good for us. There is a large amount of scientific research showing that soy is not the nutritional panacea of the 21^st Century as they would like us to believe.

“Where’s the Beef”

The vast majority of soy at your local market is NOT a health food. The exception is fermented soy, which I’ll explain more about later. Next to GMO Corn and Wheat, GMO Soy is contaminated with large pesticide residues and the potent toxic herbicide Roundup to improve crop production by killing the weeds. Unlike the Asian culture, where people eat small amounts of whole non-GMO soybean products, western food processors separate the soybean into two golden commodities—protein and oil. And there is nothing natural or safe about these products.

Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story, points out thousands of studies linking soy to some very serious health issues. Dr. Daniel provides detail that supports the following in her "must read" book:

The real reasons why soy is NOT a health food
Shocking personal accounts of people whose health and lives were put at risk from eating soy products
Hard evidence linking soy to malnutrition, digestive problems, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders, immune system breakdowns—even heart disease and cancer
That soy has NEVER been proven safe, and learn the truth about how misleading propaganda played a huge role in how it became so popular in America

Here is just a sampling of the health effects that have been linked to unfermented soy consumption:

Breast cancer
Brain damage
Infant abnormalities
Thyroid disorders
Kidney stones
Immune system impairment
Severe, and potentially fatal food allergies
Impaired fertility
Danger during pregnancy and nursing

There are always two sides of every story and the Soy proponents will argue that soy-based foods (they lump the fermented ones with the unfermented) will protect you from everything from colon, prostate and breast cancer to strokes, osteoporosis, and asthma. But these same enthusiasts never mention the studies that illuminate soy’s downside and all of the dangers posed to your health, which are based on sound research. I didn’t have to look very hard to come across a significant volume of studies that raise serious concerns about Soy products.

Another unfortunate fact is that 80 percent of the world’s soy is used in farm animal feed, which is why soy production is contributing to deforestation. Some soy propagandists have suggested that the solution to this is for all of us to become vegetarians—a reckless recommendation rooted in total ignorance about nutrition—whereas a far better solution is a major overhaul in how farm animals are fed and raised.

What are the Issues associated with Soy Foods?

Here is a summary of soy’s most glaring problems.

91 percent of soy grown is genetically modified (GM). The genetic modification is done to impart resistance to the toxic herbicide Roundup. While this is meant to increase farming efficiency and provide you with a less expensive soy product, the downside is that your soy is loaded with this toxic pesticide. The plants also contain genes from bacteria that produce a protein that has never been part of the human food supply. GM soy has been linked to an increase in allergies. Disturbingly, the only published human feeding study on GM foods ever conducted verified that the gene inserted into GM soy transfers into the DNA of our gut bacteria and continues to function. This means that years after you stop eating GM soy, you may still have a potentially allergenic protein continuously being produced in your intestines. Even more frightening is the potential for GM soy to cause infertility in future generations, which has been evidenced by recent Russian research.
Soy contains natural toxins known as “anti-nutrients.” Soy foods contain anti-nutritional factors such as saponins, soyatoxin, phytates, protease inhibitors, oxalates, goitrogens and estrogens. Some of these factors interfere with the enzymes you need to digest protein. While a small amount of anti-nutrients would not likely cause a problem, the amount of soy that many Americans are now eating is extremely high.
Soy contains hemagglutinin. Hemagglutinin is a clot-promoting substance that causes your red blood cells to clump together. These clumped cells are unable to be properly absorbed and distribute oxygen to your tissues.
Soy contains goitrogens. Goitrogens are substances that block the synthesis of thyroid hormones and interfere with iodine metabolism, thereby interfering with your thyroid function.
Soy contains phytates. Phytates (phytic acid) bind to metal ions, preventing the absorption of certain minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc -- all of which are co-factors for optimal biochemistry in your body. This is particularly problematic for vegetarians, because eating meat reduces the mineral-blocking effects of these phytates (so it is helpful—if you do eat soy—to also eat meat).
Soy is loaded with the isoflavones genistein and daidzein. Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, which is a plant compound resembling human estrogen. These compounds mimic and sometimes block the hormone estrogen, and have been found to have adverse effects on various human tissues. Soy phytoestrogens are known to disrupt endocrine function, may cause infertility, and may promote breast cancer in women. Drinking even two glasses of soymilk daily for one month provides enough of these compounds to alter a women’s menstrual cycle. Although the FDA regulates estrogen-containing products, no such warnings exist on soy.
Soy has toxic levels of aluminum and manganese. Soybeans are processed (by acid washing) in aluminum tanks, which can leach high levels of aluminum into the final soy product. Soy formula has up to 80 times higher manganese than is found in human breast milk.
Soy infant formula puts your baby’s health at risk. Nearly 20 percent of U.S. infants are now fed soy formula, but the estrogens in soy can irreversibly harm your baby’s sexual development and reproductive health. Infants fed soy formula take in an estimated five birth control pills’ worth of estrogen every day. Infants fed soy formula have up to 20,000 times the amount of estrogen in circulation as those fed other formulas!

Since the introduction of GM foods in 1996, we’ve had an upsurge in low birth weight babies, infertility, and other problems in the U.S. population, and animal studies thus far have shown devastating effects from consuming GM soy. You may want to steer clear of soy products for no other reason than a commitment to avoiding GM foods... unless you wish to be a lab animal for this massive uncontrolled experiment by the biotech industry.

Are any Soy Products Good For You?

Let me be clear that I am not opposed to all Soy products. Soy can be healthful, but ONLY if it is organic and properly fermented. After a long fermentation process, the phytate and “anti-nutrient” levels of soybeans are reduced, and their beneficial properties become available. You may have heard that Japanese people live longer and have lower rates of cancer than North Americans because they eat so much soy—but it’s primarily fermented soy that they consume, and it’s always been that way. Fermented soy products are the only ones I recommend consuming.

These are the primary fermented soy products you’ll find that are good for you:

Tempeh a fermented soybean cake with a firm texture and nutty, mushroom-like flavor.
Miso, a fermented soybean paste with a salty, buttery texture (commonly used in miso soup).
Natto, fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and strong, cheese-like flavor.
Soy sauce, which is traditionally made by fermenting soybeans, salt and enzymes; be wary because many varieties on the market today are made artificially using a chemical process.

Please note that tofu is NOT on this list. Tofu is not fermented, so is not among the soy foods I would recommend consuming.

Vitamin K2: One of the Major Benefits of Fermented Soy

One of the main benefits of fermented soy, especially natto, is that it is one of the best food sources of vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 has been linked to preventing osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and diseases of the brain such as dementia, and protecting you from various cancers including prostate, lung, liver cancer and leukemia.

Vitamin K is sometimes referred to as the “forgotten vitamin” because its benefits are often overlooked. It was named after the word “Koagulation,” to reflect its essential role in blood clotting. In fact, the enzyme nattokinase—derived from natto—is safer and more powerful than aspirin in dissolving blood clots, and has been used safely for more than 20 years. If you enjoy natto or some of the other fermented soy foods, you can get several milligrams of vitamin K2 from them each day (this level far exceeds the amount of vitamin K2 found even in dark green vegetables). Unfortunately, the health benefits of many of the fermented soy foods fall by the wayside because many North Americans don’t enjoy their flavor.

If you don’t want to consume natto to get your vitamin K2, the next best thing would be to supplement. I personally get my Vitamin K2 in my daily consumption of YouthJuice. Remember, Vitamin K should be consumed with a source of fat, which I get in my exercise recovery concoction that also includes Organic Whey Protein Concentrate from Progressive Organics (recipe below). Finally, Vitamin K acts synergistically with Vitamin D3 to keep you healthy (which is also found in YouthJuice).

Rob’s Exercise Recovery Smoothie:

1 scoop (30g) Progressive Organics 100% Organic Whey Protein Concentrate (Organic Cocoa flavor)
4 ice cubes
4 strawberries
1 peeled orange
2 oz YouthJuice

Tips for Avoiding Unwanted Soy Foods

For a simple rule of thumb, just remember that unless soy is fermented (tempeh, miso, natto, or traditionally made soy sauce), you’re better off avoiding it. Soy foods to avoid include:

Tofu
TVP (texturized vegetable protein), which contains a large amount of MSG, which you should definitely not consume
Soybean oil
Soymilk
Soy cheese, soy ice cream, soy yogurt
Soy “meat” (meatless products made of TVP)
Soy infant formula
Soy protein isolate (NOTE: I will be writing a separate blog post on this topic, as many athletes, like weight lifters use this product as an alternative to Whey Protein)

The best way to eliminate non-fermented soy from your diet is to avoid all processed foods and instead purchase whole foods that you prepare yourself. If you do buy packaged foods, you can check the label to see if it contains soy. As of January 2006, food producers are required to list soy on the label, because it’s one of the top eight food allergens. So, even if soy is hidden in colors, flavors, or spice blends added to foods, it must be clearly stated on the label.

One other common source of soy is lecithin which is used as an emulsifier in many foods and supplements. Most lecithin in the US is derived from soy but there are some newer products that extract it from organic sunflower, which is a healthy alternative.

Remember, the only way to avoid falling victim to shrewd marketing and misinformation is to become knowledgeable about what the research actually says, and this is often different from what is commonly passed around as “fact.” Follow the money and you will find the truth.

Enjoy the Ride …. Rob

3 Comments

Here discuss about soy food means soy food made with soybeans. Article describe that soy food is very beneficial for person's health & heart disease & more of diseases. Thanks to provide important information about soy food.

Posted by: Merchandising Companies | 03/12/2012 at 01:18 AM