Since the popularity of the soybean rose in the 1930s and 40s it has become known as "The Miracle Bean," because it has a wide variety of uses and could be grown cheaply and abundantly. Its high protein content made it a super charger for animal feed and the fact that it was practically tasteless and colorless made it ideal for processed food.
And of course, it's good for you, right?
Not so, according to Dianne Gregg, author of The Hidden Dangers of Soy from Outskirts Press (www.hiddensoy.com). Her research has shown that too much soy in your diet can cause symptoms such as nausea, bloating, gastric disorders, unusual weight gain, thyroid disease, palpitations, shortness of breath and lack of energy.
"The image of soy is that it's this protein-packed guardian of health, but there is more and more evidence to show it's anything but that," she said. "Soy can cause thyroid damage, infertility, low testosterone in men, hair loss, digestive problems, early puberty in girls, and the development of breasts in boys. There are claims that soy lowers cholesterol, but in 2005 the American Heart Association retracted their endorsement because their studies showed that there was only a three percent decline in cholesterol levels and it wasn't significant enough to make that claim. In fact, it's been documented that prisoners in Illinois are getting sick because meat products have been replaced with soy-based products."
Soy beans are used in a wide array of food products, oils, soap, cosmetics, resins, plastics, inks, crayons, solvents, and clothing. Soybean oil is the primary source of biodiesel in the United States, accounting for 80 percent of domestic biodiesel production. Soybeans have also been used since 2001 as fermenting stock in the manufacture of a brand of vodka. It's a great commercial crop for American farmers, and is now grown on more acres than even corn.
"In today's market it's challenging to escape the reach of soy, because more than 60 percent of the food commercially available contains some form of soy," she said. "Even the fast food industry is getting into the game by claiming zero trans fats on many of their menu items, when in fact they are using soybean oil for frying and adding soy flour as filler to hamburger meat to increase their profits."
Gregg said there are three key tips for reducing your soy intake:
• Stop feeding infants soy formula that has been shown to disrupt reproduction development and increase allergy risks.
• More than 60% of the foods on the grocery store shelves contain some form of soy. It's important to know what to look for when it's not listed on the label. Most sauces, broths, canned soups and salad dressings contain soy, although it is not always listed as an ingredient on the label because the product is used in processing the foods, as opposed to as a direct ingredient.
• Stop drinking soy milk and eating soy products, except for unfermented soy which consists of miso, natto, and tempeh. Eat more grains, vegetables, fruits and wild fish as an alternative source for protein.
"The FDA is the culprit for the proliferation of soy, because it has allowed big agri-businesses who have been funding political campaigns for years to cut corners in their food production by using cheap fillers like soy, pesticides, herbicides and now, genetically modified foods," Gregg said. "Many of these are the same agents the Environmental Protection Agency claims cause cancer. In fact, the EPA considers 60 percent of all herbicides, 90 percent of all fungicides and 30 percent of all insecticides carcinogenic. So why is the FDA allowing farmers to use them in our food? It's time to safeguard our homes from these foods, and at the same time, demand the government stop giving big corporate farmers a free ride at the expense of our health."
About the Author
Tony Panaccio is a staff writer at News & Experts.
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