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170 Scientific Studies Confirm The Dangers of SoyHealthy Living
With all the loads of scientific data available that soy (even edamame) is not a healthy part of anyone's diet, it shocks me how many folks are still on the "soy is good for you" bandwagon – even people who should know better like your doctor!
I just got an email from a reader the other day who had been to multiple doctors, both holistic and conventional, and all but one of them were telling her that plenty of soy in her diet would help her menopause symptoms.
I had another shocking conversation recently with a doctor of Internal Medicine who had no idea soy was a potent goitrogenic food and actively suppressed thyroid function.
Be careful folks. It's dangerous out there! You really need to do your research and be on your toes at all times when it comes to nutritional advice even from someone in a white coat!
For those of you who just sat down because you are so taken aback by the notion that soy is not actually the healthfood you thought it was, here are 170 scientific reasons to back up this assertion.
Fermented Soy Fine in Small Amounts for Some People
Please note that fermented soy in small, condimental amounts as practiced in traditional Asian cultures is fine for those who have healthy thyroid function. Only miso, tempeh, natto and traditionally brewed soy sauce fall under this category. In addition, if you want to sprinkle a few edamame on your salad or have a few small cubes of tofu in your miso soup from time to time, that is fine too. Just don't make it a regular part of your diet!
If you have any sort of thyroid issues going on, however, it is really the best policy to avoid all soy all the time as soy is a potent goitrogen (thyroid suppressor) even if fermented.
Dangers of Soy #1
A 1991 study found that eating only 2 TBL/day of roasted and pickled soybeans for 3 months to healthy adults who were receiving adequate iodine in their diet caused thyroid suppression with symptoms of malaise, constipation, sleepiness, and goiters (Nippon Naibunpi Gakkai Zasshi 1991, 767: 622-629)!
Still think munching on edamame instead of popcorn is a healthy habit?
Dangers of Soy #2
Six premenopausal women with normal menstrual cycles were given 45 mg of soy isoflavones per day. This is equivalent to only 1-2 cups of soy milk or 1/2 cup of soy flour! After only one month, all of the women experienced delayed menstruation with the effects similar to tamoxifen, the anti-estrogen drug given to women with breast cancer (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1994 Sep;60(3):333-340).
Dangers of Soy #3
Dietary estrogens in the form of soy foods were found to have the potential to disrupt the endocrine system with the effects in women similar to taking the breast cancer drug tamoxifen (Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine 1995 Jan;208(1):51-9).
Dangers of Soy #4
Estrogens consumed in the diet at low concentrations were found to stimulate breast cells much like DDT to increase enzymatic activity which leads to breast cancer (Environmental Health Perspectives 1997 Apr;105 (Suppl 3):633-636).
Dangers of Soy #5
The soy isoflavones genistein and daidzein appear to stimulate existing breast cancer growth indicating risk in consuming soy products if a woman has breast cancer. (Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2001 Sep;35(9):118-21).
Dangers of Soy #6
Direct evidence that soy isoflavones genistein and daidzein suppress the pituitary-thyroid axis in middle-aged rats fed 10 mg soy isoflavones per kilo after only 3 weeks as compared with rats eating regular rat chow (Experimental Biology and Medicine 2010 May;235(5):590-8).
Dangers of Soy #7
Don't eat soy when you are pregnant ladies! Scientific research has shown that the developing male fetus which is exposed to soy phytoestrogens may suffer from higher susceptibility to prostate cancer later in life (Prostate 1994;24(2):67-78).
Dangers of Soy #8
Keep that soy away from your daughters! Dietary genistein (soy phytoestrogen) in developing female rats had the effect of significantly accelerated puberty (Toxicol Sci 1999 Oct;51(2):236-44).
In addition, early exposure to soy is associated with less female typical play patterns in girls at 42 months of age (Environ Health Perspect v. 119(12); Dec 2011).
Dangers of Soy #9
Hey guys! Soy protein powder strips your masculinity! A study of 12 men aged 18 years and older experienced a 19% drop in serum testosterone in only 28 days when supplemented with 56 grams of soy protein powder over that same time period (Prev 2007;16:829—33).
Dangers of Soy #10
Do NOT feed soy formula to your babies! Female newborns who are orally exposed to genisin, the glycosylated form of genistein (soy phytoestrogen) experienced harm to the reproductive system in the form of "delayed vaginal opening… abnormal estrous cycles, decreased fertility, and delayed parturition." (Environmental Health Perspective 2009 Dec;117(12):1883-9).
More information on the dangers of soy infant formula even if organic can be found in this article.
Convinced yet? I don't know about you, but ten reasons is plenty for me! Still interested to see the remaining 160 reasons? My friend Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of the must read The Whole Soy Story, has compiled the rest of the list for you if you click here.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Sources and More Information
The Dangers of Estrogenic Food, Herbs and Supplements to Breast Health
When Breast Cancer Isn't Bad News
Komen (Not) for the Cure: The Complete and Utter Pinkwashing of America
Thermography: A Perfect Alternative to Cancer Causing Mammograms?
Why Even Organic Soy Formula is so Dangerous for Babies
How the Birth Control Pill Can Harm Your Future Child's Health
Is Soy Lecithin Really So Unhealthy?
Is Your Egg Allergy Really a Soy Allergy in Disguise?
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Comments (345)
Dont you think the effects of soy are only so toxic because of all the xenoestrogens we are exposed too? I bet in Japan where they are not exposed to GMO soy and as many xenoestrogens as we are in America (cheap chemicals, unhealthy food/products/checmically processed, genetically modified hit with very toxic pesticides/can be on the shelf 100 years/artificals/food dyes/chemicals chemicals chemicals!!) that Soy is not as bad for them as it is for us. I bet if we did not consume and were not exposed to as many xenoestrogen that it would not affect us and be as bad for us as you say it is. Like in Japan, thyroid issues are not sky high there yet edamame/soy is common place.
Edamame and tofu are eaten but in very small amounts in Japan. Not like here in the USA where soy is ground up and put in everything.
Some of these points seem to contradict others lol
I also find it hard to believe that soy could contribute to cancer… there is a human protein called SerpinF1 which is thought to help hugely with cancer. Soy just happens to have a perfect amino acid( more so than anything else searchable through the internet) makeup to deliver the body all the nutrients needed to create this protein.
I've been told by people getting chemo that their oncologists told them to stay off the soy as it would speed up the growth of their cancer.
Hi Sarah, The people of Okinawa are some of the longest lived, healthiest people on earth. They have 80 % lower estrogen related cancers than we do. Yet they eat more tofu ( which is not a " fermented" soy) than in any other place. Organic, non GMO soy is a great food.
You might want to check out the 121 references at the end of this article:
Is Soy Safe?
Busting the Myths of a Nutritional Powerhouse
Very tiny amounts of tofu are consumed in Japan! I've traveled there extensively and can vouch for this personally.
In Japan, we do consume lots of tofu. Okinawa people ( south part of Japan) eat even more tofu than main island of Japan. They probably eat more though than another group in the world and their life expectancy is the longest. we eat soy products made from whole soybeans. soybean crops are used to make soybean oil, which is extracted from soybeans using a chemical solvent called hexane. Using chemicals to extract oil from soybeans leaves a chemical residue on the soybeans, so both the soybean oil and soybean residue is tainted. In Western countries, these left-over soy meals from oil production is hidden in processed food. Not to mention soybeans oil is everywhere. So please do not attack tofu. In China, Japan and other Asian countries consume tofu hundreds of years and we are fine. breast cancer, thyloid problem is not our main concern.
Having been to Japan and traveled there extensively in the 1980's before the soy boom hit, I know that tofu was not eaten in large quantities until very recently. It was always in tiny amounts … perhaps a few small cubes in miso soup etc. And, and increase in tofu consumption in the past few decades is certainly not rooted in Japanese culinary tradition. Perhaps the fertility crisis in Japan is related to this change in dietary patterns with increasing soy consumption?
Also, you do know that a few cubes of tofu in miso soup isn't the only soy in the miso soup, right? The main ingredient of miso soup is actually made from fermented soy paste….
Denis DeMonte
I'd like to clear up #9, I'm not a fan of soy as it doesn't sit well with me but anyhow #9 is a farce, as are most of the studies here that are done in animals and not proven in humans, and when they do come to humans most of the links and the WAPF links seem to be far off, but I have more to go through but when I looked up #9 here's what I found from the journal..
"Goodin et al. (1) reported a 19% decrease in mean serum testosterone levels among 12 men over a 4-week period in response to the daily consumption of 56 g isolated soy protein. These data are inconsistent with the results of a meta-analysis recently completed by the authors of this letter. This inconsistency, as judged by Fig. 1 in the paper by Goodin et al. (1), may stem largely from the change that occurred in just one subject (SP #2). In this regard, we would ask Goodin et al. (1) to consider reanalyzing the results (or providing the data so that we may do so) excluding this subject, who clearly appears to be an outlier. His baseline testosterone level was more than twice that of any other subject and ∼50% greater than the normal reference range as stated in the paper. Additionally, this subject experienced an ∼40% decrease in testosterone within just 4 weeks and a further 30% or so decrease during the 2-week post-soy consumption period, whereas the mean value for all other subjects increased during this 2-week period. Parenthetically, we are interested in knowing whether Goodin et al. (1) are able to offer a possible explanation for such an elevated baseline level. In addition, for the record, we would ask that Goodin et al. (1) list the correct values for testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels, as the data listed in the text do not match the data in the figures.
As well, it would be helpful if Goodin et al. (1) could provide additional details about the study so we have a better understanding of the experimental design. Specifically, the isoflavone content of the soy product used would be of interest, as would details about the assays used."
One of the subjects started with double the average testosterone baseline.. and the data was incomplete.. Hmmm.. talk about bias.
This artical makes me cringe. Just because you experienced something bad form soy doesnt mean it's gonna be bad for everyone else. Look at Asians, enough said. I know, cuz I am Chinese.
Obviously some people should not consume soy. just like some should not consume milk,meat,spinach etc etc .
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
This article says not to consume processed soy!!!! Traditionally fermented soy as consumed for thousands of years in Asian cultures is fine.
Buzz Preston
Maybe you should have read the article. I'm sure you would still have cringed, even if you have minimal retention ability. There is no disputing the fact that soy is dangerous to ingest, period, unless done in accordance with the recommendations in the sixth paragraph.
There is plenty of truth that suggests that soy is perfectly healthy. Just because you didn't do your research and find evidence to this point doesn't make you any more right. In 1981, Goldberg et al. showed that soybean consumption reduces high cholesterol levels and may provide atheroprotective effects.
Doing a quick skim over the literature afforded plenty of evidence to suggest that soybeans are perfectly healthy.
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Didn't you even read the article? Soybeans are indeed fine, IF eaten in small amounts and prepared the traditional way which modern GMO soy ground up and put in everything most certainly is not!
Decrease in cholesterol is not necessarily a good thing. Cholesterol is an extremely important substance in the body. It acts as a precursor to Vitamin D synthesis, bile salt synthesis, and insulin synthesis. It is also a precursor for all steroid hormones, which regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, and inflammation, among other things. Cholesterol is a healing and regulating substance, and is not harmful to the body, even at levels moderately above the normal range. A reduction of cholesterol is NOT a good thing. In fact, it can be more harmful than helpful to have lowered levels of cholesterol due to the very important role it plays in our bodies.
Please do more research before you start typing next time.
As a side note, NO, cholesterol does not "clog" arteries. Arterial plaques are composed of calcium deposits, and the vast majority of fats present in plaques are UNsaturated fats. Cholesterol is reported at the sight of arterial damage because it is a HEALING substance. NOT the antagonist.
You don't think asian men are a bit more feminine than other cultures? Just sayin.
jay mcdonald
Very interesting article. I use vanilla soy milk in my cereal every morning. What would you recommend I use as a replacement.
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Raw, grassfed milk is best followed by coconut milk (with no additives of course).
Joe Bird
By recommending milk you open yourself up to a ton of criticism. First off industrial animal agriculture is one of the most unhealthy aspects of our culture. Humans are not meant to drink the milk of another species and a little research would enlighten you to the myriad health and environmental risks. As for soy there are conflicting studies. There are studies showing that the isoflavones in soy block more powerful estrogenic sources therefore reducing breast and colon cancer risk. The fact that you recommend cow milk over soy milk leads me to believe that you are in the pockets of the dairy industry and your articles should be taken with a grain of salt.
Buzz Preston
How do you tie raw, grass fed milk to "industrial animal agriculture?
Thank you! These Paleo zealots are CooCoo, and LOVE to spread misinformation and half truths!
Almond milk tastes amazing and it's thick like real milk. It's tasty!
Gilles C.
That's what I use instead of soya milk which I used instead of regular milk…
I have problems with lactose, and realized that Almond milk was my prefered choice.
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The Japanese are the healthiest longest living people in the world. They eat soy nearly every day. Thats good enough for me. I have been drinking soy milk for 30 years.. You must however be careful of the source of you soy and make sure its not GMO
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Yes, they eat soy but in small condimental amounts and fermented (natto and miso)!!! Not ground up and in everything like the West.
Tofu isn't a condiment and is not fermented. And a lot is usually added to the soup as a filler as meat is expensive. I know many families are doing this. Also we drink soya milk and when I was young – I ate a lot of soy beancurd dessert 3 times a week. At least once to twice a month we eat fried tofu. In Singapore, I know a lot of people who eat 1 to 2 times a week at vegetarian soup food stalls consisting mainly of tofu fish cakes, tofu fishballs, fried tofu sticks and tofu stuffed vegetables.
Koreans put soybean sprouts as one of the key ingredients in Bibimbap and sometimes accompanied by a cup of broth with tofu cubes in it and I eat that stuff at least twice a month.
Basically, we Asians, especially the lower-class to middle-class replace meat with more tofu to cut cost. And most tofu we ate aren't fermented. And found nothing wrong with our health – all my kids were all *unplanned*. We are not overweight (actually, we started gaining weight when we moved to the US and have been eating less soy and more meat since meat is cheaper here).
So I don't know what to say to this article. Maybe the soy here is evil? Or maybe Americans' physiology isn't adapted for soy?
Gralin Pritchard
Roundup may have something to do with that. It's been linked to several metabolic and organ deficiencies and examined on it's own by independent studies and chemical computer modeling, lasts for much longer than glyphosate (as tested by Dow and Monsanto) does by itself after application- whole growing seasons longer and counting..
Wow! great response filled with lots of helpful information. I've recently started eating soy until of course I started seeing articles and so call studies suggesting that it's not good for you. I've been wondering if I should stop eating it but I really enjoy it though; very tasty.
L. Lee Coyne PhD
Condiment levels often repeated by the ant-soy brigade is blatantly false. PubMed literature is ful os studies with Japanese using 25+ gm of Soy Protein/ day.
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Please cite your sources???
I was fed soy formula for my 1st yr of life in 1951. I got my first period before my 10th birthday, I learned I conceived possibly two dozen times, maybe more when I was younger, but only carried one to 8 weeks before loosing it. I never had children and have been told by several female doctors the estrogen mimicking soy had caused many of the problems I have had over my life, including my hypothyroid and diabetes. When I was 55, I was free from my periods for 362 days, when I bought some soy milk for the first time. Two days later I had a period for three days. I never had one again after that and never drank soy milk again. My brother is a health nut who went on a soy kick 15 yrs ago or so and was also a soy milk baby in 1954. As a child, he had bouts of enlarged testicles, and he too could not produce children. When he began to eat soy burgers, drink soy milk, etc… his thyroid became very enlarged. His doctor told him to stop the soy; he did and the swelling stopped.
If a woman has hot flashes, and takes soy, why then would you allow a baby to drink soy and children to eat & drink soy in any form? I believe it is very dangerous to many people and should NEVER be fed to children as part of their regular diet.
Belinda Gwillim via Facebook
whaaaaaaaat!! I eat edamame beans by the bag full!
Dr.s are not nutritionist. they don't study nutrition they study surgery and drugs for cures. Most don't have a clue that food can heal or or cause disease. Heck even those who study nutrition are on both sides of the debate. Truth is if so many are getting sick over so much soy in the diet there must be an issue. Many can eat peanuts and many cannot but you don't see the food industries loading up our food with peanuts. If you want to eat soy and take that risk cool! Just don't force it in everything in the food supply.
Normajean, if you feel that soy is being forced upon you it is a sure sign that you need to change your diet.
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You referenced maybe 10 studies in your article, but they title says "170 scientific studies..".can you please list your other references? Also, how many studies have you found that indicate the benefits of soy?
thank you
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
The link to the other 160 studies is at the end of the article.
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Allen Harrington
I like soy milk but I only drink it like once or twice a year. I bet this is the same for everything you can eat, eat everything in moderation and you should be fine.
Rebecca Campbell
Last year our CSA had soy beans one week. They were raw and still in the pod. My understanding is that most soy is genetically modified, so that means raw and fresh soy is still harmful, right? Fortunately they let me make a trade from something else as a special exception, but they weren't thrilled about it.
The fact that an organism has been genetically modified doesn't necessarily make it dangerous. The problem with GMOs is that they are drenched in pesticides and other "goodies" because of a more intensive agricultural practice. This article is JUST talking about how ingested soy interacts with the rest of your metabolism. Even the purest most organic natural soy could potentially interfere with other hormones, based on the evidence given in the cited articles.
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Correct, organic soy will cause the same problems. GMO soy just adds gasoline to the fire.
Kelly B
Thank you! When my husband and I got married I was eating a very healthy diet and made one additional change, drinking soy milk and using non dairy soy based creamer in my coffee. Within six month my thyroid was pretty much burned out, I had gained over 40 pounds, my hair thinned dramatically, my skin was dry and cracked (especially painful on elbows and knees) and I was tired and depressed. I met with a endocrinologist who immediately asked if I was eating soy. I have a friend who is a pharmacist and he said that he has seen dramatic increases in people needing thyroid medication. I think the over consumption of soy is the culprit, at least for those of us with a thyroid issue in our family tree. The worst thing is, I have to read every food label because soy is in everything.
ankit shah
Hi Kelly,
So what is the current status of your thyroid?
Any improvement?
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In my humble opinion, having studied nutrition for over 30 years, I agree that soy is not good for our thyroid and is an endocrine disruptor. I also believe many people here don't know what they are talking about and sadly, they actually believe their doctor knows best when very few have ever had even a 3 hours course on nutrition in college/med school. Go check THAT fact our yourself.
Dr. Josh
Most Doctors get plenty more then that, as Nutrition comes up on a day to day basis in my Rheum office. Obvi your surgeon is likely to know much about parenteral and not about soy. Many studies counter-dict each other due to small sample size, or in the case of some of the above mentioned points non-randomized baseline attributes with subjects.
That being said its an odd belief among naturopaths and many members of these boards that U.S. doctors are not trained in nutrition, alternative medications, political pressures on agriculture, etc. etc. For most primary care physicians its our job and passion to know more then medications and disease, but in prevention. 10% of my work day is spent on simply nutrition and diet, and for special cases outside of the scope of my expertise we refer to nutritionists, especially if in depth and rigorous diet and lifestyle changes need to be made in order to intervene before a disease process follows its "natural history."
That being said, a point that needs to be made is that it is extremely difficult to study effects and differences in GMOs Vs. Natural Organic, because of one simple thing. This silly country has laws in place (or lack thereof) that prevent the proper labeling of GMO products and sources on our food stuffs. Without that, it is difficult to make data bases on long term effects without being able to adequately define the variables being studied.
So, Vote with your pocket book, and with your literal vote for proper food labeling.
To that end, Doctors are squeamish as they should be making sweeping arguments and advice without "proof." Proof being multiple high quality studies, meta analysis, double blind trials etc.
And finally, I usually err on the side of caution with my patients, avoid GMOs if possible and be cognizant at what you put into your bodies.
I'm sorry, but I disagree with you. I am 61 and in all that time I have had one doctor ever talk to me about nutrition, telling me to lose weight I should stop eating at fast food restaurants. As I kept stressing that I eat organic and haven't eaten in a McD's or anything like it in 20 years, he just kept talking. Told me he had to study nutrition in school–20 years ago!!! As all he could talk about was carbs, fats, and protein-and not to eat at fast food restaurants.Three doctors in another practice I went to each talked to me at different times about taking statins. I was 50 and hadn't even hit per-imenopause yet. Not a one talked about food or exercise. Just take the drugs.
It doesn't take much to look back in time and see how people ate in the past–the way God designed man to eat.There is nothing wrong with eating grains-the way God originally designed them. Not the new crap out there. God designed cows to eat grass. Not grain. Eat grass fed everything. That is how God designed us. For someone saying that we shouldn't drink milk. Bull! God told Israel they would enter a land flowing with milk and honey. God doesn't waste His words. Milk was a great thing, designed by God, for His creation.
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You have to look at who is funding all the anti organic soy/tofu articles and who and where exactly they are coming from. Am I going to take advice from a Dr that believes in an outdated food pyramid? No. Is the person giving the advice an advocate of eating animal products? Most likely… even though they know the health benefits of eating plant based only. Just saying …it's important to pay attention to to the eating habits, beliefs and connections of all these 'expert' doctors.
I agree.
Not only who funded the studies, but also the SIZE of the studies. These mention a 6 woman study and a 12 man study…that is a tiny study that in the scientific community means NOTHING. I agree that soy is not good for us in many many ways, including the fact that most of them are GMO which ushers in a whole other slew of issues. But, throwing out meaningless "scientific" studies actually harms the perception and credibility of the view point…
You do realize when it comes to food…. it has a extremely similar effect on every single person. So a small test size compared to disease testing, etc. when each body can react different…. is just fine. Food is just about the only thing we know does the same thing to everyone. Only thing associated with it that differs on people is metabolism.
Food does not have a similar effect on everyone. It depends on your gut flora, absorption, receptors, liver function, digestive enzymes, immunoglobulins, frequency of eating these foods, and so much more.
There are tons of variables that could impact something. Scientific data always has a large sample size in order rule out other factors.
The ladies in my house got me into soy milk a year ago and after a few months I often experienced muscle pain, particularly in the shoulders, I felt older, my hair felt thinner and my sex drive went way down. I felt generally lack-lustre. I wondered if there was a connection to soy and went back onto full cream milk. I tried to avoid soy altogether (they stick it in so many products!). I'm happy to say that 3 months down the track I'm fully restored. My hair is stronger too. To me, soy milk is a garbage product that seriously depletes good health and people should be warned about it.
I'm 32 years old, and people think I'm 23, your story sounds like a commercial, millions of people live healthy without your gross milk!
You missed the point, I think. She didn't say you should drink full cream milk, that is what she went back to. The point is that she will not drink soy milk and what it did to her.
Debra Cardin via Facebook
So difficult to stay away from, it s in everything. Work can t make my own condiments. Mainly because short shelf life.
Make your condiments and ferment them.
Kimberly Watts via Facebook
The best part of this article is the part that says,"don't believe everything the guys in the white coats say." Okay I won't listen a dr who has studied medicine far longer than the person who wrote this article. The second best part, "don't feed your babies soy formula." Hahahaha okay baby you have a horrible reaction to milk so you can starve. All things in moderation people. To much of anything is harmful to our health.
Beauty inside
Really? Though I have never heard that we should not eat too much of organic fruits and veggies………
Mary Jane
How about breast milk?
Not everyone can breastfeed. I was unable to produce enough milk and went through hell feeling like a failure. My son was highly allergic to all baby formulas except for a special soy based one that a friend of mine recommended. Thank God because my baby was losing weight and I was going out of my mind. He's 20 years old and doesn't appear to be any worse for it.I'm not saying it was ideal, but it's what I had to do.
Annie Galanda via Facebook
I have in the last year cut it out of my household also!! Its a female plant and contains high levels of estrogen!
Jen Fisher via Facebook
I didn't read the article but for me , personally non GMO, granulated organic soy had been a lifesaver. My doctor , a Traditional Chinese Doctor, American but trained in Shanghai, suggested I started to use it got my hormone imbalance. ( I'm 43) and my very moderate hyperthyroidism and it has proved my health immensely. He agrees that our American, nonorganic , GMO soy is very bad, but after years of studying women's health in Asia, where a very different soy is eaten, convinced me to try it. So , like everything, there is a variety of science to support whatever you want to believe.
Hi Jen, I can totally believe that. I have lived in Japan and so many of my wife's relatives (Japanese) have been eating / drinking soy all their lives a lot of them are in their late 80's and up to their mid 90's. Fit as, and never had a problem with it causing any health issues. Makes you wonder huh?
I agree with you completely. Yes, obviously if you are consuming pesticide ridden crops produced in the masses you are going to disrupt hormone levels. I also consume non GMO organic soy to help balance hormone levels.
Sarah Dochow via Facebook
There isn't a single RCT on that list! Studies on rats or that have 6 participants are not considered conclusive research. I agree that conventional and processed soy isn't health food and likely causes health issues but tofu, tempeh, miso, edamame, etc can be used moderately and have health benefits. My friend/colleague, an oncology RD (with an MS in dietetics from an integrative health university), just wrote a blog on this same thing and came to a different conclusion. http://www.becomingginger.blogspot.com/2014/04/soy-let-me-convince-you-it-is-safe-for.html
Brittany Graham Howell via Facebook
Bekah Crowell soy is on the common allergen list so maybe Alana is reacting to that?
Pamela Mauzy Moynihan via Facebook
I am an advocate against soy too – especially people over 40! Thanks for sharing!
Christian Berthaud via Facebook
Gives you kidney stones as well due to high level of oxolate
Sarah Abuelkhair via Facebook
Sarah Pilling yes! Thank you for sharing this
Diane O'Neil via Facebook
I avoid it. Can't eat anything with it without having a reaction.
Paul Aloise via Facebook
Brittany, all milk is bad. Except from the mother to child!!
Soy is poisonous, it must be processed to make it consumable!!!!
Rivkah Edelman Hubbard via Facebook
Allison Hubbard thought of you
Sandra Hartley via Facebook
Hi have overactive thyroid why is it a problem? Thanks
Heather McLeod Hockaday via Facebook
Maria Bronk Harding
Christy Smith Stenger via Facebook
I use something for menopause that's made from soy It's the only thing that seems to work
Are these products ok
Becky Grisham Pohlmeyer via Facebook
Brittnay Rene Rigdon via Facebook
What about the soy milk that is non gmo? My middle daughter won't drink any other milk like almond or cows milk (we avoid cows milk unless its organic straight from the farm down the road). She drinks a non gmo brand of soy milk like a glass a day.
Larissa Katriina Lee via Facebook
I do not understand why people believe and consume soy products, except the natto, miso, tempeh or soy sauce. I am married to a Chinese and they have tofu occasionally as a tiny side dish. It is not a stable food food then. White people use it all wrong… = )))
Rebecca Campbell
That's cause American's are used to having a big meat main dish. So the thinking is to just sub in tofu for the meat. I used to think it was a healthy idea. I have learned a lot since then. Hardly ever have chocolate chips because of the soy in all of them too, sadly.
DrDeborahMD via Facebook
Thanks, Sarah: I just received a question on tempeh from a patient taking my class "Eating For Good Health", how conveniently timed: a great summary of all the relevant information. I would add that anyone with any metabolic challenge (obesity, diabetes, or many others) needs to avoid all soy until they are healthy again.
Jeminah Wheatcroft via Facebook
Rosa Falt
Danita Garcia via Facebook
Asians typically eat fermented soy….big difference!
Ambre Sautter via Facebook
Melissa Ramirez via Facebook
I avoid it like the plague!
Michelle Karwatt Anstadt via Facebook
People think I'm crazy when I try and explain this to them! It amazes me HOW many people believe their dr know everything and so blindly follow to the letter. So sad!
Beauty inside
No wonder my friend. Most of the doctors don't know nothing about nutrition.
Melinda Mae Dionne via Facebook
Also contributes to breast cancer. I don't touch it.
Jen Anderson via Facebook
Enrique Compañ via Facebook
Asian people are falling to pieces… not.
Isa Salgado via Facebook
Anay Salgado… This is a good read;)
Tori Galway via Facebook
Margaret Galway
Sarah Pilling via Facebook
Sarah Abuelkhair…was it you I was talking to about soy?
Tiffany Hudson via Facebook
Aw man!!!!! I love edamame…. Cry
Katie R.
Thanks for the article! I should probably go look through my labels soon and make sure everything I'm taking doesn't contain any soy. It's always wise to do anything you can to reduce the risk of health problems. I always find it difficult to educate my friends and family about things they should be careful with though. Hopefully forwarding this article to them will at least make them more cautious.
I have been making liposomal vitamin C for about a year with Non-GMO soy lecithin. Am I on the road to ruin here?
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Barb Herbert via Facebook
A lot of young people today are also taking psychiatric drugs. I have noticed in some adults that these drugs can cause very strange behaviors ranging from hypersensitivity, total apathy and even some cases of euphoria bordering on recklessness. They are also known to cause aggression, which is easily researchable online from good sources. Maybe this is also a contributing factor?
Amina Sadr via Facebook
vaccines are another contributing factor.
Betty Sethman via Facebook
Why would you want your daughter to become a man? She can be a woman without losing herself, Amy May. Why would you want her to become something she wasn't born to be?
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Vanessa Mike via Facebook
Kimberly Gwtz- stay away from soy protein isolates or soy isoflavones… The ingredients in formula are pretty bad
Be Well My Friends via Facebook
I agree with you, but I've read several articles written by doctors (including ones written by Dr. Joseph Mercola) that fermented soy is okay. Many doctors even include miso soup in their leaky gut healing protocols. But the soy milk, soy burgers, soy formula are ALL horrible and disguised as healthy food; and unfortunately, many people like me are allergic to soy anyway.
Kimberly Gwtz via Facebook
What about milk based formula with traces of soy? Is that harmful, too?
Ruth Weston via Facebook
Food is a huge factor in how the body performs, if what is consumed causes an imbalance in the incredibly fine tuned endocrine system it must surely affect systems such as mood and behaviour, not unrealistic at all
Lysia Jones via Facebook
boys too!
Megan Anderson via Facebook
Turn off the TV & radio- you will see a huge difference! Even bigger if you pull them out if school and away from "all the other girls are doing it" crap
Kaylee Hocking via Facebook
Rebekah Teranobu
Eileen Foster via Facebook
It seems people are confusing "aggressive" with "assertive." It is good for young women to assert themselves as a means to stick up for their views and protect their interests (i.e. themselves). As for our generally more aggressive public spaces, I would observe that the school environment is one of the most aggressive places in our society and we send kids into it everyday. Sowing and reaping.
Gloria Cotton via Facebook
Not just aggressive, sexy and sexualized! Young girls are VERY different today! xoxo
Blame it on MANY factors but, the two most prominent and likely most responsible are the Food System and Television Programming! xo
Molly Woodworth via Facebook
I was aggressive, but soy played no part in my initial growth. There are SO MANY other factors that can go into that. And frankly, I would rather have an aggressive, assertive daughter than a meek, submissive one! I thought we moved beyond stereotypical gender roles. Women arent required to be a certain way.
Laura Villanueva via Facebook
Thank goodness someone else noticed! I thought I was going nuts… some folks made fun of me & call me a "conspiracy theorist," (at best). I have proof.
Darcie Mayo via Facebook
I roomed a patient awhile back who had studied this phenomenon. . She seemed to have a very scientific approach and felt that it has been the abundance of hyper sexuality that has increased over the last several decades within the media. .it has evolved women and boys to the point that girls are starting their menstruations earlier and earlier .. she felt that the milk/chicken soy hormone theory just didnt seem to be the case … … my daughter started her period at nine… much earlier than anyone on either side of my husbands and my families.. it seems to make sense. .. buy who knows..
Hannah Esparza via Facebook
So sad……this stupid soy is messing with all our hormones
Debbie Eisa via Facebook
What about soy products that say non GMO?
Melinda Nelson via Facebook
I would say the soy causes girls to be less feminine along with the lack of good fats which has made girls I know be more easily angered and react which is less feminine. We need to help our girls get back. And the boys who grow too fast and have too much soy from milk of soy fed cows plus the other processed foods soy in used in. It has been shown to effect behavior. I think you are right on. I would add corn syrup to the list as it is a changer of personality too.
Sarah Lynn via Facebook
i don't dissagree that soy is bad news all around, but it's a leap to connect very early development in girls due to the cunsumption of soy to agressiveness.
Lissa Zack LoVasco via Facebook
fyi Jenn LoVasco
Amy May via Facebook
You're allowed to do as you please Sarah. But I'll not judge our young women for doing as they please and taking ownership of their lives and bodies. We've too long been told to be meek and mild. Women are sexual beings and women are competitive like any man out there and yes that at times means aggressive. While I whole heartedly believe food impacts us on all levels I'll not believe for one moment that our young women are anything other than what they should be. My daughter plays hockey as does my son… I'm at the arena nonstop… I see the girls out there battling hard and playing like their male counter parts and I say thank goodness… We have arrived. So no, I disagree with your observations. While soy has many many things wrong with it, you don't get to bash our young women with the excuse that soy has caused this 'aggression' you so disagree with. I'll not comment further.
Amy May via Facebook
Sarah Lynn via Facebook
mark maybe amy has eaten too much soy. please note the sarcasim
Sarah Lynn via Facebook
what about soy impacting boys to be less agressive and more submissive?
Amy May via Facebook
And just because these girls are being demonstrative and assertive doesn't meant they're being aggressive.
Amy May via Facebook
Hi 5 Jordan!
Sarah Lynn via Facebook
im not dissagreeing that soy has an impact on hormones,just that enviromental factors play a huge role as well. with the invention of the internet young kids both girls and boys have a sense they can get away with things. add into this the media pushing sex and violence around like its candy and then parents who don't parent like they should, or just can't because they can't afford to be around to parent. it all adds up.
Sarah Lynn via Facebook
ramona brings up another valad point to. some of it is just temperment/personality
Ramona Chiasson via Facebook
Well..interesting premise. My eldest daughter is 13 1/2 and homeschooled. She, like me, is aggressive in temperment, but nothing out of the ordinary, given her genetic makeup. She doesn't eat soy in any form and was breastfed for two years.
Amy May via Facebook
It's blanket statements like the one you've made Sarah that completely turns me off the more valuable information you do post.
Stephanie Carlson via Facebook
I am sure soy plays a part but the "sexual revolution " did also. My mom was raised to never ask a guy out – EVER. I was told by my generation that it was ok and schools held Sadie Hawkins dances. Then Madonna came along in the 80's . It's a multifaceted problem – soy is one . Hormones in the cow milk another.
Emily Prince via Facebook
My husband works as a basketball ref for all age groups and says the girls are by far the most aggressive. He has had to break up fist fights on the court between 8th grade girls!
Sarah Lynn via Facebook
I'm certan that media and the internet gennerally contribute to the agression as well as parenting too. it's not just the food
Amy May via Facebook
Hmm… So is this a problem with soy or parenting? Lol and why is it this behaviour is solely placed at the feet of young women being aggressive? Perhaps if society at large didn't perpetuate the behaviour you all so despise perhaps things would be different. How many selfies have you all taken lately? Is that you being aggressive or perhaps you had a dose of soy?
Julie Clapp via Facebook
I'm not sure I agree with too much soy too soon in life. I do however think the GMO soy plays a factor in things. I also 100% agree that girls are more aggressive but boys have changed also.
Amy May via Facebook
I also have a very non-aggressive daughter … Unlike the ladies above lol
Kristen Marengo via Facebook
No soy in our house these days. I wish I knew years ago when I put my son on soy formula : /
Sarah Mutter via Facebook
Elizabeth Mutter… who does this sound like?
Amy May via Facebook
He was homeschooled and now attends public school.
Jamie Lynn via Facebook
I can attest to girls being more aggressive. Step into my fifth grade classroom. I think children in general are more rude.
What about young girls starting puberty so early these days? Chemicals in their processed foods? Hormones in their dairy? Fifth grade girls should not have size d breasts. Nor should third grade girls be starting their cycles. Something isn't right.
Timothy Holland via Facebook
Even in a small town the girls are embarrassingly aggressive and the boys just suck it up
Brittany Blankenship via Facebook
I'm only 28 and I can tell you that in middle/high school I would never put photos up like girls do now a days. Even the promiscuous girls were generally coy (or at least acted semi-lady like) in public, I've seen girls now chasing boys and doing anything to "get the guy".
Amy May via Facebook
A son who is 12
Crystal Pratt via Facebook
But what about tofu?
Amy May via Facebook
I'm not disagreeing with the dangers of soy but the generalization that girls are more aggressive today seems a bit out in left field to me.
Amy May via Facebook
On what basis do you find girls more aggressive today? Based on what?!
Manicure Kits
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I do think
that you need to write more on this topic, it may not be a taboo matter but
generally folks don't speak about such topics.
To the next! All the best!!
I eat soy , not alot of it but I do drink soy milk and soy burgers and I have not had any health problems. I have had my blood work done once a year and nothing has ever happen to the point where I had to stop eating soy or organic food. In fact I was eating regular store bought food for years then about 5 years ago I noticed I was always getting sick for the food I was buying. So I switched to all natural, organic, and soy based food and I never got sick again
So im not sure if what your article says is completely true. Maybe these people are buying their food in " Regular Big Chain Stores" like acme, giant eagle. When you go all organic,soy, or even natural foods you should buy them from known places the deal with local farms.
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Nate Angin
Just read your article and whats funny is, I've always believed that unfermented soy is incredibly bad for you. It's crazy some people still don't believe this. Well, check this: I stumbled on some research that PROVES soy is bad for you. It was reported through Weston A. Price and I think you'll dig it. Here's the link:
Weston A Price Foundation has a lot of dairy farmers as members. Nice try.
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jay selona
Ok, now lets get 170 reasons to lose corn, 170 reasons to lose fish, 170 reasons to lose potatoes, 170 reasons to lose spinach, 170 reasons to lose wheat, 170 reasons to lose peanuts, 170 reasons to lose apples…. and yea we can pretty much lose every food on the dinner table! Now doesn't that sound like a good idea!
Eat nothing but soy for breakfast lunch and supper im sure your going to have issues. Same goes for corn, fish, red meat, spinach, wheat, peanuts, apples. You cant live purely on a diet of any of these things. Seriously, don't go right ahead and conclude from this article "soy is poison im not eating it anymore". That's ridiculous. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a steak or something with a few edamames on the side or a little glass of soymilk. Be much better for you than fries I can tell you that for sure!
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Can eating edamame alter your periods,
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None below are sources that would be acceptable even in a basic college report.
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None of your 10 reasons discuss the health value of ORGANIC UNPROCESSED SOY. For the last several decades, soy has been a largely GMO product, so at face value, your claims against soy on the whole might seem valid to the reader who is uneducated on soy, but what else can one expect of GMO food when it is known to cause cancer in lab animals? Highly processed forms of soy are to be avoided at all costs, but organic, minimally processed or unprocessed forms of soy are super healthy and are OK to integrate into a well balanced diet, and are significantly healthier than their animal based counterparts.
Soy Wake Up Call #1 — I've never heard of anyone eating that amount of roasted and pickled soy beans in their normal daily life. That's just absurd. Respectfully, that study holds no value to educated readers of this article.
Soy Wake Up Call #2 — Soy isoflavones are the worst form of soy to ingest because they are a highly processed form of soy, and yes they do cause these effects in women. On the other hand, tempeh, which is unprocessed fermented soy beans packed together into a block, does not do have these effects, and in fact, has quite the opposite effect.
Soy Wake Up Call #3 — "Soy foods" likely means highly processed soy, like a Cliff Bar (avoid these at all costs!), or fake meat. High likelihood that these products contain GMO soy.
Soy Wake Up Call #4 — No mention is made of the organic or conventional/GMO nature of the soy used in this study.
Soy Wake Up Call #5 — Again, soy isoflavanes are always going to wreak havoc, and are therefore not valid as the only source of soy for a study on whether or not soy is healthy.
Soy Wake Up Call #6 — See #5.
Soy Wake Up Call #7 — My wife and I eat a plant based diet and she was vegan during pregnancy and we ate organic tempeh and organic tofu within a well balanced diet and our son was born 9lbs 4oz, 22″ long, and at 6 months is 20lbs and 29″ long. He's insanely healthy and epic, has a better disposition than almost every other baby we encounter, was rolling over at 10 weeks, and has an incredibly long attention span for an infant (he sits at the piano with me for 15-30 minute spans all the time wanting to bang on the keys). And he's only had breast milk from healthy plant based food, including organic soy! I consulted with plant based dietitians and our pediatrician, who is not plant based, and all agreed that organic soy was fine for her and the fetus. Keep processed soy away from pregnant women for sure, but organic soy within a well balanced diet is OK.
Soy Wake Up Call #8 — See #5.
Soy Wake Up Call #9 — Soy protein powder is universally made with soy protein isolate, which is as bad for you as soy isoflavanes. Try organic hemp, pea, or rice protein instead! And kale, the most nutritious land vegetable to be found in any grocery store, is almost 50% protein!
Soy Wake Up Call #10 — Soy formula rarely, if ever, comes from organic soy. Today in the US, 95% of all soybean production is GMO, so if you're not buying organic soy products, you are feeding your baby Frankenfood containing highly processed soy, along with some mutated genes from who knows where.
Unprocessed and minimally processed organic soy are healthy to eat in moderation in a well balanced diet. The only example of minimally processed organic soy I can think of is organic tofu. Anything else will be highly processed, like tofurky dogs and veggie sausage.
A well balanced diet means you don't eat organic soy with every meal, but rather space organic soy out across your week.
Eat plant based whole foods and you will naturally avoid the worst forms of soy.
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if soy is so bad, why all the healthy asian people .
If soy is so adverse to one's health, how is it that Asian population, namely Chinese, Japanese, Korean etc., does not have systemic heath issues?
Of Goats and Greens
As my thyroid is fine, I do eat soy in moderation, and in cultural context — making Asian foods. I stick to traditionally fermented sources — and you do need to read labels when you pick up packets of tempeh or miso. A lot of them have wheat in them in this country. I prefer not to have GMO or to have textured soy protein/soy protein isolate foods. The latter is an industrially-processed food that has not been well-studied and which no one anywhere ate at all. I am not sure whether or not it is in soy milk, or how that beverage is made.
Most of the studies purporting to show that cholesterol is bad for you used oxidized sources of cholesterol. They only showed that oxidized (highly processed) cholesterol is bad. I think the same principle is going to be shown to be true of textured soy protein, which is now showing up in nearly everything in the inner aisles of supermarkets. But I will continue to eat miso soup, gluten-free tamari; and also tempeh on the rare times I can find the good stuff. And edamame beans on occasion. Sarah did say these forms are not bad for you, although she'd probably partake of them less than I might.
I don't buy that soy is bad for you. Sorry. Read this column. Finally, the Truth About Soy. http://zenhabits.net/soy/
The DH and I are both lactose intolerant, so I would purchase soymilk for us. WE loved it! However, I noticed a trend of painful menstruation after drinking soy milk. The following month, I would have cramps, whereas, I usually have NO cramps. I have since removed soymilk from our diets, now it's trying to rid soy from every other food we eat that's the challenge. We now use rice milk as our milk of choice.
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GMO soy is bad. Organic soy is good. Soy actually modulates hormones and reduces the risk of breast cancer. More recent research is showing this to be the case. Poorly done studies in the past made people afraid of soy.
I would have to disagree. There's plenty of evidence that even organic soy is bad for you in large doses. Drinking org. soy every morning may even be too much for some people. It can absoultely lead to weight gain and hormonal imbalance. It is a natural detoxifier for the soil and you EAT those toxins…organic or NOT… I avoid soy unless it is both organic AND fermented….perhaps you have read another poorly done study….soy should not be a staple in anyone's diet…
As I said, any food in large doses can be detrimental to an individual. Food groups should be consumed in moderation, and those with health risks need to be more cautious, its not just a matter of organic, or non organic its also a matter of how the food is meatbolised in the body and the constituents it contains. Too much flour food can contribute to type 2 diabetes for example, waether its organic flour food or not just means a cleaner source of flour food.
Why is GMO soy bad and non GMO good You have been reading too many bad books, WHy do you fear GMO foods? There is so much false info out there about them. Do not fear them.
Eat this, don't eat that. This is bad for you, so eat this. Now THAT'S bad for you so eat THIS instead. NOTHING is good for you anymore! I think I'll stick with my regular old diet of a little of this and a little of that and HOPE I don't live to be 100 and become a burden to my family!
Ok, I'm just curious…if these findings are actually "founded" and not anecdotal, why is Soy still pushed so hard? I am in Marketing and although I know some things are sold as a bag of gold whether they are or not…these are considerable claims? Mainstream docs still do tell women to eat soy and to feed their babies soy formula…I'm not arguing I'm just asking…is this a dedicated "cover up" do you think or is it actually complete ignorance and/or shameless product & greed for money. Thanks for sharing.
I have a hard time with you telling moms not to give soy formula. First it would be the best if every mom could nurse but sometimes they can't. I nursed then found out my son was severely allergic to wheat dairy eggs peanuts and tree nutts. I nursed until he was ten months. He has been on a diet that does include soy and rice milk. When he over comes his allergies we hope to then take out the soy. Your judgements are extreme. What would you like for us to feed our little ones with allergies?
Soy is probably ok but only in the form it is meant to be eaten Fermented not the way the western diet incorporate it in our diet. It is in everything as a filler like everything, if you have to much and it is hidden in most of the foods you eat it will have a effect on your body. Small amounts but eaten the way it was originally eaten.
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I have to comment … I have been a vegetarian for 16 years now… I eat soy A LOT! It's probably one of the main food items I eat. I am super healthy, I never get sick, and my menstrual cycle is perfectly normal. I had my daughter 9 years ago… and she was created and grown in a veggie soy rich belly 😛 She's really healthy… and super smart, in the gifted reading and math programs with straight A's from the get go. I just feel like myself and my daughter are a living study showing that soy is not this EVIL food this article seems to be portraying it as…..
That is all
Narender Kumar
Thanks Jayme, I read all comments and they are just plain comments, not life experiences. You shared life experience and it matters a lot.
Thanks Again
Narender Kumar
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Im a pregnant vegetarian as i cant get organic meat where i live and struggle with protein, would raw vegan protein powder be ok instead of soy i cant eat alot of eggs everyday and i hate plain nuts
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Actually, yes, what you've said about soy is true, BUT that goes for UNFERMENTED SOY ONLY. Fermented soy is very good for you and you should choose it over dairy, any time, any day. Dairy is the REAL killer.
Actually, yes all those are true, but only for UNFERMENTED soy. Fermented soy is very good for you and you should choose it against milk any day, any time. Dairy is the real killer.
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Learn more. Go to reputable sources, not sources that may very likely be connected with Weston A. Price Foundation that definitely has its own agenda. Here's what an hour of study taught me: it is not in WAPF's interest that you eat soy, because soy competes for WAPF-endorsed products. Why are they on the attack? Why do they not just promote their own arguably nutritious foods? I don't trust anybody that resorts to tactics like that, personally. Make up your own mind.
Want to eat soy? Eat soy. Personally, I'll continue to eat soy products in moderation and I will prefer non-GMO varieties. I avoid milk because I'm lactose intolerant. I eat some meat… but I am learning more and more about how nutrient dense greens, fresh fruit and vegetables are.
Be sensible. Listen to your body. Research and learn. Go to trusted sources. Persevere in your search and you can begin (or continue) to live in optimal health. I'm getting there…
I recommend Dr. Oz and Dr. Fuhrman as trustworthy sources. Many others besides. Good luck!
Only American do study on product that you don't eat so much, by random selection
of study group, then draw conclusion for rest of the world!!! Want real study? Do it on
large population of buddhist monks (both male and female) in asia and southeast asia.
Their main daily diet consist of large quantity soy-product — For local grown, I think they
are non-GMO, but last 5-10 years or so, many GMO soybean has been used because of
economic reason. I have not see any high rate of cancer or death for any reason in this
Julie H
I saw that you wrote "Please note that fermented soy in small, condimental amounts as practiced in traditional Asian cultures is fine for those who have healthy thyroid function. Only miso, tempeh, natto and soy sauce (IF traditionally brewed) fall under this category. "
But what about dicing up a block of tempeh in a stir-fry every once in a while- that is far from "condimental amounts" I would think.
Julie H
How do you feel about tempeh which is made from soy but processed differently?
Come on guys, really? It's so sad when people just don't have their facts straight.
I come from a country where we consume lots of soybeans daily. Not only we eat tofu frequently and drink soymilk, we use soy sauce to substitute salt for seasoning, fermented soybeans in most traditional stews, and cook soybeans with rice(which we eat every day)..etc. According to those studies, our family should have serious hormonal imbalance yet I know of no one including relatives and friends with breast cancer or any hormonal problems. Also our ancestors mananged to survive for centuries pretty well.. And yes the statistics for breast cancer is growing trenmendously in our country too however it is only very recent because of westernized diet.
What about organic soy beans?
Caroline Constantinou
As I am lactose intolerant I used to drink heaps of Soy as a result developed an aversion towards soy thankfully Zymil came out I am now enjoying milk to the max.
I should have added that it does not matter what research says if your body does not agree because ultimately your body is the real expert! I had this issue with flax which is also high in phytoestrogens – it would always give me more breast tenderness no matter in what shape or form I consumed it. My Naturopath kept giving me the deer in the headlight look when I complained about it and would say "but it is so good for you!!"…well obviously my body did not think so!
Do not be fooled there's a lot of biased research out there and research that has been taken out of context – one cannot rely on that, but you can rely on what you body says
I work a lot with animals and see over and over again that it does not take much to affect a body and I see it with myself as well. Too much ginger gives me the blues, as does coffee, both of which also have higher phytoestrogens levels. A friend of mine spotted each day while she was drinking organic soy milk….I would ot touch it with a 10 foot pole and it is unfortunately also rampant in animal feeds these days as a cheap protein source…I steer everyone away from it….
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I ate nonfat dairy and used soy regularly for about a dozen years as a way to be healthy and to maintain my weight. In my forties I have been battling multiple endocrine issues. And as I have several interrelated systems problems, I realize that there are many factors effecting my health. What I have learned by trying to heal my body is that for me sugar and soy are a huge contributing factor to my problems. As with other food controversies I believe that some people are affected by chemicals and compounds differently; thus the conflicting studies. I also understand how results can be "interpreted" differently. I am a lab rat that can't eat soy without problems. I also think that eating foods in the form that God made them is better than eating foods man alters. Not drinking the coolaide anymore.
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Why all these studies from the 90's? Billions have been spent after 2000, and showing SOY is good for you. Do you know what I think? I think some PHd's got together and wanted to do more research. And guess what, they did, they got billions of dollars as follow up. Just follow the names and the grant money from the FDA. What have learned? Well we learned what thousands of years have already taught us, SOY is healthy.
almost every week now i find another scare about a food or product or toxin or poison. its confounding. but what bothers me the most is that there is literally no consensus on anything. for example –
so not only are there governments, corporations, industries and bankers all out to enslave, poison and exploit us, and in some cases exterminate us, but there is a huge divide in what people believe as truth and what is really going on in the world. its so dis-heartening. so do i cut out soy or dont i? do i drink fluoridated water or dont i? do i cut out dairy or dont i? do i remain as close to vegan as possible or dont i? do i believe terrorists flew planes into new york buildings or dont i? am i a pawn? it seems like everyone is pulling my strings in a sadistic puppet show.
people keep saying moderation. but i imagine gmos in moderation cant be a good idea?
thoroughly confused and upset am i.
Artemis Fowl
This story is a nice example of how to become hysterical over poor evidence.
The Chinese do NOT eat just a few soy beans as a condiment when they eat soy. That's ridiculous. People who eat more soy, eat less beef and are less likely to be obese. What are the health benefits and risks of not being obese? Soy helps with bone health, and, a reminder, people are not rats or mice. Experiments on rats and mice do not necessarily have the same implications for humans. There are just as many experiments showing health benefits of soy. It's not a settled question but you might notice that there are a lot of Chinese people around and they seem to be dominating the world at present.
Try being a little more "fair and balanced," Sarah. You don't need a white coat for that.
Studies are often sponsored by profit driven companies that would not want anyone to know the benefits of something like soy – real soy, not the processed kind that's made into some synthetic faux food. Besides, Asians, for example, are much healthier than we Americans – especially in that their rate of breast cancer is much lower – and soy has been a staple in their diets for thousands of years. That's a fact that I'd like to hear explained by whoever deems soy harmful.
Soy is natural with many health benefits. Also, soy crops do not rape the land of nutrients like corn crops do – but we need the corn crops to stuff the sentient animals we torture to fatten them up before murdering them for consumption. That must be okay, because it's making a profit. Maybe these companies keep making profits because we believe their bullshit instead of making the effort to find out the truth.
there is no need to fear soy, or most other natural foods in moderation.
If soy was so dangerous all the people living in China would have breast cancer, thyroid problems, prostate cancer or no periods. So basically they would be having a lot of reproductive issues…….not happening.
I wish I was told about this 14 years ago. my baby could'nt have regular formula and I could'nt breast feed because of my medications. so they gave her Soy formula. she's now 14 and only 4'11 and will not grow anymore. I feel like i did this to her and I'm so depressed now about it. I just hope she will be able to have children .
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Robin – Owner of Full Potential Living
In short, THANK YOU for this post. I love that you included the medical references. I often recommend to my clients to steer away from soy for a handful of reasons I explain at the time. However, now I have a handy, medically referenced resource to explain why in more detail. While I do not believe that anything in tiny amounts will wreck one's health (if the person is healthy and has systems running optimally), soy is particular scary due to its vast marketing as a "health food". It is no wonder that even those who are extremely conscientious about what they eat are confused. It's so important to share good information so that people can be supported in making informed choices. Thanks again!
Roberta Leahy via Facebook
this link isn't getting me there like it did last night!
Claudine Kelly Herlihy via Facebook
Soy today…something else tomorrow. If it isn't one thing it is something else. We will continue to eat non GMO organic soy on occasion.
I was a vegetarian for 21 years, using soy multiple times a day. I admit that I often didn't make the best choices, such as soy corn dogs, burgers, and other 'fake meats'. I then started eating gluten-free, hoping to find a way of eating that did not make me feel awful afterwards. For most of my life, I just didn't feel well after eating. One day, it hit me that it might be all the soy. I stopped the obvious soy, and looked at ingredients even more closely. I even took the huge step to start eating the best quality organic meat. I felt so much better – instantly. I also had acupuncture for about a year, just to get my digestive fire back to working levels. I am now mostly paleo, and feel fantastic, however I had some tummy upset that past two days. After investigating, I see that my salad dressing has soy sauce as the 5th ingredient! For me, the main reason to avoid soy is that almost all of it is GM. I live in CA, and we are fighting hard to win support for labeling of GMO foods. That would make it so much easier to spot hidden soy, and corn, and canola, etc.
Lisa Wallen Logsdon via Facebook
I think I've been waiting for this post Sarah. I just hope the "right" person sees it on my timeline.
Studies based on SIX women? Really? You are going to base your nutrition based on SIX women? I am sure we can find SIX women that have reacted to any food you can name and probably water too.
Hank B
I'm 56 and I've had miso broth nearly everyday for 25 years. This figures out to about 15 lbs. of miso a year. I've got great energy, libido, stamina, strength, etc. Could this be bad for me?
who wrote this article, the meat & dairy industry? id rather eat soy than dead animals. do they also tell you how rotted meat and dairy in your body is poison! most vegans are vegan for the animals sake. there is plenty of other vegan dishes besides SOY anyway if this article scares you. personally, i think its lies….Happy soy eating…
What's a preferable alternative to cows' milk if soy milk isn't an option? My daughter as an anaphylactic allergy to dairy and we can't use nut milks because my other daughter has an anaplylactic allergy to nuts …
coconut milk?
Pingback: 170 Scientific Reasons to Stay Away From Soy « Sublime Effect
Pingback: 170 Scientific Reasons to Stay Away From Soy « Sublime Effect
Sondra Stidham Oliphant via Facebook
My daughter was allergic to cows milk when she was a toddler. Per our doctors direction I gave her soy milk. I feel so guilty thinking of the harm this may have caused her little body.
While I do not discount that some people have had bad reactions or allergies to soy products, I will take your advice before I jump on your anti-soy bandwagon:
"Be careful folks. It's dangerous out there! You really need to do your research and be on your toes at all times when it comes to nutritional advice even from someone in a white coat!"
Why? Partially because:
The Weston A Price Foundation (WAPF) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weston_A._Price_Foundation
The foundation has been criticised by medical and health experts for "purveying misleading information" and "failing to update their recommendations in light of contradictory evidence".
As Dr. Kaayla Daniel is a Board of Directors member of WAPF, I am skeptical about this article. I do not believe that they are as bad as WAPF would have us led to believe.
Also partially because of this:
After reading a lot more from other resources, less biased than either article, I came to the conclusion that MODERATION is a good way to consume ANYTHING.
But why am I most skeptical? Because of this:
I've been eating soy products including tofu, soy sauce, and whole beans for around 38 years. I am a male Asian/Pacific Islander. Yes, a male. I don't have boobs or super estrogen levels. I played football, volleyball, hockey, soccer, and baseball growing up. I am a sexually healthy heterosexual male. I was raised on formula, tofu, soy sauce, and MSG (meats, veggies, and other carbs too, of course). I was a vegetarian/vegan for half my life. My doctors (holistic practitioner and MD) say I am in good health. Surprise! True story. Genetic predisposition for soy? Maybe. Is soy as bad as it sounds? No.
I do understand the nature of propaganda and agendas. I am in no way claiming everything in this or any other article is true or false. I'm just skeptical.
Please do your own research…I read Mitch's response and went a little further with other articles to look into. His links are worth checking out as are these:
Moderation of any food is key…organic and GMO is the best option for any.
What about the soy lecithin in, say, chocolate? I'm looking for a really good reason that will motivate me to avoid eating too much chocolate . . .
Another thing I was wondering….
can i ask your thoughts on SoySauce
wondering too!
try Coconut Aminos. Tastes practically the same and costs about the same. I get it at the health food store.
So why are the japanese and Chinese still alive and they are soooooo many the chinese had to implement the one child policy? Thy are the best in so many sports, they lead in IQ tests, yet Soy is a very big part of their diet?
Exactly right! Another sad case of misinformation gaining momentum …
So tell me, why aren´t Japanese people dropping dead like flies? I lived there for five years, and soy plays a very big part in their daily diet, including men, children and pregnant women. They eat tofu, natto, soy sauce, miso, etc. in quantity every day. And they are also the longest lived people in the world.
Because soy is in fact good for you unless you're allergic.
I don't understand why a woman would give her newborn a soy formula on a regular basis to begin with (or any formula for that matter!) Babies need human milk to properly develop, denied this, there is a higher chance of excessive allergies and/or decreased immune system….makes no sense to me, personally
But the information in this article doesn't really surprise me….anything in excess isn't good for you. Humans have evolved to eat a wide variety of food, if we limit ourselves to just a few things, we're destined for trouble of some kind….
Great article as well, it was both interesting and well written
Sarah, some babies are lactose intollerant, and even human milk contains lactose! Also, some mums are just unable to breast feed for numerous reasons, and if they are vegan, they would want to look for vegan alternatives to baby formula.
Bird Wisdom
I've two small birds, and whilst I try to feed them organic it's very hard to find. I have noticed for some time now that they REFUSE TO EAT SOYBEANS included in some mixes.
Too bad that people aren't as smart, eh?
try and feed chocolate to your dog……wait don't.
point being, different animals eat different foods.
I wish this had a like button.
Stephanie Hatten via Facebook
Sarah, where can we get organic soy because I want to start fermenting Natto? Can you demonstrate natto fermentation, if you do it? I am interested in its MK7 K2 vitamin content. I already eat it from a Japanese store, but it is too far to travel for on a regular basis and I need to start making it myself
Great article, thank you.
Can someone please clarify if edamame is acceptable or not?
Saffron, the article mentions edamame. No, it isn't acceptable for regular use, organic or not. Yes you can have a small amount very occasionally if you are in good health.
Sarah writes:
"In addition, if you want to sprinkle a few edamame on your salad or have a few small cubes of tofu in your miso soup from time to time, that is fine too. Just don't make it a regular part of your diet!"
Donald Mackey via Facebook
Thank you, I have tried to share the facts about soy for some time now. Now I have more ammo to convince my friends.
Jim McDonald via Facebook
Sarah the 'make my day' healthy home economist'!!!
Brittany Hughes Ardito via Facebook
Bad Soy!
Christie Polaski Riopelle via Facebook
Ty for posting!
Roseann Ligenza-Fisher via Facebook
I avoid the fermented soy as well. When in doubt, do without!
Diane Dornberger via Facebook
Katy Dornberger Waldrop via Facebook
You did the best you knew… and I think I turned out alright!
Diane Dornberger via Facebook
Katy Dornberger Waldrop I'm publicly apologizing to you for allowing Dr. Bill to convince me to give you soy formula after you were weaned!
Roseann Ligenza-Fisher via Facebook
I am a 9 yr breast cancer survivor. The chemo threw me into an early menopause and I suffered with hot flashes, etc..so I started taking soy to alleviate the symptoms since I couldn't take any hormone replacement. My oncologist told me in no uncertain terms to STOP eating soy because of the phytoestrogens. I stopped and since I've heard about most soy being GMO, I avoid all soy and everything containing soy like the plague.
What about your hot flashes then? I've had for 7 years and have avoided soy like the plague.
Kait Ferrall via Facebook
I've also read traditional soy fermentation is fine, as well. Asian cultures eat etamame and tofu, along with rice and veggies and meat. I think any modern processing method is what makes things bad for us, can either create the problem or not process the problem away properly.
Alternative Health Solutions via Facebook
except for fermented soy (non-gmo, of course). A bit of miso is good for you.
Diana Pringle Martin via Facebook
This should be common knowledge! What a disaster our modern food culture has become. Wish my whole family and friends would open their minds and see how the soy and GMO foods are harming them.
Helen T
I'm with you there! At first my family were listening to me since I had a remarkable turn around with asthma with a diet change…..but that was then and this is now. I'm the Thanksgiving guest that everyone doesn't want to sit next to, and I keep my mouth shut 90% of the time. They keep wanting to eat their GMO taco chips and drink their colas!
Katie Funk via Facebook
Soy is a PLANT ESTROGEN. After sharing this information I am still amazed how much people want to continue giving their children hormones in the form of food that will forever alter their development. Let it go!! For the sake of your children LET IT GO.
Tom Bolander via Facebook
Being Gluten & Casein free, some soy fits in.
Katie Funk via Facebook
SPREAD THE WORD !!! (soy haters anonymous)
Nicole Vallencourt via Facebook
What about tempeh? I've read it's better because it's fermented
thehealthyhomeeconomist via Facebook
@Chrystina I weaned my first son onto soymilk not knowing any better. I switched him to raw grassfed milk within a few months though as the soymilk made him hyperactive (he was 2 when he was weaned) and I sensed something was VERY wrong. I have worried that his soymilk stint would affect his puberty (either delaying it or it never would happen at all) for years but he is now almost 14 and a very normal young man … so we just do the best we can as Moms and don't beat ourselves up for the mistakes we made when we didn't know any better at the time!
Vee Bee via Facebook
@Marcus, here's a pretty good article on protein sources. I know many people that avoid milk and meat products because they're not necessarily "clean" sources of protein. The article links at the end to a handy list of non-meat protein sources. http://www.theholykale.com/vegan-protein/
Chrystina Swain via Facebook
I wish I had known you 10 years ago. My oldest had milk allergies and once he weaned himself we have him brown rice, almond and soy milk. Since then I have heard many reasons why soy is not good and I have had a huge load of guilt for all the soy he took in. I am grateful it was for a short time and now I know better. I am sure you'll receive negative backlash, but love that you stand your ground! Thank you for being honest in an increasingly manipulative world.
thehealthyhomeeconomist via Facebook
I know this is a tough statement, but it is backed up by research. Babies on soy formula receive the estrogenic equivalent of 5 birth control pills every day: http://www.westonaprice.org/soy-alert/soy-formula-birth-control-pills-for-babies
I was fed nothing but soy formula since birth. I have 3 healthy children and have had no reproductive issues at all. In fact I'm super fertile. I'm guessing it doesn't affect everyone the same?
thehealthyhomeeconomist via Facebook
Organic soy is a disaster as well Check out the homemade hypoallergenic formula for babies if a dairy allergy is present. Video on my blog.
Dana Stafford Hinson via Facebook
^^What are you thoughts on this?
Dana Stafford Hinson via Facebook
What about organic soy? Our son drank the Nature's One Baby Only soy formula and did really well on it. I was reading on their website that they also use the whole soybean and not soy protein isolates. "What is the difference between Whole Soybeans and Soy Isolates?
Baby's Only Organic derives its organic soy protein concentrate from the whole soybean. Other formulas use soy protein isolates which chemically removes all the naturally occurring components of the soybean except the protein, manganese and phytoestrogens. Baby's Only Organicâ"¢ SOY retains the natural benefits of the whole soybean as nature intended. We believe this provides balance among all the vitamins and minerals naturally found in our SOY formula. In fact, at a recent (May, 2007) conference on Diet and Optimal Health sponsored by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, Professor William Helferich stated "when the whole food (referring to the whole soybean) is consumed, you get a very different effect than if you consume the concentrated constituents individually." He further noted that the whole soybean is healthier than many of its individual components. In other words, the whole soybean provides healthier nutrition than when consuming concentrated components of the soybean, such as phytoestrogens.
Does the soy protein have Raffinose and Stachyose?
Nature's One has a production method that naturally breaks down these two sugars so that they are easily digested. Unlike soy protein isolation processes that chemically strip the soybean of many of its naturally occurring benefits, the process used by Nature's One retains the balance of the soymilk as nature intended."
Marcus McKibben via Facebook
Ok, I will do my best to eat those. Thanks so much for the help!! I really appreciate it!
Renee Kelcey via Facebook
Cage free, vegetarian chicken basically translates to chickens jammed in a big shed together eating GMO corn and soy, or if they're organic it'll be non-GMO organic corn and soy. The best chicken is pastured/free range.
thehealthyhomeeconomist via Facebook
The healthiest meat and eggs comes from chickens who eat plenty of bugs and grubs that they are able to peck out of clean, healthy dirt – preferably in a pasture with grazing animals like cows, horses, goats etc.
thehealthyhomeeconomist via Facebook
The healthiest meat and eggs comes from chickens who eat plenty of bugs and grubs that they are able to peck out of clean, healthy dirt – preferably in a pasture with grazing animals like cows, horses, goats etc.
Marcus McKibben via Facebook
Thanks for the help. I've never taken soy, but was big on whey protein isolates, chicken, and red meat until reading up on how any protein powder will usually always have some form of MSG in it, and then the whole pink slime deal came out so I stopped just buying regular red meat and found a store that sells grass-fed, hormone free read meat. So hopefully I'm on the right track now.
Laura Blair via Facebook
marcus, chickens are natural scavengers – omnivores. they shouldn't be fed vegetarian diets.
thehealthyhomeeconomist via Facebook
I used to drink soymilk and inexplicably developed a horrible aversion for it when I became pregnant with my first child almost 15 years ago. I didn't know about the dangers of soy at that time, but figured my body knew best so I stopped drinking it. Thank goodness I did given all the research about how the phytoestrogens can harm the fetus and cross the placenta.
thehealthyhomeeconomist via Facebook
Hi Marcus, your best bet is protein from natural sources. Just don't go for any processed proteins as these are not good for the body (very hard to digest). A nice big steak and raw milk is what traditional bodybuilders used to build muscle mass I believe if I remember correctly there is a great article on traditional bodybuilding on the westonaprice.org website.
Marcus McKibben via Facebook
I'm a natural bodybuilder and I've been doing my studying on GMO's, MSG, etc. and was wondering what are your thoughts on where to get clean, healthy protein sources from? I've been buying Harvestland Chicken…is that any good? It's says on it's package they are cage-free, vegetarian fed, no hormones or anything added.
Christi Fenison
Undenatured Whey Protein from grass fed, free range cows (that are not shot up with hormones or antibiotics), is a very healthy source for lean muscle growth. The process preserves fragile biologically active peptides, with a high concentration of branch chained amino acids- best for muscles! I personally use isalean shakes & bars for a good source of protein and other nutrients and enzymes for digestion, and this has also shown to be good for those with lactose intolerance due to the presence of lactase, which helps the body naturally breakup lactose into easily digestible glucose and galactose.
Lindsay Reid via Facebook
Scary! I've never liked soy products :S
How about organic edamame?
in moderation. But go organic or else you'll get Monsanto poison.
Pingback: 170 Scientific Reasons to Lose the Soy in Your Diet « adynudasykym
Pingback: 170 Scientific Reasons to Lose the Soy in Your Diet « adynudasykym
As usual, the title of your article is designed to scare people. And again, the answer to any problem with soy is MODERATION. If you eat soy a few times a month, or even a small amount daily as in many Asian countries, it will not harm you.
Helen T
Call it what you want, but I for one WANT to be alerted….woken up….scared…..whatever?
Everytime I go into a supermarket I'm MIFFED why there is practically NOTHING THERE healthy to consume. Who wouldn't be scared?
nothing? really? Go to the freakin' produce section. If you're food comes in a box and has a little package of dehydrated "vegetables" with some weird "sauce packet", you're not eating healthy.
Linda Figg
Pam, my husband is living proof that soy is very bad for you, and Please don't try the "moderation" ploy…you must not read your food lables very well. How can you use it in moderation when they have poisined all our food with it? When you find you can not have it just try to go shopping for foods without it. Im not saying that I can not make my own food because that is just what we had to do, infact all the way down to making our own bread. It took us over 10 years to figure out what was causing all his health problems , because NO doctor(most have no clue) is going to tell you what the real issue is. So please scare as many people as you can, because your only going to help them. You sound almost jelious.
Jan P. Lopez
Soy is just plain bad , why have it at all ! ? ! Avoid at all cost !
Additionally , it is time we stop looking for food in supermarkets , in packages ! ~ Go for fresh , whole , organic foods from farmers , and do more preparations from home ~ Not as difficult as you think ! !
I cringe when I hear of mom friends giving their baby soy formula.
I cringe when I hear of mothers not breast feeding! Unless there are health reasons, that's the only way to go.
I was a vegetarian, sometimes vegan, for 15 years. Ate lots of soy. Anyone know any resources for regaining health. I am already on a traditional diet, but wondered if there were any extra measures I could take to hasten recovery/repair damage. My daughter is eleven and raised on soy, but hasn't had early puberty, and my cycles were normal, I conceived easily and has easy births, so it probably affects people differently. Nonetheless, I believe in the traditional diet and want to thrive.
My bf ate like you did for 20 years and got cancer, he went through chemo and survived. he now takes a deep cleansing product called essiac daily, and swears by it. his tumors started shrinking considerably after he started taking it. look it up. you can find it in most health food stores, usually cheaper online. i stated taking it as well… it is a combo of slippery elm, burdock, sheep sorrell, and rhubard root. you can get tea, tincture, pills. it was invented by a nurse named cassie for native americans who were getting cancer i think, and it worked, but of course it is suppressed. good deep cleanse for anyone in this toxic world.
Jan P. Lopez
Going fully raw , low fat long term ( or making the lifestyle change ) helps to reverse many health issues Jen . Give yourself a 30 day challenge and see/feel the differenhce . . . All the very best ! ~ Jan .
Stanley Fishman
Soy should be avoided. For all the reasons, Sarah cited, all the reasons Kaayla cited, and because it is just plan bad for us. It should not be fed to animals, either.
When the Chinese first cultivated soy, they did not eat it. They grew it because it restored nitrogen to the soil. After a long time, they learned how to ferment ti, but only ate it in small amounts, as recommended by Sarah.
Pingback: 170 Scientific Reasons to Lose the Soy in Your Diet | CookingPlanet
Hi Sarah,
If someone stops eating the soy, will they return to "normal"? Or is there lingering damage from the soy?
Brittany E
Thank you… I had one wise mama in the 1990's who was on top of soy research. She had been giving us some soy milk because in her hippie days soy was a mainstay. However she had an open mind and always did her research. She read an article about some girls who started their periods around age 4 because of all the soy in the diet. She promptly took us off of soy milk. We occasionally had tofu, and fermented soy products, but she was a watchdog when it came to reading ingredient labels(not that many things in our home had ingredients:D). I remember my friends thinking I was crazy as a teenager because I wouldn't eat any snack foods that had soy in them. That was when all the teenage girls were drinking protein shakes and eating protein bars where the first ingredient was usually soy. I had one friend I convinced who suffered from terrible acne. After cutting out soy her skin became 90% better. I'm always cautious when people start promoting ONE food for everything and over everything else. Moderation and wisdom people! 😀 Thank you Sarah!
Brittany E
Thank you… I had one wise mama in the 1990's who was on top of soy research. She had been giving us some soy milk because in her hippie days soy was a mainstay. However she had an open mind and always did her research. She read an article about some girls who started their periods around age 4 because of all the soy in the diet. She promptly took us off of soy milk. We occasionally had tofu, and fermented soy products, but she was a watchdog when it came to reading ingredient labels(not that many things in our home had ingredients:D). I remember my friends thinking I was crazy as a teenager because I wouldn't eat any snack foods that had soy in them. That was when all the teenage girls were drinking protein shakes and eating protein bars where the first ingredient was usually soy. I had one friend I convinced who suffered from terrible acne. After cutting out soy her skin became 90% better. I'm always cautious when people start promoting ONE food for everything and over everything else. Moderation and wisdom people! 😀 Thank you Sarah!
:See I can say the same thing about meat and dairy. I had a friend that had a daughter that stated to early and come to find out it was because the hormones they give cows. And I know that the probable with GMO soy does have hi amount of hormone because I was told to get off Hydrogenated soy bean creamers and thing like that when I was 34. I was still doing GMO free soy-milk and my period started up again with not having one for 5 years and now I am 40 and I am still having a period. I know a girl at work that had very bad acne and she eat and drink dairy everyday and I told her get off the dairy she is a very happen person know.
Hi Sarah, Thanks for the post – it's a great reminder. We really appreciate your site.
Thank you for this! We ended up giving my daughter soy formula for awhile and finally when she could have cows milk, we switched. I know now that I should have tried goats milk first and hope nothing comes of it.
Now in elementary school, we have to bring peanut free foods, so the school pushes a product called Wow Butter. It is toasted soy nut butter. And some kids eat it every day!! I wonder when people are going to see effects of this especially when combined with tons of processed Pre-packaged items that also contain soy. I wouldn't even participate to sell the stuff in fundraisers.
You know before you freak out. You should be thinking of the process meat, white or brown not whole grain bread and milk. All are very much just as bad or even more! And as parents we need to show our kids why we need to eat whole foods like fruit and veggie. My kids know what going on but there friend are not being told by there parent.
however #2 I used to have very delyed period. Then I started eating soy 2 times a day. I was as regular as regular can be from that point on. Now with have baby however body changes and chemistry changes from that. soy gives me a dosie of a headache so i avoid it now. But I ate it all the time for over 10 years. May not have kid now if it wasnt for that as i could go 10 months without a period till i started eating it all the time.
See, that's how I feel. Yes I do think a lot of the study's done back in the 90's might have been because of the GMO fact.
Anna Powers
I really appreciate this post. I am not a soy user, but I didn't know there were so many reasons not too! Another reason not to buy processed food!
What about the fact that most soy is GMO too?
That's why I think her study's she talking about was done back when they were still doing GMO. What about now with GMO free
GMO free? Lol good luck finding that, over 90% of the soybeans grown in the U.S. are genetically modified.
Alex, you are correct (thank you Monsanto), but if you buy organic, it cannot be genetically modified. And yes, processed soy foods can be bad, but if you are eating organic tofu or tempeh, or snacking on some organic edamame, it's not really that bad. Again, in moderation. No one should be eating it at every meal, just like you shouldn't be eating red meat or candy bars at every meal. This "soy is bad for you" craze is noted back to the fact that GM soy is pumped into almost all of our packaged and processed "foods." If you're eating that crap, you're not only dealing with genetically modified "soy" but also tons of chemicals, corn syrup, and other crap.
"This "soy is bad for you" craze is noted back to the fact that GM soy is pumped into almost all of our packaged and processed "foods." Not sure about that statement, however it is def not the most important reason to stop consuming Soy. Having switched to a Vegan diet, Soy milk was the primary source of Soy in my diet, and resulted in very painful fibroid breast tumors (never had them before). Upon examination, my Physician advised to cut out all Soy from my diet immediately. She was correct, they went away after just a couple of weeks and have only returned if I add soy back into my diet (even in small amounts), GMO or Organic. Bummer it's in almost everything, but I def read labels to be sure.
Well back a few years when I was studying the origins of soy I found out an interesting piece of information. Soy has been grown for centuries but it was originally ONLY grown as a rotation crop but not as a food crop. It was not until the fermentation process was used did it enter the food chain..that is Natto, tempeh and MISO. Tofu is an overly processed non-fermented product and should not be eaten on a regular basis..ie..it is junk food. So for hundreds of years it was only a rotation crop and only in recent times was it added into the diet. And only in the last hundred years has it been considered a beneficial crop. The only benefit being…financial for the soy processors!
Jan P. Lopez
More than 99% of soy grown is genetically modified yes !
Sarah thank you yet AGAIN! You have taken me so far outside 'my box' that I can't even see the darn thing anymore , anywhere!
At least this is one thing you and Kimberly Snyder agree on. She irritates the heck out of me. Saying dairy is bad, red meat is bad…I even commented on one of her posts asking her to please differenciate between real, raw, organic milk and the conventional kind and I never get comments back from her. When you posted the one about the dangers of having the "green drink" so much…she had a rebuttle (spelling) post about it and I commented on that too and no response. And she needs to take pictures of her and famous people off of her site…it seems like she does that to get people to come on board…so frustrating!! Sorry I just had to vent a little lol At least you'll agree on the soy though
I worry about everyone going crazy over the Medifast diet! Half of my in-laws are really successful "Health Coaches" for Medifast. Every single meal, shake, bar, etc is full of soy protein in medifast.
One of my friends is a USANA rep and all their protein shakes and bars are soy based too! ISOLATE soy no less! Very concerning!
Jan P. Lopez
Fairly good article . Happy to see people spreading the truth , thhose of us vegans who did the research on soy years ago are always happy to find such reads !