FOOD/HEALTH ALERTS
A. SUBJECT: Aspartame, MSG & Soy
B. SUBJECT: Booklet~name your poison: a guide to most common toxins
Confused About Soy?--Soy Dangers Summarized
SOY ALERT MYTHS & TRUTHS About SOY
Myths & Truths About Soy
Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.
TRUTH: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty
(1134-246 BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soy beans
to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.
Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.
TRUTH: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is
10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods
in small amounts as a condiment, and not as a replacement
for animal foods.
Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as
traditionally fermented soy foods.
TRUTH: Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralize
toxins in soybeans, and are processed in a way that denatures
proteins and increases levels of carcinogens.
Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.
TRUTH: Like all legumes, soy beans are deficient in sulfur-containing
amino acids methionine and cystine. In addition, modern processing
denatures fragile lysine.
Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets.
TRUTH: The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be
used by the human body; in fact, soy foods cause the body to require
more B12
Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.
TRUTH: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein
digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets
high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic
disorders. Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin
D, needed for strong bones and normal growth. Phytic acid in soy
foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc which are
required for the health and development of the brain and nervous
system. Soy also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the
development of the brain and nervous system. Megadoses of
phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current
trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls
and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.
Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.
TRUTH: Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D,
both needed for healthy bones. Calcium from bone broths and
vitamin D from seafood, lard and organ meats prevent osteoporosis
in Asian countries—not soy foods.
Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.
TRUTH: A British government report concluded that there is little
evidence that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other
forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk
of cancer.
Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.
TRUTH: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower
cholesterol, but there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol
improves one's risk of having heart disease.
Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.
TRUTH: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary
levels, they can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of
cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons)
of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms of
lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.
Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their
postmenopausal years.
TRUTH: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent
tumors and cause thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is
associated with difficulties in menopause.
Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.
Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels
of estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive
function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is
associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease in later life.
Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS
(Generally Recognized as Safe) status.
TRUTH: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its
application to the FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones
following an outpouring of protest from the scientific community.
The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate
because of concern regarding the presence of toxins and
carcinogens in processed soy.
Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.
TRUTH: Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility
in animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men,
indicating lowered testosterone levels. Japanese housewives feed tofu
to their husbands frequently when they want to reduce his virility.
Myth: Soy beans are good for the environment.
TRUTH: Most soy beans grown in the US are genetically engineered to
allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.
Myth: Soy beans are good for developing nations.
TRUTH: In third world countries, soybeans replace traditional
crops and transfer the value-added of processing from the
local population to multinational corporations.
Soy - The Untold Story
The Health Risks Of Soy Includes But Not Limited To:
Asthma
Brain and Nervous System damage
Heart disease, arrhythmia
Osteoporosis
Leukemia
Thyroid damage
Thyroid suppression
Increased Cancer Cell Proliferation
Tumor Growth
Infantile acute leukemia (IAL)
Infertility and reproductive problems
Cancer(s) / Breast /liver / uterine / colon / thyroid
/ pancreas / prostate
Causing the Reoccurrence of cancer(s)
Cell death
Animal death
Human death
Chronic fatigue
Chromosome fragmentation, and errors in its orientation
DNA and chromosome damage
DNA double strand breaks
Immune system damage (including T-cell production, activity)
Immune system suppression
(including suppression of T-cell production, activity)
Damage to the myelin sheath surrounding the nerves
Diabetes
Depression
Dementia
Endocrine disruption
Growth problems
Weight gain
Subtle changes in sexually dimorphic behaviors
Premature, delayed puberty, Pseudo-Puberty
Goiter
Pancreatic disorders
Graves’ or Hashimoto’s Disease
Hyperthyroidism
Hypothyroidism
Liver disease
Irritable Bowl Syndrome
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