[CS-FSLUG] The Truth About Soy

[Daniel Miller]

>From what I have heard before, age plays a huge factor.  Soy is a
large part of the Japanese diet.  (Natural soy not processed like soy
milk, etc.)  I eat soy everyday, not because of the health benefits,
but because I like it.  (By the way, I live in Japan)  On rice I use
Natto, a fermented soy bean that is sticky.  Edame ,salted soybean
pods, when watch ing sports.  Miso, fermented soy paste, used for soup
and flavoring.  And shoyu, soy sauce, it tastes different here.

I think the reduced fertility thing is a little funny though.  I will
have to share this one with my wife :).

Blessings,
Daniel 


On Sun, 5 Dec 2004 18:55:51 -0500, Fred A. Miller <fmiller at lightlink.com> wrote:
>             The Truth About Soy
> 
>             While the food industry is busy praising soy's so-called health
> benefits such as lowering cholesterol, fighting osteoporosis and even
> reducing the risks of some cancers, researchers are discovering quite the
> opposite. In fact, it was discovered that consuming soy might be linked to:
> 
>               a.. Reduced male fertility
>               b.. Increased risk of certain types of cancers
>               c.. Damaged brain function in men
>               d.. Developmental abnormalities in infants
>               e.. Early onset of puberty in western women
>             With all these negative side effects from eating soy, many may
> think the simple solution is to stop eating it all together. If only it were
> that simple. Soy can be found in just about every food product available, as
> it is present in more than 70 percent of all supermarket products and is
> widely used in most fast food chains. Foods containing soy include a wide
> range of processed products, from hamburgers to breakfast cereals and
> mayonnaise.
> 
>             Why is soy so popular? One reason is that it is a cheap source of
> protein. Every aspect of the product is used -- from the bean down to the
> husk.
> 
>             However, many foods will not list soy as an ingredient on their
> labels. For example, the soybean produces a substance, lecithin, which is an
> important ingredient of baking that prevents other ingredients from
> separating. Food labels on chocolate bars and cakes will list lecithin as an
> ingredient instead of soy. Similarly, the oil extracted from soy is used in
> salad dressing and cooking oils. Thus, food labels on these products will
> simply list vegetable oil rather than soy oil.
> 
>             Further, about 90 percent of the 200 million tons of soy produced
> each year is used to feed animals. Therefore, whether one consumes beef,
> lamb, bacon or processed chicken, chances are that animal was fed a soy diet,
> making it virtually impossible not to consume soy when eating any type of
> meat.
> 
>             Although avoiding foods containing soy is a problem for most, an
> even bigger problem has surfaced: Satellite imaging data has shown there has
> been a 40 percent jump in deforestization in the Amazon rainforests. Much of
> this horrific destruction is due to illegal logging of land to produce soy.
> In addition, as protected forests are destroyed to make room for soy, peasant
> farmers who have been living off the land for generations will be forced from
> their homes with nowhere to go.
> 
>             Thus, soy has proven to do more harm than good. One doctor even
> compared eating soy to playing roulette: "You just don't know."
> 
>             The Guardian November 7, 2004
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
>             Dr. Mercola's Comment:
> 
>             First of all, understand I am in no way opposed to soy
> consumption, only unfermented soy consumption. Fermented soy, which includes
> natto, miso and tempeh, is a healthy food and should be consumed by the
> masses. As I've written before, the enzyme nattokinase -- derived from natto
> -- is a safer more powerful option than aspirin that can dissolve blood clots
> and has been used safely for more than 20 years.
> 
>             On the other hand, eating unfermented soy, or "bad soy" can harm
> you. Why? For one, soy's phytoestrogens can mimic the effects of the female
> hormone estrogen, which have been found to have adverse effects on various
> human tissues. Drinking even two glasses of soy milk daily for one month has
> enough of the chemical to alter a woman's menstrual cycle. The FDA regulates
> estrogen-containing products, however no warnings exist on soy.
> 
>             Also, phytic acid, which contains anti-nutritive properties, is
> present in unfermented soy products. This poses a problem because phytic acid
> binds with certain nutrients and inhibits their absorption, which is a
> direct, physical effect that takes place in the digestive system. Fermented
> soy, however, stops the effect of phytic acid and increases the availability
> of phytoestrogens. The fermentation also creates the probiotics -- the "good"
> bacteria the body is absolutely dependent on -- that INCREASES the quantity,
> availability, digestibility and assimilation of nutrients in the body.
> 
>             Moreover, soy is particularly problematic for infants, as soy
> formula is an abomination that has caused much damage to the children of this
> country. It has been estimated that infants who are fed soy formula
> exclusively receive five birth control pills worth of estrogen every day.
> 
>             Thus, it is important to stick to fermented soy in order to reap
> the benefits of soy consumption. So remember, pass up the processed soy
> milks, soy "burgers," soy "ice cream," soy "cheese" and the myriad of other
> soy junk foods that are so readily disguised as health foods.
> 
>             If you find it difficult to cut out soy diary products from your
> diet, I suggest trying Body Ecology Kefir. Kefir's tart and refreshing flavor
> is similar to a drinking-style yogurt, but it contains beneficial yeast as
> well as the friendly "probiotic" bacteria found in yogurt. Simply take one
> packet and combine with your favorite raw milk or coconut juice. It tastes
> great plain, with your favorite fruit, or it makes a great base for
> smoothies, dips, and salad dressings.
> 
>             (Note: If you register in the Mercola.com Total Health Sweepstakes
> now -- and order the Kefir Starter -- you will get a FREE hardbound edition
> of The Maker's Diet: The 40-Day Health Experience that Will Change Your Life
> Forever by Jordan Rubin!)
> 
>             Related Articles:
> 
>               The Shadow of Soy
> 
>               Think Soy is Healthy? Here's Why it's Not as Good as You Think
> 
>               Soy Maker Omits Studies That Soy May Cause Cancer
> 
>               If You're Suffering From a Medical Problem Caused by Soy, you
> May Now be Able to Take Legal Action!
> 
>               Newest Research On Why You Should Avoid Soy
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
>             ©Copyright 2004 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved. This
> content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and
> information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a
> not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing
> from Dr. Mercola is required.
> 
>             Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the
> opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are
> based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as
> marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a
> one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not
> intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and
> information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his
> community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions
> based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care
> professional.
> 
> http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/
> 
> --
> "As Internet technology itself vaults into new areas, so too does the
> Microsoft monopoly and its tried-and-true bag of tricks."
> -US Senator Orrin Hatch, (R) Utah
> 
> _______________________________________________
> ChristianSource FSLUG mailing list
> Christiansource at ofb.biz
> http://cs.uninetsolutions.com
>