How to mess up a good study

How to mess up a good study

Sometimes I’m just completely dumbfounded when I read medical and nutritional studies.

For instance, UK and Indonesian researchers recently compared cognitive function scores with soy intake among 719 subjects aged 52 to 98. Results showed a higher risk of dementia among those who consumed large amounts of tofu (a non-fermented soy product). But a high intake of tempeh (made from fermented soy) was actually linked to better memory.

These results confirm similar research conducted in Hawaii and reported in 2000. Just one problem: This new study has a GLARING flaw.

Unfortunately, the results can’t be trusted because the study was conducted in Indonesia where formaldehyde and other toxic additives are used as preservatives and may have added to the increased dementia risk.

Right. So I’ve got to ask: Knowing that little detail, why on EARTH would you conduct your study in Indonesia!? Wouldn’t it have made sense to conduct the study in a country that DOESN’T put formaldehyde in food?

So we’ve got the 2000 Hawaiian study and this new one (with a grain of salt) that point to greater dementia risk when non-fermented soy products are regularly consumed. And who regularly consumes such products? Americans.

Textured soy protein is made of non-fermented soy and is sometimes called textured vegetable protein. And this stuff is in thousands of products.

According to the Soyfoods Association of North America, “Textured soy protein (TSP) may be unflavored, meat or chicken flavored, and appear in chunks, slices, flakes, crumbles or bits. This soyfood may be bagged or sold in bulk primarily at natural food supermarkets, food cooperatives, buying clubs, health food stores, or the natural foods section of traditional supermarkets.”

But there’s a quiet little secret that the health food industry would rather not talk about: Most soy products aren’t good for you. TSP, tofu, and most brands of soy sauce are non- fermented. Beyond the dementia issue, you can find out why it’s a good idea to pass on non-fermented soy in the e-Alert “Dog’s Best Friend” (8/9/07).