The soy industry just turned a major corner…on the way down

Soy just turned the corner.

Over the past year, sales of soy supplements have dropped more than 15 percent. And that’s on top of a 26 percent drop the previous year.

That’s pretty bad, but that’s not the corner that soy just turned.

Apparently the word is getting out about genetically modified soy crops, which seems to be spooking consumers. There’s also a growing concern about the effects that soy may have on hormones.

But that’s not the corner I’m talking about either.

The corner is in this comment from a market researcher: “We’re seeing some companies actively promote the fact that they don’t use soy.”

That’s a huge turning point, considering that just a few years ago grocery store shelves were lined with product packages that sported big bursts alerting us to the “healthy” soy content.

Trying to find a bright side, NutraIngredients-USA notes that soy foods got a mention in the 2010 USDA dietary guidelines.

Wow…a “mention” in the guidelines that the average consumer never sees.

If that’s the best silver lining they can come up with, I believe soy’s days in the health food arena are numbered.

You can find out much more about the risks and concerns associated with eating soy at this link.

Sources:
“Soy supplement sales plunge 15% in year to May 2011” Elaine Watson, NutraIngredients-USA, 6/17/11, nutraingredients-usa.com