Latest health hype for soy ignores some ugly truths

We’ve all been given the hard sell on the so-called health benefits of soy for quite a while now.

First, we were told that it would protect your heart. That notion was further endorsed by the FDA, which almost two decades ago allowed food manufacturers to print right on the packaging that eating their soy protein fakery will “reduce the risk of heart disease.”

But that’s such an outrageous statement that even the FDA is considering revoking it, saying last year that “scientific evidence” calls that claim “into question.”

Well, there’s a lot about soy that should be questioned – including a new study that wants women to believe it’s an easy-peasey way to protect their bones. The real truth of the matter is that soy is an incredibly dangerous food to consume for the most part… be it as an oil, milk drink or fake hamburger.

There’s only one kind that you ever want to put into your belly! And I’ll share that with you in a moment.

Boning up on the facts

If inhabitants of another planet were to fly their spaceships over the U.S., they would think all we eat are soybeans!

Unbelievably, we devote around 89 million acres of land to grow soy, and more is expected to be planted next year.

So… what do we do with all of those beans? Some are exported, but most end up being processed for oil. Then, there are the fake “meat” foods, tofu, and additives made from soy protein.

But if researchers from the University of Missouri have their way, women of all ages will be clamoring to eat a whole lot more of those soy products than ever before — all under the false notion that it will save their bones.

The Missouri researchers studied rats, feeding them either soy- or corn-based diets, then analyzing and comparing their bone strength and “metabolic function.”

And voilà! Those soy-fed rodents had stronger shinbones.

The conclusions were that women, both before and after menopause, can see the same results if they just start adding more soy to their diet. How simple is that?

But as far as people are concerned, soy is so riddled with risks that not only don’t you want to take that advice, but you need to read labels carefully to make sure you don’t unknowingly bring soy-containing foods home from the supermarket!

For example:

• Soy contains estrogen-mimicking compounds called “phytoestrogens” that have been linked to upping the risk of breast cancer, interfering with thyroid function, and potentially causing thyroid cancer. Even babies are at risk, with soy formulas being connected to a type of thyroid disorder.
• Monosodium glutamate is created during the processing of soy. In fact, soy protein concentrate and isolate are two sources of “hidden” MSG that are used to sneak that brain-damaging flavor enhancer into processed foods.
• Eating soy can lower your ability to properly absorb calcium (how’s that for irony?), magnesium, and zinc.
• Most all soy is grown from genetically modified seeds to which the cancer-causing chemical Roundup (or something similar with the same active ingredient, glyphosate) was liberally applied while growing. And often, that same toxic chemical is sprayed on soy again after harvest to help “dry out” the crop.

As I mentioned, there’s only one type of this bean you ever want to eat… and that would be fermented soy, such as tempeh, miso, and natto.

Tempeh sounds exotic enough, but it’s become so popular that you can buy it in most any supermarket (found in the refrigerator case). It’s easy to cook – just slice it up and use it in your favorite stir-fry recipe for a delicious meat-free dinner.

Miso is a paste made from fermented soy that’s used in Japanese cooking most often to make soup. And natto, although it’s called a “superfood,” typically doesn’t hit the taste buds of most Americans with the right notes!

If you do decide to try some fermented soy, just make sure that what you get is made from organic beans.

And aside from those kinds, leave all the other forms of soy right where you found them!

“Soy diets might increase women’s bone strength” University of Missouri-Columbia, August 7, 2018, ScienceDaily, sciencedaily.com