Adult swim

You have to be impressed with a food that can be processed as either ice cream or tuna fish.

That’s a joke my sister came up with about soy. And yes, I used it in a previous e-Alert. But some jokes just never get old.

Some views do, however. For instance: the mindset that soy is the end-all and be-all of health foods is beginning to change as ongoing research continues to point toward the unhealthy aspects of soy products. It’s now obvious that soy is anything but health food, which is why I’ve slowly phased it out of my diet. And all the evidence would imply that that’s a healthy choice.

Soy 101

In an e-Alert I sent you last week (“Milky Way” 4/9/03), HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., mentioned that soy has a protein quality rating of “1,” even though soy protein is inferior to the protein found in eggs and dairy products. A member named Bob responded with this e-mail about two very specific problems with soy:

“What about the effects of soy genistein on mineral absorption, the effects of soy phytoestrogens on infants and pre-pubescent adolescents, etc.? I would like to have seen some comments by the good doctor concerning the array of documented health negatives involved with the ingestion of soy products.”

Before I turn things over to Dr. Spreen for a response, I’ll define some of Bob’s terminology for those of you who may have skipped biology class the day they covered soy.

Genistein is a type of isoflavone found in chick peas and legumes (such as soy). Isoflavone is a phytochemical (bioactive plant chemical), but more importantly it’s a phytoestrogen – a bioactive compound that has estrogenic activity. Among the legumes, soy has the most concentrated amount of isoflavones. And as you might suspect, soy can trigger effects in the hormones of both men and women, and maybe even children.

The modern soybean

When you take the basic components of the soybean, and then add to that the modern procedures of cultivation and mass production, you have a highly processed food of dubious nutritional value. And as you’ll see in his response to Bob’s e-mail, Dr. Spreen agrees:

“I am not a fan of today’s soy for a large list of reasons (even though the stuff is commonly labeled a ‘health food’). The phytates on board block absorption of more than just minerals (proteins are also involved), and are only deactivated with soy that’s been fermented. Tofu, textured soy protein and most other forms are anything but. Tempeh, miso, soy sauce made by the traditional method (most in the U.S. is not), and a few other forms are the only ones that qualify, and we don’t see them much around here.

“Today’s commercial soybeans are not the same as in centuries past – they’ve been modified, which alone bothers me. However, the current hype about the phytoestrogens in soy is, to me, further cause for worry. Daidzein and genistein are named as reasons to procure soy, especially for women with menopausal difficulties. The jury may still be out on that one, assuming you have a form of soy with no phytates. However, there’s little doubt that some significant estrogenic influence is involved, and that should be of concern to developing little bodies, in my opinion, both male and female.

“I wouldn’t pump the stuff into my kidsbut that’s just me.”

Soy taketh away

Regarding the way that isoflavones might interfere with the sexual and hormonal development of children, Dr. Spreen singled out an article that appeared in the March 1999 issue of Natural Health. In that article, author Sally Euclaire Osborne cited a New Zealand study that examined the isoflavone levels in soy formula for babies. The recommended daily intake of the formula was found to be FOUR TIMES the amount capable of changing the reproductive hormones in women.

Beyond the frightening prospect of creating an estrogenic response in children, nutrition experiments with adults have shown that a soy-based diet requires supplementation with vitamins E, K, D, and B12, and creates significant deficiencies in copper, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. This is especially important for post-menopausal women, who by eating soy or taking soy supplements as a form of natural HRT, could be putting themselves at risk for nutritional deficiencies and osteoporosis. And it’s also important for anyone who doesn’t eat meat, as they tend to be B12 deficient.

For a much broader overview of the health hazards of soy, Dr. Spreen recommends what he calls a “somewhat scary” article titled “The Ploy of Soy” by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, Ph.D., published online at westonaprice.org. It’s important to note that this is a pro-dairy group. Still, this article and others that appear in the “Soy Alert!” section of that web site clearly demonstrate that soy is a far cry from health food.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute

Sources:
“Does Soy Have a Dark Side?” Sally Eauclaire Osborne, Natural Health, March 1999,