How Soy Can Kill You and Save Your Life
- Soy will give you breast cancer.
- Soy formula is dangerous to babies.
- Genetically modified soy foods may modify you.
- Soy foods block your thyroid function.
- Soy prevents the absorption of minerals and interferes with digestion.
- Tofu causes Alzheimer's disease.
The dangers of soy are overstated. The benefits may be too.So what's a confused consumer to do? Give up on soy until we know for sure? Or chow down on soy nuts? Don't panic. There are some things we do know about soy, both good and bad. First, you should be aware that the amount of soy used in many of these studies was much higher than what we normally consume -- the average dose of soy was equivalent to one pound of tofu or three soy protein shakes a day. That's a lot of soy! Most people just don't eat like that. So when you read negative things about soy, remember that many of those claims are based on poorly designed studies that don't apply to real-world consumption. You could apply that thinking to other studies, too -- like those that show that broccoli contains natural pesticides or that celery is high in toxins. Sure, those foods might cause you some problems -- but not in the amounts that most of us eat. The same is true for soy. Second, it’s important to recognize that many of the common claims about soy simply don’t pan out when you look at the evidence carefully. Let’s review four of these claims and the science behind them so you can have a better understanding of the real relationships between soy consumption and potential health threats. #1 "Soy Causes Breast Cancer" Because soy foods contain natural plant compounds (called isoflavones) that appear to work like hormones, some people worry that they could increase hormonally driven conditions like breast cancer. But that doesn't seem to be the case. In fact, research findings (i) suggest just the opposite:
- All population studies (studies of groups of people) of soy either show reduced breast cancer risk or no effect.
- The only studies to show increased cancer risk are on mice with no ovaries or damaged immune systems who eat high amounts of processed soy.
- Studies in mice WITH ovaries and functioning immune systems show inhibition of tumor growth.
- Mice studies may not reflect the effect of soy on humans (in case you didn't notice, mice and humans are not the same species).
- High breast tissue density is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer. Breast tissue density increases with estrogen replacement, but decreases with isoflavone consumption in postmenopausal women. That's a good thing.
- Eating soy foods at an early age (childhood and the teen years) appears to have a significant protective effect against breast cancer.
- Say YES to whole, real soy. The Okinawans are the world's longest-lived people, probably in part because of their diet. For more than five millennia, they've eaten whole, organic and fermented soy foods like miso, tempeh, tofu, soy milk, and edamame (young soybeans in the pod). One to two servings a day of any of these foods are fine.
- Say NO to processed soy. That includes soy protein isolate and concentrates, genetically engineered soy foods (typically made from Monsanto's Roundup soybeans), soy supplements, and soy junk foods like soy cheese, soy ice cream, soy oil, and soy burgers. They don't have the thousands of years of traditional use that whole soy foods do, are processed, and contain unhealthy fats and other compounds. I have real concerns about these types of soy.
- The dangers of soy are overstated (and the benefits may be, too).
- We eat far too much processed soy (and processed foods in general). Stay away from those in your diet including soy protein concentrates or isolates, hydrolyzed or textured vegetable protein, hydrogenated soy bean oil, non-organic sources of soy, and soy junk food like soy cheese and ice cream. Don't eat them.
- Whole soy foods can be a source of good quality protein and plant compounds that help promote health.
- Eat only organic soy. Stay away from genetically modified versions.
- Replace soy oil with olive oil, fish oil, nuts, and seeds.
- Breastfeed your child. I prefer that no one feed dairy or soy formula to their babies, but if you have to, try not to worry about it.
- Don't worry about soy's effect on breast cancer if you eat it in the forms and amounts I recommend. It has even been shown to protect against breast cancer if you start eating it at a young age.
- The effects on the thyroid are not significant or relevant unless you are deficient in iodine (which you can easily get from eating fish, seaweed or sea vegetables, or iodized salt).
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