Soy is not a health food
Soy has long been marketed as a health food, and particularly vegetarians have used soy as a protein source. Some infant formulas also contain soy protein. Is soy really the health food it is claimed to be? The truth is that soy is not a suitable substitute for either other plant proteins or animal proteins. The soybean contains large quantities of natural toxins or so-called "anti-nutrients," such as phytic acid, lectins, and enzyme inhibitors.
Nutritional physiologist and researcher Kaayla Daniel, who has studied soy for many years and has also written a book about it, The Whole Soy Story, highlights thousands of studies linking the intake of soy products to nutrient deficiencies, digestive disorders, immune system issues, thyroid problems, and reproductive organ issues. Two researchers working at the FDA in the USA (equivalent to the Swedish Food Agency), Daniel Sheehan and Daniel Doerge, both senior toxicologists, strongly opposed the idea that soy should be granted health claims. They wrote in their memorandum:
“We oppose health claims about soy because there is abundant evidence that certain isoflavones found in soy are toxic to estrogen-sensitive tissues as well as to the thyroid...given that a woman’s own estrogen is a significant factor for...it is not advisable to claim that soy is healthy...the public will be exposed to a potential risk from soy without adequate warning and information.”
Soy estrogen
Soy contains the isoflavones genistein and daidzein, which are two phytoestrogens that resemble human estrogen. They may potentially block estrogenic effects, disrupt hormonal functions, and lead to infertility issues. Drinking two glasses of soy milk per day for a month can provide enough phytoestrogens to negatively affect the menstrual cycle. In the USA, approximately 20% of infant formula contains soy, which is likely to harm the child's reproductive capacity.
But what about in Asia?
In Asia, the whole soybean is often used without separating fat and protein, it is fermented, which reduces anti-nutrients, and people consume significantly smaller amounts than the common perception of Asian cuisine suggests. A large study estimated the daily soy intake at around 7-8 grams per day, some of which is fermented soy. Many vegetarians in the Western world, on the other hand, consume about 220 grams of pure soy per day. Fermented soy, therefore consumed in small amounts in Asian cuisine, does not have the same harmful effects on the body as soy protein isolate, soy milk, soybean oil, soy meat, tofu, and other unfermented soy products. Examples of fermented soy include tempeh, miso, natto, and soy sauce.
Many negative effects of soy
The worst of the anti-nutrients in soy is an enzyme inhibitor called BBI, which blocks the action of the enzyme trypsin and other enzymes necessary for protein digestion. BBI and other enzyme inhibitors are not completely deactivated during regular cooking. They can cause severe gastrointestinal discomfort, reduced protein breakdown, and chronic issues regarding amino acid absorption. In experimental animals, a diet high in trypsin inhibitors causes enlargement and pathological, i.e., negative conditions in the pancreas. [1]
Soybeans also contain hemagglutinins, a substance that promotes clotting, causing red blood cells to clump together. Trypsin inhibitors and hemagglutinins are growth inhibitors. Rats fed these anti-nutrients do not grow normally. Soy also contains goitrogens, which are substances that burden the thyroid. Soybeans are further rich in phytic acid, which is found in the bran or shell of all seeds. It is a substance that blocks the absorption of essential minerals in the digestive system, such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and particularly zinc. There are literally hundreds of articles on the negative effects of phytic acid in the mainstream scientific literature, and several researchers are concerned about the serious negative effects that soy has on health. Scientists generally agree that a diet based on grains and legumes high in phytates (phytic acid) contributes to the widespread mineral deficiencies seen in developing countries.[2] Soybeans have one of the highest levels of phytic acid of any legume or grain studied.[3]
Soy for animals and humans
In feeding experiments, the use of soy protein isolate increased the needs for vitamins E, K, D, and B12 and created deficiency symptoms for calcium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, copper, iron, and zinc.[7] Experimental animals fed soy protein isolate develop enlarged organs, especially the pancreas and thyroid, as well as increased deposition of fatty acids in the liver. [8] Nevertheless, soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein are widely used in school lunches, commercial baked goods, diet drinks, and fast food products. They are heavily promoted in third-world countries and form the basis of many food aid programs. Despite poor results in animal husbandry experiments, the soy industry has sponsored a number of studies intended to show that soy protein products can be used in the human diet as a substitute for traditional foods. One example is Nutritional Quality of Soy Bean Protein Isolates: Studies in Children of Preschool Age, sponsored by Ralston Purina Company.[9] A group of Central American children suffering from malnutrition were first stabilised and improved in health by consuming local foods, including meat and dairy products. Subsequently, these traditional foods were replaced with a drink made from soy protein isolate and sugar over a two-week period. All nitrogen consumed and all nitrogen excreted were measured, the children were weighed naked every morning, and all excrement and any vomit were collected for analysis. The researchers found that the children retained nitrogen and that their growth was “adequate,” so the experiment was declared a success. Whether the children actually became healthy on such a diet, or could have remained so over a long period, is another matter. The researchers noted that the children vomited more than usual, that over half periodically suffered from moderate diarrhoea, that some developed respiratory infections, and had skin rashes and fever. It should be noted that the researchers did not dare to use soy products to help the children recover from malnutrition, but chose to supplement the soy-sugar mixture with nutrients that are largely absent in soy products, particularly vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, iodine, and zinc.
How soy protein is made
The production of soy protein isolate occurs in food factories where soybeans are first mixed with an alkaline solution to remove the fibre. They are then condensed and separated through acid baths and, finally, the soy mass is neutralised in an alkaline solution. Since the acid washing takes place in aluminium tanks, high levels of aluminium leak into the soy mass. The remaining mass is spray-dried at high temperatures to produce a high-quality protein powder. Finally, the soybean is hot-pressed at high temperature and high pressure. Much of the content of the trypsin inhibitors can be removed through high-temperature processes, but not all. The content of trypsin inhibitors in soy protein isolate can vary as much as fivefold. [4] However, high-temperature processes have the unfortunate effect of altering other proteins in the soy to make them largely ineffective. [5] This is the reason why animals raised on soy need lysine supplements for normal growth. Nitrites, which may be disease-causing, are also formed during spray drying. Additionally, a toxin called lysinoalanine is produced during the alkaline process of making soy protein [6].
If you want to live healthily
Soy, unless fermented and consumed in small amounts, is not recommended as food at all, and you would do best to avoid it entirely if you wish to maintain good health. For those needing a supplement for muscle growth, we recommend Creatine Monohydrate Pure – Creatine. Creatine Monohydrate Pure is our finest and probably one of the purest creatine monohydrate supplements on the market. It is double micronised for very high bioavailability in the body and also solubility in liquids. It is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. It is not contaminated with growth hormones (rBST/bGH), anabolic steroids, or antibiotics and is also free from GMOs, gluten, dairy products, soy, and corn.
Self-care protocols
Contact our customer service at [email protected] to receive free dietary advice as well as other free self-care advice and health protocols that you can follow to achieve a strong and healthy body and to optimise gut health.
Our self-care protocols are not to be used for diagnosing, treating, or curing diseases. Our self-care protocols are advice and tips for self-care that do not replace conventional healthcare. Our protocols are intended for adults only. Dietary supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet. A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are essential.
Sources & scientific references
[1] Rackis, Joseph J. et al. Qualification of Plant Foods in Human Nutrition, vol. 35, 1985.
[2] Van Rensburg et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 47:729-734, April 1988
[2] Harland, B.F. et al. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 88:1562-1566, December 1988.
[3] 16. El Tiney, A.H. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (1989) 2:6778.
[4] Rackis, Joseph J. et al., "The USDA trypsin inhibitor study", ibid.
[5] Wallace, G.M. Journal of Science and Food Agriculture 22:526-535, October 1971.
[6] Rackis, et al., ibid., p. 22; "Evaluation of the Health Aspects of Soy Protein Isolates as Food Ingredients", prepared for FDA by Life Sciences Research Office, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20014), USA, Contract No. FDA 223-75-2004, 1979.
[7] Rackis, Joseph, J. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society 51:161A-170A, January 1974.
[8]Rackis, Joseph J. et al. Qualification of Plant Foods in Human Nutrition, vol. 35, 1985.
[9] Torum, Benjamin. Soy Protein and Human Nutrition, Harold L Wilcke et al. (eds), Academic Press, New York, 1979.
[10] Nagata C, Takatsuka N, Kurisu Y, Shimizu H; J Nutr 1998, 128:209-13.
The article is based on a piece written by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD, published on the Holistic website.
