Advice On Soy

by Asahd2

posted on 09/16/2009

Americans over the past couple of years have been hearing great things about soy. Just recently I have even seen commercials on how farmers used the crop to help during the dust bowl, and how heart healthy soy is. After all, Asians have been eating soy in their diets forever. Asian diets are touted to be one of the healthiest in the world.

The truth is Asian diets are healthy primarily because of the seafood they eat. As a matter of fact, Japan by itself, consumes one-third of the worlds total seafood harvest. It is true, however that in the Far East, the diet does contain soy products. Soy products that have been fermented like in products such as soy sauce, miso soup and a few other products. Tofu is not generally a main ingredient in Asian cooking. It is used as a filler and therefore generally not eaten in large quantity.

Americans consuming soy (except for soy sauce), are not eating the fermented soy products. Products like soy milk, edamame snacks like Soy Joy or soybeans added to a stir-fry are in fact --- unhealthy.

It is because of pharmaceutical companies, oil companies, tobacco companies, cell phone companies, fast food companies and the list could go on; Enron for instance or financial companies that I have learned a precious fact. American companies care about one thing and one thing only. The almighty dollar. I don't take commercials at face value and nor should you.

If a lie will get their product to market and off the shelves, you better believe they will spread it. The consumers' well being should be first concern and the money will flow. The product should be safe and healthy for the consumer, and the product will sell itself. Not so in these United States. Lead was found in toys that our children play with. I digress.

Soy. A study by Cornell showed that an average Chinese diet (in China), consisted of less than two teaspoons of soybeans per day. In contrast, one can of soda contains between twelve to fifteen teaspoons of sugar. The idea that soybeans are a staple of Asian diet is just not true.

Soy needs to be fermented in order to destroy the harmful toxins and antinutrients that are present in the soybean. These toxins include protease inhibitors, phytoestrogens and goitrogens. Goitrogens suppress the function of the thyroid gland by interfering with its intake of Iodine. Phytoestrogens are plant derived compounds that have the same affect that estrogen has on a body - even in men. The definition of a protease inhibitor is too complex for me to explain except to say they are used in AIDS medications for one.

I am not trying to stop you from eating soy products, but what I would like you to do is more research on your own to find out what you believe to be the truth about soy products. Admit it, you really haven't heard anything bad about soy, so just find out if all they say about how good it is for you is true. If not for you, for your children. For a more intensive article on soy and its dangers, I urge you to read http://www.mothering.com/whole-soy-story-dark-side-americas-favorite-health-food.

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