Taking Back Our Stolen History

Soy

FDA Health Claim Challenged

On October 25, 1999, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided to allow a health claim for products “low in saturated fat and cholesterol” that contain 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving. Breakfast cereals, baked goods, convenience food, smoothie mixes, and meat substitutes could now be sold with labels touting benefits to cardiovascular health, as long as these products contained one heaping teaspoon of soy protein per 100-gram serving.

The best marketing strategy for a product that is inherently unhealthy is, of course, a health claim.

“The road to FDA approval,” writes a soy apologist, “was long and demanding, consisting of a detailed review of human clinical data collected from more than 40 scientific studies conducted over the last 20 years. Soy protein was found to be one of the rare foods that had sufficient scientific evidence not only to qualify for an FDA health claim proposal but to ultimately pass the rigorous approval process.”29

The “long and demanding” road to FDA approval actually took a few unexpected turns. The original petition, submitted by Protein Technology International, requested a health claim for isoflavones, the estrogen-like compounds found plentifully in soybeans, based on assertions that “only soy protein that has been processed in a manner in which isoflavones are retained will result in cholesterol lowering.”

In 1998, the FDA made the unprecedented move of rewriting PTI’s petition, removing any reference to the phyto-estrogens and substituting a claim for soy protein – a move that was in direct contradiction to the agency’s regulations. The FDA is authorized to make rulings only on substances presented by petition.

The abrupt change in direction was no doubt due to the fact that a number of researchers, including scientists employed by the US Government, submitted documents indicating that isoflavones are toxic.

The FDA had also received, early in 1998, the final British Government report on phytoestrogens, which failed to find much evidence of benefit and warned against potential adverse effects.30

Even with the change to soy protein isolate, FDA bureaucrats engaged in the “rigorous approval process” were forced to deal nimbly with concerns about mineral blocking effects, enzyme inhibitors, goitrogenicity, endocrine disruption, reproductive problems, and increased allergic reactions from consumption of soy products.31

One of the strongest letters of protest came from Dr. Dan Sheehan and Dr. Daniel Doerge, government researchers at the National Center for Toxicological Research.32 Their pleas for warning labels were dismissed as unwarranted.

“Sufficient scientific evidence” of soy’s cholesterol-lowering properties is drawn largely from a 1995 meta-analysis by Dr James Anderson, sponsored by Protein Technologies International and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.33

A meta-analysis is a review and summary of the results of many clinical studies on the same subject. Use of meta-analyses to draw general conclusions has come under sharp criticism by members of the scientific community.

“Researchers substituting meta-analysis for more rigorous trials risk making faulty assumptions and indulging in creative accounting,” says Sir John Scott, President of the Royal Society of New Zealand. “Like is not being lumped with like. Little lumps and big lumps of data are being gathered together by various groups.”34

There is the added temptation for researchers, particularly researchers funded by a company like Protein Technologies International, to leave out studies that would prevent the desired conclusions. Dr. Anderson discarded eight studies for various reasons, leaving a remainder of twenty-nine.

The published report suggested that individuals with cholesterol levels over 250 mg/dl would experience a “significant” reduction of 7 to 20 percent in levels of serum cholesterol if they substituted soy protein for animal protein. Cholesterol reduction was insignificant for individuals whose cholesterol was lower than 250 mg/dl.

In other words, for most of us, giving up steak and eating veggie burgers instead will not bring down blood cholesterol levels. The health claim that the FDA approved “after detailed review of human clinical data” fails to inform the consumer about these important details.

Research that ties soy to positive effects on cholesterol levels is “incredibly immature,” said Ronald M. Krauss, MD, head of the Molecular Medical Research Program and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.35 He might have added that studies in which cholesterol levels were lowered through either diet or drugs have consistently resulted in a greater number of deaths in the treatment groups than in controls – deaths from stroke, cancer, intestinal disorders, accidents, and suicide.36

Cholesterol-lowering measures in the US have fueled a $60 billion per year cholesterol-lowering industry, but have not saved us from the ravages of heart disease.

Most look at the fact that it offers high amounts of protein and iron as all they need to know. Thousands of vegans and vegetarians who ingest it without reservation can’t be wrong, right? But both excessive protein and iron can be quite dangerous. Exacerbating the misguided line of thinking is that the “low-fat” part of the tofu equation is still, in many people’s minds, the mecca for anyone wanting to lose weight. Many dieticians, nutritionists and food manufacturers still claim tofu is your go-to for good eating.

However, not only are low-fat foods not the solution for weight loss but, as Elena Giordano, a Rutgers postdoctoral research associate in food sciences and nutrition, points out, 93 percent of soy is genetically engineered (GE),15 bringing with it its own set of problems.

A Time article asserts, “ … [I]f you’re worried, you can buy organic soy, which isn’t genetically altered.”16 But this still leaves many of the other problems. How close is the tofu and other soy protein products you see on grocery shelves and served in restaurants to what was eaten by Asian populations up to a few decades ago? Perhaps the best they can say is that today’s tofu is simply “tofu-like.”

Granted, there are lots of textures and treatments to choose from: firm, extra firm, silky, smoked, dried, frozen and so on.17 Tofu-inspired turkey product is one example of how soy protein is used as a meat replacement, which is a far cry from its traditional use as a food, especially since both traditional and modern Chinese cooking typically includes real meat, not a plant-based wannabe. Then there are the additives:

“Kind of like the bastardization of cheese, with all sorts of nondairy cheeses now filling store shelves, tofu is getting similar treatment. Peanut tofu, almond tofu, egg tofu and others are now available. Many of these don’t even follow a similar production process to soy tofu, but still try to claim the name (and the associated health benefits) for their own!”18

Dow Chemical and DuPont, the same corporations that brought misery and death to millions around the world through Agent Orange, are now the driving forces behind the promotion of soy as a food for humans. They are financing anti-meat and anti-milk campaigns aimed largely at those concerned about animal welfare and the environment, trying to convince them that imitations such as “soymilk” are not only healthier than the real thing, but better for the earth too.

There is no evidence that consuming soy products can improve health, reduce environmental degradation or slow global warming. In fact, the evidence suggests quite the opposite. The studies below regarding the effects of soy on health are eye-opening, particularly the review by the American Heart Association — which no longer supports the health claims about soy endorsed by the U.S. government.

The report How to Get the Benefits of Soy Without All the Health Risks tells us that Asians are actually consuming far less soy than Americans! In fact a Japanese man consumes about 2 teaspoons of soy in a day, far less than Americans, who guzzle soy milk by the gallons and have substituted meat with processed tofu. Moderation is actually the key to the Asians’ healthy diet.

Many health advocates claim soy must be good for you because Asian people — arguably one of the healthiest populations on the planet — have eaten it a lot, and have some of the lowest rates of heart disease, cancer and dementia worldwide,2 so, it appears, the rest of the world should eat soy protein products, too. However, the type of soy traditionally consumed by Asian people differs from that being heavily marketed in the U.S.

Fermented soy, such as miso disposes of the natural toxins to make for a healthier soy.

Soy formula is NOT safe for infants. Mega doses of phytoestrogens in soy formulas are putting your infant’s normal sexual development at risk. You’d be shocked to know that you are feeding your baby with 5 birth control pills worth of estrogen with soy infant formulas. Just imagine how that much estrogen can mess up your baby’s sexual development.

There’s no question surrounding the topic of feeding soy milk to infants; it should be avoided, as it can interfere with essential functions of body tissues and nutrient absorption. A report from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia notes that infants who consumed soy-based formulas had subtle changes in their reproductive system cells and tissues compared to those who used cow’s milk or breastmilk.38

In another study, daily exposure of infants to soy formula caused a concentration of isoflavones that are 13,000 to 22,000 times higher than normal.39 In conclusion, researchers who published a study in Paediatrics & Child Health still recommend breastfeeding as the first choice for infant feeding.40 There is simply no comparison to what a mother’s breastmilk provides.

Since soy milk is bad for babies, it’s safe to presume that it should be avoided by pregnant women, as well. As mentioned earlier, the majority of soy used in soy products contains dangerous herbicide residuals that can end up in your food and be disastrous to your health. Compounding the problem further, the soy milk you’re drinking is most likely made from GMO soybeans.

In addition, soy inhibits mineral absorption, which can affect your unborn child’s health. In a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, soy contains phytate, a substance that hinders the digestion of iron from other foods you eat.41 If your iron levels are too low, you might develop anemia, causing you to feel weak and tired.42

Aside from containing antinutrients which are natural toxins, it has a number of alarming compounds that may put your total health in peril.

  • Soy contains goitrogens which lead to depressed thyroid function.
  • It also contains phytates which prevent absorption of life enhancing minerals.
  • It is also loaded with phytoestrogens which sometimes block the hormone estrogen and have adverse effects on human tissues!ii

By eating soy, you will actually put yourself in danger of diseases that you had hoped to avoid. Here’s a sampling of health effects that non-fermented soy puts you at risk for:

  • Breast Canceriii
  • Brain Damage
  • Infant Abnormalities

Soy and (Some of) the Derivatives Thereof: Edamame, Soy Milk and Tofu

All types of soy are based on a single plant species, Glycine max. There are dozens of breeds, and it depends on the age of the plant when it’s harvested which products it will be used for. Soybean pods allowed to mature the longest, Modern Farmer observes:

“ … [A]re hard and water-resistant, so they’re cheaper and easier to process into oil and soymeal for animal feed. While soymilk (and tofu, which is made from soymilk) is made from rehydrated and pulverized mature beans, edamame is made from the young, tender, green beans. And we mostly just don’t bother harvesting immature beans here [in the U.S.].”10

The Healthy Home Economist11 addresses the aforementioned controversy. What, for instance, is bean curd, and is tofu good for you? Natto, miso, traditional soy sauce and tempeh are all foods derived from fermented soybeans. Bean curd is just another name for tofu. Such foods came into being across China about 2,000 years ago when people began using different methods to remove not-so-healthy antinutrients.

Antinutrients are elements and compounds in soy foods such as lectins, saponins, soyatoxin, phytates (which prevent the absorption of certain minerals), oxalates, protease inhibitors, estrogens (which can block the hormone estrogen and disrupt endocrine function) and goitrogens (interfering with your thyroid function) as well as a blood clot-inhibiting substance called hemagglutinin. Other detriments are numerous.

Protease inhibitors inhibit some of the key enzymes that help us digest protein. The best known of these protease enzymes is trypsin. Most of the USDA studies performed over the years have looked at trypsin inhibitors in soybeans, but these anti-nutrients are also found in other beans, grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables of the nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant) and various fruits and vegetables.

The protease inhibitors in soybeans are not only more numerous than those found in other beans and foods, but more resistant to neutralization by cooking and processing.5 Only the old-fashioned fermentation techniques used to make miso, tempeh and natto come close to deactivating all of them. With all other cooking processes, some trypsin inhibitors remain. The levels of active protease inhibitors remaining in modern soy products vary widely from batch to batch, and investigators have found startlingly high levels in some soy formulas and soy protein concentrates.6-12

Many people dismiss the protease inhibitor conundrum, saying that a few of them here and there don’t pose a problem. That is undoubtedly true for people eating a richly varied omnivorous diet. But for soy formula-fed infants, vegetarians and others who eat soy every day, the numbers add up. Even the small quantities used as extenders in meat products, canned tuna, bakery goods and other ordinary supermarket and health food store products and fast foods can adversely affect people whose digestive capacities are already compromised by low hydrochloric acid levels, pancreatic insufficiency, bowel diseases, gluten intolerance and other health challenges. Worse, the average American may be eating soy protein along with soy or corn oils, a deadly combination that has led to pancreatic cell proliferation and cancer in laboratory rats.16 Both these oils have been shown to initiate or fuel cancers, and because of a synergistic effect, the danger appears to be greatest when the combined intake is high. Soy protein, soy oil and corn oil are all familiar ingredients in processed supermarket foods as well as vegetarian “health foods.”

As for the goitrogens, many wonder why, if Asians have such a history of consuming soy, they seem to have the same problems with thyroid issues Westerners do. The answer is that traditionally, Asians haven’t eaten soy products like Colorado ranchers like their steaks: They typically eat very little soy. Also, Asian diets contain much more iodine, which has compounds that are goitrogen protective. Further, traditionally fermented soy is the form that has been very popular in many Asian cultures for centuries, which is a far cry from the heavily processed non-fermented soy products that are popular in the U.S.

In ancient times, it could take months to ferment so the soybeans would be edible, but The Healthy Home Economist says there’s evidence that they ate very little. In terms of fermenting, tofu is the exception, as it’s a very common food that undergoes extensive processing without fermentation. To create it, there’s a three-step process:

  1. Soybeans are made into soymilk.
  2. A coagulant is added made from salt and acids, making it firm.
  3. The bean curd result is then pressed into blocks, similar to cheese.

In a seemingly contradictive result of eating bean curd, the article adds results of research12 done on ancient Buddhist monks who were both vegan and celibate who happily reported that “eating a lot of soy dampened their libido and reproductive capacity.”13 In addition:

“Food manufacturers create modern tofu using a similar process. However, the traditional coagulants were typically safer. For example, clean, fresh seawater makes an excellent coagulant to transform soy milk into tofu. Compare this to the refined salts or GMO-derived citric acid used today.”14

There’s a difference between soy that is organic as opposed to nonorganic, but there’s also a big difference when it’s fermented compared to unfermented. The fermentation process may take time and special consideration, but the health benefits are more than worth it. Importantly, the fermentation process “deactivates” many of the antinutrients in soy that act as toxins in your body. So if you want to eat soy, make sure it’s traditionally fermented.

As mentioned, what many seem to be missing regarding healthy Japanese people who’ve eaten soy is that it’s largely fermented soy. That includes products like miso, natto, traditionally made soy sauce and tempeh, but not tofu, because tofu is unfermented. Other products that don’t make the cut include:

  • TVP or textured soy protein
  • Soy cheese, soy ice cream, soy milk and soy yogurt
  • Soybean oil
  • Soy infant formula
  • Edamame

One way to keep yourself covered and eat foods that are actually good for you is to eat organic whenever possible, avoid unfermented soy products and also avoid foods that are heavily processed. Stay as “close to the earth” as you can in eating to ensure good health, at least as much as it depends on you.

Regardless, keep in mind that most soy, even fermented, is likely to be GMO.

Says Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story,

“Today’s high-tech processing methods not only fail to remove the anti-nutrients and toxins that are naturally present in soybeans but leave toxic and carcinogenic residues created by the high temperatures, high pressure, alkali and acid baths and petroleum solvents.”

Dr. Daniel also points out the findings of numerous studies reviewed by her and other colleagues — that soy does not reliably lower cholesterol, and in fact raises homocysteine levels in many people, which has been found to increase your risk of stroke, birth defects, and yes: heart disease.

Other common health problems linked to a high-soy diet include:

Most soy, perhaps about 80 percent or more, is also genetically modified, which adds its own batch of health concerns.

Despite these findings, many people still want to believe the hype, thinking that these studies must somehow be wrong. But the content of soy itself should be a clue. For example, non-fermented soy products contain:

  • Phytoestrogens (isoflavones) genistein and daidzein, which mimic and sometimes block the hormone estrogen
  • Phytates, which block your body’s uptake of minerals
  • Enzyme Inhibitors, which hinder protein digestion
  • Hemaggluttin, which causes red blood cells to clump together and inhibits oxygen take-up and growth
  • High amounts of omega-6 fat, which is pro-inflammatory

One of the issues concerning soy is its high level of phytoestrogens — compounds that mimic estrogen in the body. Soy contains two primary phytoestrogens, sometimes called xenoestrogens, genistein and daidzein. Both compounds are known to disrupt the endocrine system in males and females. [1] These, and all, estrogen compounds are classified as isoflavones.

Isoflavones are estrogen mimickers that increase estrogenic activity. This may be helpful at times for relieving symptoms in menopausal women. [2] However, more often than not, isoflavones block and replace naturally-produced estrogen, an action that many experts believe is cause for concern. So what happens when things get out of balance?

  1. Causes Premature Menstruation – Girls are reaching their first menstruation at earlier ages, now more than ever. Fifty years ago, it was common around a girl’s 13th birthday. Now it’s hitting girls under 10. Studies on young female rats suggest soy is a contributing factor.
  2. Leads to Gynecomastia – If this doesn’t scare men away from soy, nothing will. Gynecomastia — male breast enlargement — has been tied to soy consumption. [3] [4]
  3. Kills Libido – Introducing estrogenic foods like soy into their diet can cause men to experience a loss of sexual desire. [5]
  4. May Cause Infertility – Soy may be a factor behind male and female infertility. [6]
  5. Linked to Breast Cancer – There’s no denying the connection between xenoestrogens and breast cancer. Considering that breast cancer cells require stimulation via estrogen, it may be a wise idea to keep your consumption of estrogen and estrogen-like compounds in check, from all sources, including soy. [7]

You’re Consuming Soy Whether You’re Buying “Soy Products” or Not

Even if you know better than to gulp down large amounts of soy milk, slabs of tofu, and other soy snacks, you are still consuming soy if you’re eating processed food, in the form of soybean oil and lecithin. So depending on your dietary habits, your (unfermented) soy consumption could really add up.

In fact, Dr. Joseph Hibbeln at the National Institutes of Health told CNN.com he estimates that soybeans, usually in the form of oil, account for 10 percent of the average person’s total calories in the United States! When you consider that 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food goes toward processed food, this amount of “accidental” soy intake is not surprising.

Because soy is so pervasive in the U.S. food supply, avoiding it is not an easy task.

The best way to completely avoid soy in the food supply is to buy whole foods and prepare them yourself. This may also be your only option if you’ve developed a soy allergy and need to eliminate soy from your diet entirely.

If you still prefer to buy readymade and packaged products, for whatever reason, Dr. Daniel offers a free Special Report, “Where the Soys Are,” on her Web site. It lists the many “aliases” that soy might be hiding under in ingredient lists — words like “boullion,” “natural flavor” and “textured plant protein.”

Which Soy Foods DO Have Health Benefits?

The few types of soy that ARE healthy are all fermented varieties. After a long fermentation process, the phytic acid and antinutrient levels of the soybeans are reduced, and their beneficial properties — such as the creation of natural probiotics — become available to your digestive system.

The fermentation process also greatly reduces the levels of dangerous isoflavones, which are similar to estrogen in their chemical structure, and can interfere with the action of your own estrogen production.

So if you want to eat soy that is actually good for you, following are all healthy options:

  1. Natto, fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and strong, cheese-like flavor. It’s loaded with nattokinase, a very powerful blood thinner. Natto is actually a food I eat regularly, as it is the highest source of vitamin K2 on the planet and has a very powerful beneficial bacteria, bacillus subtilis. It can usually be found in any Asian grocery store.
  2. Tempeh, a fermented soybean cake with a firm texture and nutty, mushroom-like flavor.
  3. Miso, a fermented soybean paste with a salty, buttery texture (commonly used in miso soup).
  4. Soy sauce: traditionally, soy sauce is made by fermenting soybeans, salt and enzymes, however be wary because many varieties on the market are made artificially using a chemical process.

Sources:

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