Q: Is soya safe?
A: Soya beans and soya products have had a very mixed press, being praised by some as a superfood and condemned by others as a poison.
Soya foods are a traditional part of the Japanese diet and the Japanese show better health and longevity than most Western countries. This provides good assurance of the safety of soya foods consumed in the quantities and forms common in Japan. The Japanese consume about 10 g of soya bean protein per day, mostly as tofu, roasted beans, soya milk and fermented bean products such as natto and miso. 10 g of soya protein per day translates to about 100g of tofu or half a pint of soya milk. This is more than most vegans consume so vegan soya use can be presumed healthy on the basis of the Japanese experience.
The use of TVP and fake meats is a recent Western innovation and therefore does not carry the same assurance of safety, but there is no direct evidence to suggest that such foods are not safe. The use of soya formulas for infants is clearly inferior to breast-feeding, but evidence from the USA based on decades of use of soya infant formula indicates no adverse effects compared with cow's milk formula.
There is moderate evidence that soya can reduce menopausal symptoms and bone loss and good evidence that large amounts of soya protein reduce cholesterol levels. Certain other claimed benefits, such as reduced breast cancer risk, are more dubious.
Overall, there is no reason to avoid moderate use of soya which has been a useful part of Japanese and Chinese diets for millennia and provides a useful source of protein and other nutrients.
Hello Angela,
Unfortunately, I'm not sure about the answer to that. I eat those stuffs in moderation to none. I survive mostly on natural fruits, grain, vegetables etc., and less on fake meat. Perhaps, others in this group who are more experienced on this can give you the answer you are looking for. Lets wait and see...
Some of the studdies that say soy is bad, are based on testing done on rats or mice , and the flaw with that is, rats or mice react differently to soy than humans do. The studdies i read that reported soy was bad were later refuted by other doctors who did enough research to show why the ratts had trouble with soy and noted that humans have a different reaction to soy which does not lead to cancer as it does in ratts , or mice.
Also there is alot of hype about young kids eating soy may end up with messed up gender developement. But i have seen no research that supports such claims. i think its safe to say that a young man who eats soy will not suddenly start haveing female mamary glands, its redicoulous and just a scare tactic ,to put fear into people. I ate tons of soy when i was vegetarian and i had no ill effects. I ate big portions more than the average person would and i had no problems with it at all,and i did that for more than 15 years.
FoXyJanuary 19, 2007 1:28 AMWell as river said elsewhere
River RSunday, 1:52 PMConsider your source: Dr Mercola also advocates the eating of salmon,
fish oil, raw milk products, kefir, raw eggs, grass-fed beef and
ostrich meat, among others - none of which we'd touch with the
proverbial 10-foot pole. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Mercola and also http://www.soya.be/mercola.php among others. (If you want a bit of fun, try googling on Mercola quack.)
This is an old story from Mercola (he is not btw a nutritionist) - as
from some others. Those who are suspicious of unfermented soy or are
allergic to it are free to choose recipes which can be made without it.
Thanks, all
&
"Soya foods are a traditional part of the Japanese diet and the Japanese show better health and longevity than most Western countries."
all those japanese can't be wrong now can they?
This post was modified from its original form on 20 Mar, 0:31
It is very helpful to know a bit about the person before buying into what he or she says. Mercola is "in bed with the Organic Pastures Dairy Company ( OPDC ) who is a HUGE supporter of the Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) who also gets HUGE support from independent cattle ranchers. The WAPF paid Kayle Daniels to do a "study" on soy which, to no one's surprise ended up being anti-soy. Can't offend those who pay your bill can you? Mercola also strongly advocates the consumption of raw milk and raw eggs. He also says that only animal products can provide absorbable B-12 and that fish is the only good source of Omega 3. Do you, as a vegan follow these guidelines also knowing that he is wrong and that we can get adequate, absorbable B-12 from fortified foods and nutritional yeast and that flax, walnuts, canola oil, etc... provide us with more than enough Omega 3's? I am assuming you do not or you would not call yourself a vegan. So why are you buying into his myth on soy?
Dr. Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D. is a world registered dietician. Her many, many articles on nutrition are listened to in both vegan and omni circles. Here's what she wrote back to me when I asked her about Mercola:
Generally I've found the information on Mercola's website to contain partial truths and to be misleading. For example, in a section on vegetarianism, he says that it is a myth that vitamin B12 can be obtained from plant sources. This is certainly true. However, he goes on to say "The only reliable and absorbable sources of vitamin B12 are animal products, especially organ meats and eggs". This is not true. Vitamin B12 supplements and foods
fortified with vitamin B12 contain reliable and absorbable sources of vitamin B12.
Similarly, he says that it is a myth that the body can convert omega 6 fatty acids into omega 3 fatty acids. He is correct. Omega 3 fatty acids are made from other omega 3 fatty acids. What Dr. Mercola neglects to mention
is that there are omega 3 fatty acids in the vegetarian diet (from flaxseed, flaxseed oil, soy products, canola oil, etc) that can be used to make necessary omega 3 fatty acids...I've written an article for VJ [Vegetarian Journal published by the Vegetarian Resource Group] that looks at a number of myths about soy including some from Mercola's
website. http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2003issue3/vj2003issue3hotline.htm
One last comment here; I have been eating soy products for 35 years now and have no adverse affects from them and am healthy as can be. My children are 1o and have been vegan sice conception. THere are no ill-effects they have experienced either and their omni pediatrician is as happy as can be with theri growth and development.
delicious!
and in regards to soy
Ive started a soy is toxic group to go along with website
soy Toxicity Group
soyistoxic.com
Yuk has been my experience with soy and I am beginning to learn why
So, is it possible that the whole "soy is bad" debate is focusing, not on actually soy, but on chemically-processed, fractionated soy proteins and isolates?
"Food" manufacturers are using chemicals and other processes to separate out the protein from soy, and parsing out all the various elements of soy, and then using those products in "food" rather than using "natural" soy.
Add in the fact that MUCH of the soy used by "food" manufacturers is GMO soy, and it gets worse.
Many, many "soy" products from these "food" companies (owned, when you go upstream, by the mega-conglomerate corporations that don't give a rip about anything but the bottom line) don't actually contain what we think of as soy... that is, whole soybeans, or stuff made with whole soybeans.
A lot of "soymilks" aren't even that! they are a mixture of powdered soy proteins, water, preservatives, flavors, and vitamins.
I do believe that if people who THINK that they are using soy, and having a problem with it, were to actually use whole soy, naturally made soymilks, fresh, organic, whole soy tofu, etc., they MIGHT discover that they DON'T have a problem with soy!
(I used to have a serious, horrible reaction to "soy"... but, that was only when I used the "soy protein" that was an incredient in a couple of things, and when I tried a "soy protein flour" I got once, years ago. It took many years before I'd try soy again!)
Great source for soy information: http://www.notmilk.com/
As pointed out above, the source of this particular article turns out to be the milk industry. I believe that the seeds of doubt about soy are planted by scared cow torturers.
Typical industrial scum. They really are determined arent they? Theyll do whatever they can to persist with their lies. Doesnt matter how many new ways they try to decieve people, its too late for them we know the facts, its just a matter of time and awareness then theyre finished.
- westonaprice.org
The Weston A. Price Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charity founded in 1999 to disseminate the research of nutrition pioneer Dr. Weston Price, whose studies of isolated nonindustrialized peoples established the parameters of human health and determ
i dunno, the price foundation seems a little wack to me...
http://www.westonaprice.org/mythstruths/mtvegetarianism.html
"Agricultural animals have always made a major contribution to the welfare of human societies by providing food, shelter, fuel, fertilizer and other products and services. They are a renewable resource, and utilize another renewable resource, plants, to produce these products and services. In addition, the manure produced by the animals helps improve soil fertility and, thus, aids the plants. In some developing countries the manure cannot be utilized as a fertilizer but is dried as a source of fuel."
and this...
Along with the unjustified and unscientific saturated
fat and cholesterol scares of the past several decades has come the
notion that vegetarianism is a healthier dietary option for people.[...] As we shall see, many of the vegetarian claims cannot
be substantiated and some are simply false and dangerous.
I wouldn't trust the above source Pel,
to tell me what's good and what's bad. 
This post was modified from its original form on 04 Aug, 9:45
GM soy and all GM products are forbidden here in Finland. I'd not eat any of those. It seems to me that these people opposed to soy have their own agenda...
Well hippie, reading this, there is nothing i see that is not true: non humans are nothing but mere means to human ends, aren't they?
& this website is not an animal rights website now foxy, i don't see why some texts should not considered as true, even if most are not. i mean, in every website full of info, there can be many correct ones, yet some false, & the contrary also. One perfect example is mercola's website! Yet, he gives some pretty good info soy but also some health issues.
Like for everything, there are things to be taken & others to be junked, & humans have this possibility.
Now it is up to us to experience things to validate or not them
This website uses many articles based on test made, tests made on both humans & non humans. Because i agree with aaron comments about not trusting tests made on rats or other non humans as a guide for humans.
This group has many good articles against soy in its archieves. You might like to check them out.
Anyway, as mentionned in many articles & websites (even for the use of soy), except for soybeans sprouts, soy HAS to be cooked to be digested... ie it cannot be good raw, so... it is not good for humans
unlike cheekpeas that can be eaten raw if they are soaked. Just my personnal experience, but if you can't eat it raw, then why eat it at all?cissy, do you know the reasons that pushed the government to ban soy in your country??
I am sorry Pel, but we disagree on the idea if you can't eat it raw, it's not good for you. Humans can eat raw eggs, does that make them good for human health? I don't think so.
As for researches and such, I pay very close attention at the source of where news come from (who they are getting paid from, are they basing what they say on animal testing etc). When the same institution you are siting as being right about soy, states that you can't be healthy on a vegan diet, for me - they are discarded right away. They have some agenda, and that makes them propagandise against soy the same way they are propagandising on their site about REAL MILK, cod liver oil, how healthy beef is etc.
doesn't sound like a reliable source to me. Sorry.
This post was modified from its original form on 05 Aug, 9:25
This post was modified from its original form on 05 Aug, 9:26
This post was modified from its original form on 05 Aug, 9:26
"How do you know if you're buying GM soy or not?"
organically grown soy is not genetically modified
if the soy is nonorganic, then there is a good chance it is a gmo
unless the product specifically states "from non-gmo soy"
however there are issues about genetic pollution in almost all grain crops nowadays
many seed suppliers can no longer guarantee their nonorganic/non-gmo seeds as gmo free
the problem is also infiltrating organic agriculture especially in the midwest u.s.
where there is so much grain crops grown & higher risk of genetic drift...
btw, most high fructose corn syrup is now made from gm corn
Cissy in Greece too! GM is banned.
anyway, while we talk about soy, you could listent to the veganfreaks podcast about the issue. It's funny.
Show 97: OMGWTFBBQ soy is evil!
Download File
(45:08 min | 25 MB | MP3)
well whatever all this says, i still eat soya products. it is still better than eating animal products. there are many other sources of non animal foods also. i love almond milk instead of soya milk.
there are many alternative meat products for those who want something to replace meat in thier diets. not all of them are Vegan but there are vegetrian.
i love the products by Wothington foods. most are canned so last forever on the pantry shelf.
Morning Star has some fantastic frozen alternatives. many have similiar textures and look like thier meat counterpart.
no alternative meat tastes like meat. it is a veg product. but many of them taste really good, and are great alternatives to meat.
i have many friends who eat my meals and never realize that they are eating alternative meats. even tofu is delicious once you learn how to cook with it. it is a great chicken replacement in recipes. it is great for replacing eggs in recipes. it is very versitle since it has no favor of its own, and obsorbs the favor of whatever sauce or spices you put on it. it is great mariated in your favorite sauce before cooking with it.
Angela A. there are Tofurky franks that are fantastic and they are vegan and there are Boca original meatless chik'n nuggets. Those are the only things that I eat that are meatless, Tofurky I think also has sausages to that are meatless. Well I hope this helps you.
Interesting article from the Guardian about the soy controversy. Seems its actually only bad for parrots.
Since I have decided to be Vegan for the sake of my medical complications, I consider any form of meat that still tastes like the turkey or beef etc. is not on my diet. . .I eat only vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans etc., also drinking Soy Beverages, if this is not being healthy eating for my body, then I would have to give up on living. . .
Since beginning to eat this way, I have never had that heaviness within my stomach that was always there after eating meat, it's so invigorating to not have that, it's worth not having meat. . .
Also. . .it was my physician that recommended to stop eating meats and dairy. . .since I have done this I have lost weight. . .the best is that lightness within your body. . .you know that you are full without that dragged down by the weight of the meat fullness. . .
My son has gotten into Soy more than I. . .he makes a meatless burger that he found on the computer. . .it has a lot of nuts in it. . .it tastes great. . .I'm not afraid of Soy. . .it will come to using it. . .it all depends on the flavors to pare it with. . .I did make a dish using Soy. . .my husband loved it. . .so I won't hesitate to use it more. . .
The fact of not eating it raw. . .I know families that used it in peanut butter and tuna to stretch the budget for their families. . .obviously not cooked. . .they are all fine and normal. . .thank you for this opportunity. . .
i eat soy all the time - but i also eat a very varied vegan diet... and definitely non-GM soy... no problems for me... i too find mercola's articles full of half-truths and misinformation, let alone animal products feature highly - as a vegan i'm definitely not a fan... and i have to agree with hippie d. regarding soy in japanese diet...
Two of the rumors is soy is bad for the brain and can cause breast cancer. The problem with the brain was that the people in the study were subjected to formaldehyde too (as a preservative). The problem with the breast cancer is that studies say the opposite. It was a guess based on the phytoestrogen in soy.
Studies with up to 3 servings a day have been done, and say it is fine.
