Soy Myth Exposed: Soy is Not a Health Food

Not too long ago, soy foods were on the fringes of Americans' grocery lists. They were thought of as "hippie" foods or even food for those in impoverished countries. So how, then, did soy foods grow from an $800 million industry in 1992 to a $4-billion one in 2003?

Because, after a heavy marketing campaign from the soy industry, Americans are largely convinced that soy is the miracle food to fight everything from cancer to heart disease to hot flashes--and a slew of other illnesses in between. Some 200 million Americans, many who may have once turned their noses up at the mere thought of soy anything, are now eating soy in record amounts and in newly created, highly processed forms: soymilk, soy burgers, soy energy bars, soy ice cream, soy cereal, soy meat--you name it, there's probably soy in it.

If the health claims surrounding soy sound too good to be true, it's because they are. This important issue is the premise behind Dr. Kaayla Daniel's groundbreaking book, The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food. This powerful exposé reveals the truth about the soy myths that have infiltrated our culture. In it, you'll learn that:

• Soy is not a health food
• Soy is not the answer to world hunger
• Soy is not a disease-preventive panacea
• Soy has not even been proven safe
  

It's ironic that soy has become so accepted as a health food when, as Dr. Daniel states, thousands of studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility--even cancer and heart disease. But by the end of Chapter 3, The Ploy of Soy, you'll understand why the soy marketing campaign worked so well.

Reading on you'll learn all about the different types of soy, the macronutrients in soy, the ANTInutrients in soy, heavy metals in soy, soy allergens, soy and cancer, and soy estrogens and the way they wreak havoc on your hormones.

This latter issue is one of the most crucial and serious, as millions of Americans feed soy formula to their infants. In The Whole Soy Story, Daniel explains how the estrogens in soy can irreversibly harm the baby's future sexual development and reproductive health. She exposes and discusses these important, yet little known, facts about soy that would have any parent up in arms (if, that is, they were to read this book to find out the truth):

• Soy impedes the sexual maturation of boys (p. 335)
• Soy accelerates the sexual maturation of girls (p. 339)
• In newborns, the hormonal effects of soy may be irreversible (p. 333)
• The average daily dose of soy estrogens in soy formula (38mg) is higher than the amounts that cause thyroid problems and endocrine disruption in adults (p. 334)
  

You'll also learn that some soy products are, in fact, good for you--but only certain types and in limited quantities. Daniel discusses the steps a soybean must go through before it becomes edible, and then healthy, in Chapter 5.

Some of my favorite parts in this book, aside from the extensive reference section at the end, are the revealing testimonials included throughout. You'll read about an avid runner who developed thyroid damage after adding more soy products to her diet (p. 322), a 9-month-old baby girl (fed soy formula) who showed signs of puberty (p. 348), and a natural bodybuilder whose libido plummeted after he switched his protein intake to pure soy protein isolate (p. 367), just to name a few.

Who should read this book? Everyone who has the slightest interest in protecting and preserving their health, but especially those who:

• Buy into the myth that soy is healthy
• Eat soy as their primary source of protein
• Anyone who feeds soy to their infants with soy formula
• If you are a prospective parent who plans to take advantage of this opportunity to protect your child's future reproductive health
  

Also, if you are considering using soy as a treatment or preventive measure for menopause symptoms, osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease or any other condition--read this book first! The information it contains is invaluable and something you won't find anywhere else.

The Whole Soy Story sends a much-needed wakeup call to Americans: The highly processed soy foods we eat today are not natural or healthy, and they're harming our health--not helping it. This book is a necessity and an essential read before you take your next bite, drink or pill of soy (believe me, by the time you finish this book, you'll have lost your appetite!).