8 Reasons NOT To Eat Soy

Soy is proclaimed to be a healthy alternative to meat and dairy especially due to it being low in saturated fat and absence of dietary cholesterol. While the hype around soy continues to be popular in the health industry, research studies have fortunately begun to inform of the ill side effects of consuming soy.

8 Reasons NOT to eat Soy

GMO

More than 90% of soybeans are genetically modified, making this crop the number one GM crop in the world. Soybean crops are loaded with toxic pesticides and are mostly designed to be round-up ready, making them highly carcinogenic. Soybeans and their plants also contain genes from bacteria that produce a protein that was never a part of the human food supply.

Compromised digestion and nutrient deficiency

Soy decreases protein and amino acid uptake and causes gastric distress as it is high in phytates, A.K.A Anti-nutrients. These anti-nutrients block the uptake of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract. Not only does soy have the highest phytate content, but also they are also highly resistant to many phytate-reducing techniques such as soaking or slow cooking. Only looooong fermentation will significantly reduce phytate concentration. Another key factor is that when precipitated soy products are consumed with meat, the mineral blocking effects of the phytates are reduced. Huge problems arise here for vegetarians who use soybean products to actually replace meat. This is because they will have compromised mineral levels and may suffer the subsequent effects.

Hormone imbalance and fertility issues

Soy is naturally high in phytoestrogens, which mimics estrogen in the body, thereby activating or inhibiting estrogen receptors, disrupting normal thyroid and hormonal function. This is not good news for those with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, as it will only increase estrogen levels. Increased levels of phytoestrogens-estrogen compounds are also linked to infertility in women and decreased sperm count in men, therefore rendering it sometimes difficult for couples to conceive. For men, consuming a lot of soy inevitably leads to significantly elevated levels of estrogen, which is not normal. Further, girls as young as 6 have been reported to be experiencing early-onset puberty, which is unfortunately not unusual anymore. Factors that contribute to this are soy consumption in the child, as well as in the mother during pregnancy. Soy has been tied to early puberty in males as well. It is estimated that infants fed a soy formula is equivalent to taking 5 birth control pills worth of estrogen a day and have up to 20,000 times the amount of circulating estrogen compared to others. Soy based products and formulas should be avoided, especially in pregnant and nursing mothers and babies to ensure normal hormonal balance.

Cancer Causing

Xenoestrogens, which are loaded in soy products, are compounds similar to estrogen but are not produced in the body. One can absorb xenoestrogens through the skin (i.e. skin care products), inhalation, injection or through eating it. Being similar to estrogen, they interfere with normal hormonal balance and have been therefore also linked to many forms of cancer including but not limited to ovarian, breast and pancreas. Although soy has been presented to have cancer preventing properties (isoflavone algycones), they are found traditionally in fermented soybean products.

Blood clots

Soy contains hemaglutinin, which causes red blood cells to clump together. Hemaglutinin along with trypsin inhibitors in soybean are considered “growth depressant substances.”

Chronic Inflammation and weight gain

Humans were designed to obtain an even ratio of Omega-3 fatty acids to Omega-6 fatty acids. Over the last century, the standard diet has shifted to getting 25 times the amount of Omega-6 than we need. The health impact here is that Omega-6 fats, such as those in soybeans and soybean oil are inflammatory, fat storing and lead to weight-gain. Omega-3 fatty acids on the other hand are ANTI-Inflammatory, and we are not consuming enough of it to balance the ratio of fatty acids. What’s more, the fatty acids in soybeans, although including large amount of Omega-3 compared to other legumes, these omega-3 fatty acids are susceptible to becoming rancid when subjected to high pressures and temperatures such as when the oil is extracted for use and consumption.

This post is not meant to influence you to necessarily cut out soy all together, but to inform you of the harmful effects of highly processed, genetically modified soy foods like soy milk and tofu, as well as how you can still benefit from the extremely nutrient-dense form of soy- fermented soy.

Asian cultures are known to consume a lot of soy. Well how are they so healthy? Well, we are not well informed in that most of it is fermented. The process of fermenting soy products, longer than most other fermented products, significantly changes the soy’s structure and removes most of the goitrogens that cause thyroid damage and phytates that cause digestive concerns. Some examples of fermented soy products are tempeh, tamari, soy sauce, natto and miso.

How to Avoid Soy

Soy is found in the majority of processed, pre-packaged foods, flavor enhancers and preservatives. However, since regular soy consumption is linked to infertility and allergies, it is required to be stated on all food labels (including spice blends, flavors and colors). It is not always easy to identify soy ingredients on food labels as other words are commonly used. Some common ingredient list names that include soy are soy, soy protein isolate, soy lecithin, hydrolyzed soy protein, mono- and diglycerides, MSG (monosodium glutamate), and textured vegetable protein. There are also many hidden sources of soy in skin care products, cosmetics, cleaners, and pre-packaged foods, sauces, dressings, gravies, candy, cereal, deli meats and Asian cuisine, just to name a few!

So when making a choice about how you will fuel your body, I hope this information has empowered you to make that decision more intentional and easy.

Let me know your thoughts on soy in the comments below!