Soy: Is it Good or Bad?
Not too long ago I went to buy a litre of soy milk. The lady serving me commented “oh, I heard that stuff is bad for you!”
Wait,…what? Who would think it’s not only ok, but almost their duty to warn a perfect stranger – about to buy one of their shop’s goods – about the dangers of soy! Anyway, I smiled and told her that I’d drunk this ‘stuff’ for years (since about 1983 for the record!) and it was perfectly healthy.
Apart from the dubious practice of making negative comments about a customer’s product choices, this demonstrated to me the power of propaganda against certain plant foods.
And yet, I can’t really blame her.
It seems that on a regular basis there’s some crack-pot article or online diatribe about the many ‘dangers’ of the humble soybean.
Recently there were reports on soy and soy milk destroying the environment, including rainforests (more on that later on).
Other online articles I’ve read over the years claim that soy and soy milk is bad for your health.
To summarize, some of the allegations I’ve heard of include the following:
- 99% of soy is genetically modified (truth: most commercial soymilk brands state ‘GM free’ on their cartons);
- soymilk contributes to vitamin B12 deficiency (truth: most soymilk brands are fortified with B12);
- the isoflavones in soy cause breast cancer (truth: according to Dr Joel Fuhrman, “…it appears that isoflavones have a number of anti-cancer effects that are unrelated to their ability to bind the estrogen receptor”)
- plant estrogens found in soy, called phytoestrogens, disrupt endocrine function and lead to infertility and breast cancer in women (truth: again, Dr Fuhrman advises: “the large body of evidence that convincingly suggests that whole and minimally processed soy foods protect against breast cancer”)
Other articles on soy make all sorts of sensationalist claims, and would have the nutritious soybean and its food derivatives cast as a toxic villain of international conspiracy proportions.
Some of the other main claims against soy are that:
- Soy causes malnutrition and digestive distress
- Soy increases the risk of cancer and heart disease
- Soy consumption is linked with immune system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility.
Soy Doesn’t Stop You Having Babies
The claim of soy causing infertility has no basis in reality.
I have been a vegetarian – and now vegan – for 37 years, and successfully produced 4 children.
A vegan brother of mine, another big soy consumer, has 3 big healthy boys. None of the vegetarian or vegan men I know of or have heard of have experienced any fertility problems.
That is not to say it has never happened, but there is not a shred of evidence to show that men (or women) who consume high levels of soy have greater fertility problems, on average, than the rest of the population.
Indeed, the huge populations of big soy consumers in Asian countries such as China and Japan would suggest this claim is more than a little fanciful!
Soy is Safe for Kids
The anti-soy lobby’s claim that we are damaging our children by feeding them soy is not supported by the evidence.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, in their policy statement on Use of Soy Protein-Based Formulas in Infant Feeding, states that:
“in term infants whose nutritional needs are not being met from maternal breast milk or cow milk-based formulas, isolated soy protein-based formulas are safe and effective alternatives to provide appropriate nutrition for normal growth and development.”
A 2005 study compared the nutritional status and growth of 168 infants who were allergic to cow’s milk and were fed either soya-based infant formula or hydrolyzed whey formula.
In both groups, nutrient intake and growth were ‘within reference values’. In other words, they grew normally (Seppo et al., 2005).
All four of my children had soy formula as babies. They still enjoy soy milk on a regular, daily basis. All are healthy and developmentally normal; in fact taller than average for their age.
Soy Protects Against Cancer
Most evidence suggests that soy protects against many types of cancer, rather than increases the risk of it (as cows’ milk seems to do).
A recent article by the Centre for Nutrition Studies (T. Colin Campbell) referenced a new study that claims that women who drink cows’ milk could increase their risk of developing breast cancer by up to 80 percent compared to women who drink soy milk. This study was based on 52,795 adult women participants over the course of seven years. To quote:
“Women who reported drinking just eight ounces a day increased their risk of breast cancer by 50 percent, and those who consumed two to three glasses of cows’ milk escalated their risk by up to 80 percent (in comparison to the women who did not drink any cows’ milk).”
“In contrast, participants who completely avoided cows’ milk, but consumed soy milk did not show an increased risk of cancer.”
As noted in an online article by Neal Barnard M.D, Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, DC:
“…regular consumption of at least a modest amount of soy products cut the risk of recurrence [of breast cancer] by 25 percent.”
Dr Joel Furhman advises that:
“…a 2009 meta-analysis of studies on soy and prostate cancer found that higher soy intake was associated with a 26% reduction in risk.1”….and also: “soy foods are not only associated with decreased risk of hormonal cancers, but also lung, stomach, and colorectal cancers.2-4”
Soy Good
As Dr Barnard explains, studies show that soy protein is “highly digestible”.
Dr Barnard also says that soy foods:
“do not cause thyroid problems in people with normal functioning thyroids”, and that, despite the presence of some phytates in soy, studies show that “calcium [in soy products] is absorbed as well as calcium from cow’s milk.”
The good news is that tests have shown that soybean protein is equivalent in quality to protein found in beef, milk and egg white.
Soybeans are packed with iron, zinc and calcium; are high in fibre; low in saturated fat and contain no cholesterol. Their polyunsaturated and omega 3 fats help lower blood cholesterol and prevent blood clotting.
Want more independent evidence of the health benefits of soybeans?
The Truth About Soy’s Health Benefits
The Victorian government’s Better Health Channel (with information produced in consultation with and approved by Deakin University here in Melbourne, Australia) states that:
“Soybeans are members of the pea (legume) family of vegetables…and contain hormone-like substances called phytoestrogens that mimic the action of the hormone oestrogen. The health benefits of soy for menopausal women could include fewer hot flushes, protection from coronary heart disease (CHD) and lowered risk of osteoporosis.”
This website lists all the other health benefits of soybeans:
- high in fibre
- high in protein
- low in saturated fat
- cholesterol free
- lactose free
- a good source of omega-3 fatty acids
- a source of antioxidants
- high in phytoestrogens.
The incredibly versatile soybean can be consumed in a myriad of forms, including miso; soy breads and cereals; soy cheese; soy milk; soy flour; soy grits and soy flakes; soy meats; soy pasta; soy sauce; soy snacks; soy bean oil; tempeh; Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP); tofu, and tofu desserts such as soy ice-cream and yoghurt.
As always, for optimal health I recommend that you focus mainly on whole soybeans, or foods made with whole soybeans, and traditional soy foods with minimal processing, such as tempeh and tofu.
“The soybean contains all of the essential amino acids, as well as an impressive list of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Micronutrients in rich supply in soy include: calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, C and zinc. Fiber and omega-3 and 6 fatty acids are also present in soy.” – Holly Wilson, MD
Meat Eaters Consume the Most Soy
With all the anti-soy propaganda around, including claims of environmental destruction, perhaps the ultimate irony is that people who eat pork, beef, chicken, dairy and fish indirectly consume – by far – the most amount of commercially farmed soy. To quote from USSEC (US Soybean Export Council):
“Soybean meal is an important source of protein for the global feed industry, where it is used in livestock, poultry and aquaculture diets.”
According to reports by the soy industry, “about 85% of the world’s soybeans are processed, or “crushed,” annually into soybean meal and oil.”
Nearly all (98%) of that soybean meal is further processed into animal feed. Most of the oil (95%) is consumed as edible oil; the rest is used for “industrial products such as fatty acids, soaps and biodiesel.”
For example, the beef industry is the leading cause of deforestation in every country in the Amazonian region.
According to the Rainforest Partnership and Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, it is estimated that “around 80% of deforestation in the Amazon is due to cattle ranching.”
“Brazil alone has 24 to 25 million hectares devoted to the production of soy, and 80 percent of this soy ends up as animal feed.”
Do you genuinely want to boycott the commercial, GM soy crop industry and save rainforests from destruction by the meat industry for both beef and animal feed (GM soy) production?
If so, you have only one choice. Avoid consuming edible oils and animal products.
In other words, go vegan!
Final Word on Soy
I urge you to pay no heed to the ‘chicken littles’ who would convince you the sky will fall down if you consume some tempeh, soymilk or tofu.
I have happily consumed soy products for over 37 years, and as part of a healthy, balanced diet I, and my family, can heartily recommend them (just quietly, so can billions of other people all over the world, too!).
Bean appetit!
Tom Perry
Further References:
The Book of Tofu, by William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi
All You Need to Know About Soy – Sanitarium Health Food Company
Eat to Live, by Sue Radd and Dr Kenneth Setchell
