Healthy Bite 020 - Bad Soy!

Super Simple Healthy Podcast

I can remember when, back in the 80’s soy was the next biggest health food, thought to help prevent breast cancer. But did you know, it can also cause a myriad of serious health problems? INCLUDING cancer! Today I’ll be talking about the good, bad and the ugly of soy. Bad Soy! Soy was first introduced back in the 1980’s as something that could help prevent cancer, specifically breast cancer. And some types of soy CAN be good for you and this is where it gets confusing. First I’ll review why soy is bad for you, and what kinds you want to avoid. Then we’ll go over the good stuff. Here are 3 of the biggest problems with soy: 1) First, soy contains phytoestrogens which is the plant source of the hormone estrogen. When men consume excessive estrogen it can lead to more feminine characteristics and lower testosterone. In young boys, genitals may not fully develop and for young girls, can result in premature menstruation. It can also have an effect on the brain and nervous system development in infants. – So NO Soy Formula please! In adult pre-menopausal, women, excess estrogen can increase your risk of polycystic ovary syndrome, cervical cancer and breast cancer. 2) Secondly, about 95% of the soy crops here in the U.S. are genetically modified (GMO). The American Academy of Environmental Medicine cite animal studies showing organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system disorders, accelerated aging, and infertility. Human studies show how the genes inserted into GM soy, can transfer into the DNA of bacteria living inside us. As JJ Virgin points out in her book “The Virgin Diet”: “The big companies have figured out how to genetically modify soy so it can be sprayed with a potent herbicide that kills everything around it without destroying the soy crop. These poisons go into the soybeans and then into the persons who consume it. Or the soy is fed to cattle or farm-raised fish and then consumed by people.” Either way, it finds its way to you. One important thing to point out here is that genetically modified foods kill off the good bacteria in your gut, which has a damaging effect on your immune system and can lead to serious illness. 3) And third, soy is bad for your thyroid. When people eat soy every day, their thyroid-stimulating hormone (or TSH) becomes elevated which is an indicator of hypothyroidism. In short, stay away from soymilk, ice cream, yogurt, cheese, soy protein like tofu or edamame, soy protein powders, energy bars or shakes, soy veggie burgers, soy sauce, or teriyaki sauce. So what kind of soy IS GOOD for you? Well, in women over 50 or those who have gone through menopause, excess estrogen can be a good thing. But here, you still want to look for non-GMO, or fermented, organic soy products such as miso, natto, (nah-TOE) tempeh, and tamari sauce. Fermenting a food increases its probiotics which help boost your immune system and can help women in this category to alleviate hot flashes and protect against the development of cancer. One exception is soy lecithin, which is a common ingredient in some supplements, protein bars or gluten free foods because soy lecithin is protein free and used in such a small percentage. To recap: Stay away from processed soy products and any soy that is GMO. If you’re going to eat soy, make sure it is organic, and in it’s fermented form. And if you need a dairy replacement, try almond milk, coconut milk or goats milk products. As always, any questions, send me and email or leave a comment! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.