Is soy protein bad?

According to this article, and others, I have tried to limit my intake of soy to a very minimal amount:


by The Weston A. Price Foundation -

The Weston A. Price Foundation provides accurate information about nutrition and is dedicated to putting nutrient-dense foods back on American tables.

Members receive a lively and informative quarterly journal and email updates on current issues and website events. Visit their at www.westonaprice.org

Are you confused about soy?

The Weston A. Price Foundation has compiled a list of soy dangers and myths to get the truth out once and for all.

Soy Dangers Summarized

* High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking, but only with long fermentation. High-phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
* Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals, soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
* Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.
* Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
* Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body's requirement for B12.
* Soy foods increase the body's requirement for Vitamin D. Toxic synthetic Vitamin D2 is added to soy milk.
* Fragile proteins are over-denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.
* Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
* Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods to mask soy's unpleasant taste.
* Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum, which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.

Myths and Truths About Soy

Here we dispel the myths of the "Diet Dictocrats" and reveal the scientific validity behind our wise ancestors' nutrient-dense diets.

Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.

Truth: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soybeans to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.

Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.

Truth: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods in small amounts as a condiment, and not as a replacement for animal foods.

Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as traditionally fermented soy foods.

Truth: Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralize toxins in soybeans, and are processed in a way that denatures proteins and increases levels of carcinogens.

Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.

Truth: Like all legumes, soybeans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. In addition, modern processing denatures fragile lysine.

Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets.

Truth: The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be used by the human body: in fact, soy foods cause the body to require more B12

Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.

Truth: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic disorders. Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones and normal growth.

Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc, which are required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system. Soy also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and nervous system.

Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.

Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.

Truth: Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, both needed for healthy bones. Calcium from bone broths and vitamin D from seafood, lard and organ meats prevent osteoporosis in Asian countries—not soy foods.

Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.

Truth: A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.

Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.

Truth: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol with soy protein improves one's risk of having heart disease.

Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.

Truth: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms of lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.

Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their postmenopausal years.

Truth: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and cause thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is associated with difficulties in menopause.

Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.

Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease in later life.

Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.

Truth: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of protest from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of concern regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed soy.

Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.

Truth: Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone levels.

Myth: Soybeans are good for the environment.

Truth: Most soybeans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.

Myth: Soybeans are good for developing nations.

Truth: In third-world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops and transfer the value-added of processing from the local population to multinational corporations.


I got this from the mercola website: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/04/soy-dangers-summarized.aspx
He has a lot of articles on there that doctors have written about soy and a lot of research has been done that is out there - you could probably find it on Pub Med.

I have a soy allergy/sensitivity and avoid it at all costs. Once you start reading labels, you realize HOW much stuff it is in. Why? Because it is cheap to add to foods. So even if you think you aren't getting that much soy, it is probably much more than 25% of your protein.

Keep in mind everyone is different: that's part of what makes this world so diverse and amazing. Though, I'll tell you my personal experience with soy (check out my profile as well if you like). Since I'm lactose intollerant & anemic, about 4 years ago I started switching to a lot of soy based foods & drinks. The first couple months were great - I didn't have any bloating or stomach issues... Then I noticed one day my slacks were REALLY tight; I tacked it up to TOM; but they stayed tight, got tighter as did my shirts and everything else. I also noticed one up side: my boobs had grown But, that wasn't really good when I had also gained 5 lbs in less thanb 4 months! Over the next year, I got worse & finally, after researching & talking to my BIL (ex-body builder, PFT & master herbalist & nutritionist), I stopped eating soy. That was 3 years ago: for 2 years I was "soy-free" but continued to gain another 15 lbs, bringing my total to a 20-23lbs gain, even though I was working out at the gym at least 5 days p/wk after work. There was a lot of dense fat that I had gained, I had thickened up everywhere to the point I didn't think I wouldn't ever be as small as I used to be 4 years ago. Last year at this time, after being thoroughly disgusted with myself for gaining all this weight and not being able to lose it, I tried MFP, cancelled the gym membership & decided to do home workout DVD's. I monitored what I ate VERY closely, try to avoid as much as I can that has soy-anything in it (including soy lecithin), and it has taken me a year of really being careful to lose 21 lbs.
So, as much as soy has some great benefits (my anemia went away while I was eating so much soy but is back now that I don't so I just take a suppliment that doesn't make me fat, and although I finally had boobs, they've deflated again ), for me it wasn't worth it. We also just found out my fiance is allergic to soy, so it's a good thing there is no soy-based stuff in our house anyway! Everything happens for a reason as well (I've made some GREAT friends on MFP!)

Like I said, I've found many articles about soy and heard about people's bad experiences with it, and was just citing that article because I believe it summarizes up the dangers of soy pretty well. Everything you read online you have to take with a grain of salt.

A big general bit of advice that nearly or all agree on is to eat less processed foods. Soy is highly
processed. It is kind of like the white flour version of wheat.

Eat all the steamed soy pods you want (edemame)

Kind of like juice...don't drink too much orange juice but go ahead and
knock back several oranges if you want.

The earlier poster who mentioned "moderation" is on it. For a few it should be
totally avoided and for most it is fine in small, infrequent amounts.

Soy protein shakes twice a day? You might want to reconsider that.