The Whole Soy Truth

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The Whole Soy Truth

I must admit that my perspective about soy wasn't significantly different than everyone else's - extremely nutritious, full of vitamins and minerals, a good source of protein and the perfect supplemental protein food for true vegetarians. Scientific studies have supposedly confirmed that this amazing health food is of great benefit to pre/post menopausal women because of its ability to minimize hot flashes and bring relief to the over 50 female who is facing mid-life hormonal changes. It seems as though there is an abundance of information as to the incredible health benefits of soy coupled with ample data on the other side revealing its supposed dangers. Alternative healthcare professionals seem to be divided on this issue as well, each one having a little different perspective. How do we find out the whole truth? Is there any one company or individual behind all this propaganda? Let's review the hard facts by first taking a look at history.

Highly Prized Crop
The soybean was noted in ancient agricultural pictographs as one of the five sacred grains during the Chou Dynasty (1134 - 246 BC) along with barley, wheat, millet and rice. However, the soybean, which dates from even earlier times reveals that soy was not first used as a food but instead was valued for its use in crop rotation. Farmers recognized that planting soybeans as a part of their crop rotation deposited an abundance of nitrogen into the soil which then provided a bumper crop from their fields. We now know that certain bacteria found on the rootlets of the soybean plant are responsible for this nitrogen fixation.

Soy was not used for consumption until fermentation techniques were discovered sometime later. The first soy foods recorded were fermented items such as tempeh, natto, miso and shogu (soy or tamari sauce) which provided an abundance of beneficial intestinal bacteria as well as some necessary vitamins and minerals. During the second century however, scientists discovered that a puree of cooked soybeans could be precipitated with calcium or magnesium sulfate (Plaster of Paris or Epsom salts) to make a smooth pale curd - tofu or bean curd. These two soy products then spread to other parts of the Orient, especially Japan and Indonesia . These cultures, over time, became more and more dependant on this bland product but, as history has shown, this has been to their detriment.

To Eat Or Not To Eat
The Chinese did not consume the soybean as they did other legumes such as the lentil because they recognized the uncooked bean contained a number of harmful substances. If soybeans were to be eaten, they were always consumed as a fermented food. Scientists now realize that one of these harmful substances is a potent enzyme inhibitor which blocks the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed for protein digestion. In laboratory tests, these inhibitors caused enlargement and pathological conditions of the pancreas including cancer. The Chinese were instinctively correct in avoiding raw soybeans. How can any food that blocks digestion be beneficial for the human body?

The soybean also contains a lesser known compound called hemagglutinin which is a clot promoting substance that causes red blood cells to clump together. When this occurs, oxygen supply to the entire body is reduced causing a host of symptoms such as constant fatigue, circulatory and respiratory difficulties and "brain fog". Both trypsin and hemagglutinin have been rightly labeled as growth depressants. Fortunately, they are deactivated during the fermentation process but can still be found in tofu or bean curd although in a reduced amounts.

Soybeans are also high in a compound called phytic acid. This organic acid, also present to some degree in all types of beans and seeds, blocks the uptake of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract. Zinc controls iron uptake and without this critical mineral, abnormally high iron levels are allowed which can harm the liver.

When precipitated soy products such as tofu and bean curd are consumed with meat, the mineral blocking effects of the phytates are reduced, but not completely eliminated. The Japanese traditionally eat tofu as part of a mineral-rich fish broth which provides a substantial amount of protein to counteract some of the effects of the phytates. Vegetarians who consume these foods as an exclusive substitute for meat and dairy products risk severe mineral deficiencies. Current literature which is driven by soy farmers and lobbying groups tends to minimize or gloss over the dangerous effects of mineral depletion as related to diets high in soy based products. Soybean products are definitely not the 'perfect food' as many have touted. Is it possible that we were never designed to ingest this plant?

Baby Blues
The presence of phytic acid in soy is especially bad news for infants because soy chelates (binds and removes) all zinc from the baby's system. Zinc is critical for growth as well as proper brain and nervous system development. The absence of zinc in a young child's body has been correlated to the unexpected rise of learning disabilities, ADD, Guillain Barre and autism. Zinc is also necessary for normal insulin function and for immune system development. This is certainly reason enough to prove that no baby should ever be given soy formula or soy milk. Adults place themselves at just as much risk of severe mineral deficiencies by drinking soy milk or consuming other soy-based food products.

The American Academy of Pediatrics admits that early exposure to soy through commercial infant formulas may be a leading cause of allergies among older children and adults. So if your baby has allergies or asthma related problems of any kind, soy is the last thing you would want to consider using as formula.

Certainly the presence of all these contaminants is bad enough, but there is yet another negative. Sally Fallon notes that soy contains 10 times the amount of aluminum as what would be found in pasteurized milk. A firmly established cause of Alzheimer's in adults, aluminum is even more detrimental to infants by damaging their newly forming kidneys when they drink soy 'formula'. Even worse, aluminum directly damages the infant brain because the blood brain barrier has not yet formed and aluminum is easily able to cross this barrier. The aluminum content in soy products is increased even further if the product has been hydrogenated.

Soy Processing
Difficulty has been encountered in trying to eliminate the chemicals from soybeans. Manufacturers concluded that heavy processing might just remove these toxins, creating a substance that might be worth consuming. Phytic acid was their biggest concern and has proven to be a greater challenge than they had anticipated. After enduring several harsh phases of processing, this phytic acid compound is still present in the final soy product in large enough quantities to cause mineral deficiencies in the body.

There several very detailed steps involved in transforming soybeans into products such as protein isolate, soybean oil, flour, protein concentrate and other related products. These steps can be found in greater detail in Udo Erasmus' book, Fats That Heal. The following few paragraphs will provide a brief overview of the process of soybean oil extraction which ultimately creates the by-products of soy protein isolate, soy lecithin and soy flour.

Cooking
Soy is initially heated to temperatures up to 248 degrees Fahrenheit in an attempt to eliminate the phytic acid. This extreme heat kills all the natural enzymes leaving a dead, devitalized food which interferes with mineral absorption as well as vitamin activity.

Pressing
After the beans have been thoroughly cooked, they are often pressed for maximum oil extraction. Because of the excessive heat previously applied, rancidity and the presence of excessive free radicals within the oil are inevitable. Cold pressed or not, this oil has now been oxidized and is extremely sensitive to heat and light so the best way to adequately preserve it would be by storing in dark bottles. Manufacturers do not go to this length to preserve the integrity of the oil, so rancidity is often the case.

Solvent extraction
In addition to pressing, a much more toxic method of oil extraction is often performed through the use of a solvent. A harsh alkaline solution is used in an attempt to get rid of the trypsin inhibitors. Even after thorough rinsing, a carcinogenic by-product results from the interaction of the soybeans with the alkaline soak - lysinealine. Furthermore, another standard chemical called hexane is used as a secondary solvent during this process. This is a petroleum distillate - exactly the same as gasoline. During processing, temperatures can rise as high as 149 degrees Fahrenheit during the 'soaking'. Again, even more of the carcinogenic residue is left behind during this process especially when producing oil and protein isolate.

Degumming
Even after all the chemical abuse the soybean has been subjected to, yet another step is added in an effort to remove the residual fiber or gum from the oil. Phosphoric acid, heat or water are used to separate the undesirable components from the oil. Lecithin is one of those components. The only problem is that valuable trace minerals like calcium, copper, magnesium, iron and chlorophyll are removed as well. Lecithin is a valuable supplement often used to aid in rebuilding the myelin sheath around damaged nerve fibers, but due to the extreme processing used to obtain it, I doubt it would be as effective in the body as would be another type of vegetable lecithin.

Corrosive Agent
The oil has now been heated, treated, pressed, soaked, soaked again, chemically altered and basically destroyed. To add insult to injury, the oil is again heated to 167 degrees and mixed with sodium hydroxide - NaOH - which is exactly the same as Drano. This liberates any fatty acids that might be 'contaminating' the oil. So far, this is not looking too good.

Bleaching
Even after all this processing, the oil still retains a slight amount of color, appearing somewhat reddish-brown. Due to consumer expectations, this is not a visually acceptable product so the manufacturers add clay and the same batch of oil is heated again to 230 degrees and then filtered. This process removes the pigments but again creates even more free radicals called peroxides. When exposed to air or light, the geometric formation of the peroxides is increased exponentially creating an even more toxic "food product".

Deodorizing
The oil is now steam distilled at 518 degrees for 30 minutes to destroy any 'fragrance' or unpleasant odor it may still have. Remember that trans fatty acids begin forming at 302 degrees, so this step makes a generous contribution to the toxic accumulation in the oil. These acids are so dangerous they will actually mutate human DNA. Trans-fatty acids exist no-where else in nature - they are completely man made and extremely dangerous.

After deodorizing, the oil is completely tasteless and relatively odorless. It cannot be distinguished from any other processed seed oil. It contains no vitamins, minerals, enzymes or nutrients and is often used as a base for paint, varnish, linoleum and printers ink. After all these steps, it's a wonder that this oil is allowed to sold at all! But there is yet another step...

Hydrogenation
Now that the oil has been rendered completely lifeless, engineers figured out a way to harden the oil back into a perfectly marketable 'non-food' we have come to know as margarine. Udo Erasmus states that at least 80% of margarine made in the US comes from refined soybean oil. By subjecting the oil to an additional 410 degrees of heat and forcing hydrogen gas into the oil for five or six hours, a substance is created that meets the two primary criteria for greater profits: extended shelf-life and spreadability. Margarine is far, far cry from any food fit for human consumption and is actually a closer relative to plastic. Without artificial flavoring and additives, margarine would taste like a Formica desktop. Margarine has also been found to contain aluminum as a result of the hydrogenation process.

Hydrogenated foods have been shown to contribute to aging, cancer, tissue breakdown, digestive diseases, clogged arteries, arthritis, Alzheimer's and many different neurological diseases. Sounds a little like human Russian Roulette, doesn't it?

Now What?
The consumption of soy products, especially soy protein isolate and soybean oil have made a big, black mark on the American population. The greatest challenge is to find supermarket foods that do not contain some type of soy product or derivative. Be sure to read every label before you purchase anything. If you see 'hydrogenated' think plastic. If you see 'partially-hydrogenated' think plastic and free radicals. This is a "larger than life" industry in America as the number one oil being used today is soybean oil representing 82% of the edible consumption of fats and oils in the United States . (Soybeans Stats Reference Guide). 60% of all foods on the shelves of our grocery stores contain some form of soy. (Wolfson) Foods containing soy are highly toxic to the human body because they contain free radicals and possess absolutely no enzymes, vitamins, minerals, nutrients and have no ability to be broken down or assimilated.

Marketing Soy
Even though most Americans are unlikely to adopt traditional soy products such as tofu, miso or TVP (textured vegetable protein) as their primary food source because of the uniquely distinguishable texture and bland a taste, the discriminating American palate just might, however, consider a "healthier alternative" if it were to be marketed in just the right way. So, that's exactly what the manufacturers did. They took a waste product from an already extremely processed food source and got the majority of the population to think of this dead by-product as a food staple. Absolutely ingenious!

Soy sauce, however, has retained it popularity and is used as a condiment in most homes. The over abundance of soybean crops in America came about after the second World War and has steadily grown due to high profitability. Today, soy is one of the primary crops in the US . Most of the beans harvested are used to make hydrogenated fats, margarine, shortening and animal feed. Manufacturers have had to find creative ways to market the soy byproducts including soy "lecithin" made from the soy oil sludge, and soy protein products made from defatted soy flakes. By creating products that resemble other traditional American foods such as soy milk, soy yogurt, soy ice cream, soy baby formula and soy cheese, this industry has made tremendous headway into the marketplace. Targeting the upscale consumer who is concerned about his health, the introduction of textured soy protein as a meat substitute was creative genius. These artificial products, usually promoted as high protein, low-fat, no cholesterol "health foods", have gained unparalleled acceptance among all classes of people.

Another common soy product is soy protein isolate. Many traditional American foods have been re-made to contain soy protein isolate which is extracted from the carbohydrate and fatty acid components that naturally occur in the bean. Soybeans are first ground and subjected to high-temperature and solvent extraction processes to remove the oils. The leftovers after processing were at one time either thrown out or used as animal feed. Now that we have a use for this 'soy waste'; it is now neutralized in an alkaline solution and spray dried at high temperatures to produce high protein powder. Through this extreme processing sequence, the vitamin and protein quality is severely compromised but amazingly, some trypsin inhibitors still remain. Soy product regulations do not require producers to state the trypsin inhibitor - or "anti-nutrient" - content on product labels. The soy giants have made sure that the large majority of the general public has never even heard of the term "anti-nutrient" so even if it was on the label, many wouldn't realize the detrimental impact it could have on their health. Nitrosamines are another type of potent carcinogen found in soy protein products which are greatly multiplied during high temperature drying processes.

The Final Straw
Not only is the revered soy bean disrespected by the extreme processing techniques it is subjected to, but the high-temperature, high-pressure extrusion of soy protein isolate is refined and altered even further producing textured vegetable protein (TVP). Numerous artificial flavorings, particularly MSG, are added to TVP products to mask their strong "beany" taste and impart the flavor of meat. Soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein are used extensively in school lunch programs, commercial baked goods, diet beverages and fast food products. They are heavily promoted in third world countries and form the basis of many food give-away programs. These soy products inhibit zinc and iron absorption and in test animals they caused enlarged organs, particularly the pancreas and the thyroid gland and increased fatty acid deposits in the liver.

Follow The Money...
Human feeding tests to determine the proposed cholesterol lowering properties of soy protein isolate have not proven to be true. Nevertheless, these products continue to be promoted as having beneficial effects on cholesterol levels and the unsuspecting public believes every word of it. Women have been convinced that the phytoestrogens contained in soy are beneficial for mid-life hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Once again, this media hype is specifically designed to push the consumer headlong toward a "health food" product that holds great financial promise but will eventually bring greater physical ruin.

This industry contributes millions of dollars annually to our economy and have now pressed heavily into international markets with no intention of modifying their game plan. We must be willing to face the embarrassing truth - that we have allowed ourselves to be "duped" into believing such a gross distortion of the facts. This information is too important to withhold. Make a commitment to inform and educate someone else. You just might save their life. Ronda L. Nelson, C.N.C.

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