soy is not real food

http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/ploy.html

The Ploy of Soy
Commercial milk products have been linked to a number of disease
conditions including allergies, asthma, arthritis, diabetes, auto
immune diseases, childhood anemia, heart disease and cancer. Many have
turned to soy products as substitutes for dairy products. A popular
booklet describes soy foods as " . . . uniformly high in protein but
low in calories, carbohydrates and fats, entirely devoid of
cholesterol, high in vitamins, easy to digest, tasty and wonderfully
versatile in the kitchen, [which] positions them as irresistible new
food staples for the evolving American diet. 1. . . with each mouth
watering soy food dish," says the author, "comes a balanced, adequate
and sustainable nutritional package." 2

Leaving aside the question of whether products like tofu and soy milk
are really "mouthwatering" and "irresistible," those charged with
providing nutritious meals for their families should carefully examine
claims that newly introduced soybean products provide an easily
digested and complete nutritional package, one that adequately
replaces dairy products like milk, butter and cheese, which have,
after all, provided nourishment for generations of Americans.

History of the Bean
Soybeans come to us from the Orient. During the Chou Dynasty (1134 -
246 BC) the soybean was designated one of the five sacred grains,
along with barley, wheat, millet and rice. However, the pictograph for
the soybean, which dates from earlier times, indicates that it was not
first used as a food; for whereas the pictographs for the other four
grains show the seed and stem structure of the plant, the pictograph
for the soybean emphasizes the root structure. Agricultural literature
of the period speaks frequently of the soybean and its use in crop
rotation. Apparently the soy plant was initially used as a method of
fixing nitrogen.3 soybean did not serve as a food until the discovery
of fermentation techniques, sometime during the Chou Dynasty. Thus the
first soy foods were fermented products like tempeh, natto, miso and
shoyu (soy or tamari sauce). At a later date, possibly in the 2nd
century B.C., Chinese scientists discovered that a puree of cooked
soybeans could be precipitated with calcium sulfate or magnesium
sulfate (plaster of Paris or Epsom salts) to make a smooth pale curd -
tofu or bean curd. The use of fermented and precipitated soy products
soon spread to other parts of the Orient, notably Japan and Indonesia.
Although the highly flavored fermented products have elicited greater
interest among scientists and epicures, it is the bland precipitated
products that are most frequently used, accounting for approximately
90% of the processed soybeans consumed in Asia today.4 The increased
reliance on bean curd as a source of protein, which occurred between
700 A.D. and the present time, has not necessarily been a beneficial
change for the populations of the Orient and Southeast Asia.

Fit for Human Consumption?
The Chinese did not eat the soybean as they did other pulses (legumes)
such as the lentil because the soybean contains large quantities of a
number of harmful substances. First among them are potent enzyme
inhibitors which block the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed
for protein digestion. These "antinutrients" are not completely
deactivated during ordinary cooking and can produce serious gastric
distress, reduced protein digestion and chronic deficiencies in amino
acid uptake. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors cause
enlargement and pathological conditions of the pancreas, including
cancer. The soybean also contains hemaglutinin, a clot promoting
substance that causes red blood cells to clump together. Trypsin
inhibitors and hemaglutinin have been rightly labeled "growth
depressant substances." They are deactivated during the process of
fermentation. In precipitated products, enzyme inhibitors concentrate
in the soaking liquid rather than in the curd. Thus in tofu and bean
curd, these enzyme inhibitors are reduced in quantity, but not
completely eliminated.

Soybeans are also high in phytic acid or phytates. This is an organic
acid, present in the bran or hulls of all seeds, which blocks the
uptake of essential minerals-calcium, magnesium, iron and especially
zinc-in the intestinal tract. Although not a household word, phytates
have been extensively studied. Scientists are in general agreement
that grain and legume based diets high in phytates contribute to
widespread mineral deficiencies in third world countries.5 Analysis
shows that calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc are present in the plant
foods eaten in these areas, but the high phytate content of soy and
rice based diets prevents their absorption. The soybean has a higher
phytate content than any other grain or legume that has been studied.6
Furthermore, it seems to be highly resistant to many phytate reducing
techniques such as long, slow cooking.7 Only a long period of
fermentation will significantly reduce the phytate content of
soybeans. Thus fermented products such as tempeh and miso provide
nourishment that is easily assimilated, but the nutritional value of
tofu and bean curd, both high in phytates, is questionable.

When precipitated soy products are consumed with meat, the mineral
blocking effects of the phytates are reduced.8 The Japanese
traditionally eat tofu as part of a mineral-rich fish broth.
Vegetarians who consume tofu and bean curd as a substitute for meat
and dairy products risk severe mineral deficiencies. The results of
calcium, magnesium and iron deficiency are well known, those of zinc
are less so. Zinc is called the intelligence mineral because it is
needed for optimal development and functioning of the brain and
nervous system. It plays a role in protein synthesis and collagen
formation; it is involved in the blood sugar control mechanism and
thus protects against diabetes; it is needed for a healthy
reproductive system. Zinc is a key component in numerous vital enzymes
and plays a role in the immune system. Phytates found in soy products
interfere with zinc absorption more completely than with other
minerals.9 Literature extolling soy products tends to minimize the
role of zinc in human physiology, and to gloss over the deleterious
effect of diets high in phytic acid.

Milk drinking is given as the reason second generation Japanese in
America grow taller than their native ancestors. Some investigators
postulate that the reduced phytate content of the American diet--
whatever may be its other deficiencies-is the true explanation,
pointing out that Asian and Oriental children who do not get enough
meat and fish products to counteract the effects of a high phytate
diet, frequently suffer rickets, stunting and other growth problems.10
The current climate of medical opinion in America has cast a cloud of
disapproval on tallness. Parents would do well to ask their six-year-
old boys whether they would prefer to be six-foot-one or five-foot-
seven when they grow up, before substituting tofu for eggs, meat and
dairy products.

Marketing the Soybean
The truth is, however, that most Americans are unlikely to adopt
traditional soy products as their principal food. Tofu, bean curd and
tempeh have a disagreeable texture and are too bland for the Western
palate; pungent and musty miso and natto lose out in taste tests; only
soy sauce enjoys widespread popularity as a condiment. The soy
industry has therefore looked for other ways to market the
superabundance of soybeans now grown in the United States.

Large scale cultivation of the soybean in the United States began only
after the Second World War, and quickly rose to 140 billion pounds per
year. Most of the crop is made into animal feed and soy oil for
hydrogenated fats- margarine and shortening. During the past 20 years,
the industry has concentrated on finding markets for the byproducts of
soy oil manufacture, including soy "lecithin", made from the oil
sludge, and soy protein products, made from defatted soy flakes, a
challenge that has involved overcoming consumer resistance to soy
products, generally considered tasteless "poverty foods". "The
quickest way to gain product acceptability in the less affluent
society," said a soy industry spokesman, " ... is to have the product
consumed on its own merit in a more affluent society."11 Hence the
proliferation of soy products resembling traditional American foods-
soy milk for cows milk, soy baby formula, soy yogurt, soy ice cream,
soy cheese, soy flour for baking and textured soy protein as meat
substitutes, usually promoted as high protein, low-fat, no cholesterol
"healthfoods" to the upscale consumer increasingly concerned about his
health. The growth of vegetarianism among the more affluent classes
has greatly accelerated the acceptability and use of these ersatz
products. Unfortunately they pose numerous dangers.

Processing Denatures and Dangers Remain
he production of soy milk is relatively simple. In order to remove as
much of the trypsin inhibitor content as possible, the beans are first
soaked in an alkaline solution. The pureed solution is then heated to
about 115 degrees C in a pressure cooker. This method destroys most
(but not all) of the anti-nutrients but has the unhappy side effect of
so denaturing the proteins that they become very difficult to digest
and much reduced in effectiveness.12 The phytate content remains in
soy milk to block the uptake of essential minerals. In addition, the
alkaline soaking solution produces a carcinogen, lysinealine, and
reduces the cystine content, which is already low in the soybean.13
Lacking cystine, the entire protein complex of the soybean becomes
useless unless the diet is fortified with cystine-rich meat, eggs, or
dairy products, an unlikely occurrence as the typical soy milk
consumer drinks the awful stuff because he wants to avoid meat, eggs
and dairy products.

Most soy products that imitate traditional American food items,
including baby formulas and some brands of soy milk, are made with soy
protein isolate, that is the soy protein isolated from the
carbohydrate and fatty acid components that naturally occur in the
bean. Soy beans are first ground and subjected to high-temperature and
solvent extraction processes to remove the oils. The resultant
defatted meal is then mixed with an alkaline solution and sugars in a
separation process to remove fiber. Then it is precipitated and
separated using an acid wash. Finally the resultant curds are
neutralized in an alkaline solution and spray dried at high
temperatures to produce high protein powder. This is a highly refined
product in which both vitamin and protein quality are compromised-but
some trypsin inhibitors remain, even after such extreme refining!
Trypsin inhibitor content of soy protein isolate can vary as much as 5-
fold.l4 In rats, even low level trypsin inhibitor soy protein isolate
feeding results in reduced weight gain compared to controls.15 Soy
product producers are not required to state trypsin inhibitor content
on labels, nor even to meet minimum standards, and the public, trained
to avoid dietary cholesterol, a substance vital for normal growth and
metabolism, has never heard of the potent anti-nutrients found in
cholesterol-free soy products.

Soy Formula Is Not the Answer
Soy protein isolate is the main ingredient of soy-based infant
formulas. Along with trypsin inhibitors, these formulas have a high
phytate content. Use of soy formula has caused zinc deficiency in
infants.16 Aluminum content of soy formula is 10 times greater than
milk based formula, and 100 times greater than unprocessed milk.17
Aluminum has a toxic effect on the kidneys of infants, and has been
implicated as causing Alzheimer's in adults. Soy milk formulas are
often given to babies with milk allergy; but allergies to soy are
almost as common as those to milk.18 Use of soy formula to treat
infant diarrhea has had mixed results, some studies showing
improvement with soy formula while others show none at all.19 Soy
formulas lack cholesterol which is absolutely essential for the
development of the brain and nervous system; they also lack lactose
and galactose, which play an equally important role in the development
of the nervous system. A number of other substances, which are
unnecessary and of questionable safety, are added to soy formulas
including carrageenan, guar gum, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda),
potassium citrate monohydrate, tricalcium phosphate, dibasic magnesium
phosphate trihydrate, BHA and BHT. Nitrosamines, which are potent
carcinogens, are often found in soy protein foods, and are greatly
increased during the high temperature drying process.20 Not
surprisingly, animal feeding studies show a lower weight gain for rats
on soy formula than those on whole milk, high-lactose formula.21
Similar results have been observed in children on macrobiotic diets
which include the use of soy milk and large amounts of whole grains.
Children brought up on high-phytate diets tend to be thin and scrawny.
22

Fabricated Soy Foods
A final indignity to the original soy bean is high-temperature, high-
pressure extrusion processing of soy protein isolate to produce
textured vegetable protein. 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 greatly
inhibit zinc and iron absorption; in test animals they cause enlarged
organs, particularly the pancreas and thyroid gland, and increased
deposition of fatty acids in the liver.23 Human feeding tests to
determine the cholesterol lowering properties of soy protein isolate
have not shown them to be effective.24 Nevertheless, they are often
promoted as having beneficial effects on cholesterol levels.

Cancer Preventing or Cancer Causing?
The food industry also touts soy products for their cancer preventing
properties. Isoflavone aglycones are anticarcinogenic substances found
in traditionally fermented soybean products. However, in non-fermented
soy products such as tofu and soy milk, these isoflavones are present
in an altered form, as beta-glycoside conjugates, which have no anti-
carcinogenic effect.25 Some researchers believe the rapid increase in
liver and pancreatic cancer in Africa is due to the introduction of
soy products there.26

The fatty acid profile of the soybean includes large amounts of
beneficial omega-3 fatty acids compared to other pulses (legumes); but
these omega-3 fatty acids are particularly susceptible to rancidity
when subjected to high pressures and temperatures. This is exactly
what is required to remove oil from the bean, as soybean oil is
particularly difficult to extract. Hexane or other solvents are always
used to extract oil from soybeans, and traces remain in the commercial
product.

Soy Protein Is Not Complete
While fermented soy products contain protein, vitamins, anti-
carcinogenic substances and important fatty acids, they can under no
circumstances be called nutritionally complete. Like all pulses, the
soybean lacks vital sulfur-containing amino acids cystine and
methionine. These are usually supplied by rice and other grains in
areas where the soybean is traditionally consumed. Soy should never be
considered as a substitute for animal products like meat or milk.
Claims that fermented soy products like tempeh can be relied on as a
source of vitamin B12, necessary for healthy blood and nervous system,
have not been supported by scientific research.27 Finally, soybeans do
not supply all-important fat soluble vitamins D and preformed A
(retinol) which act as catalysts for the proper absorption and
utilization of all minerals and water soluble vitamins in the diet.
These "fat soluble activators" are found only in certain animal foods
such as organ meats, butter, eggs, fish and shellfish. Carotenes from
plant foods and exposure to sunlight are not sufficient to supply the
body's requirements for vitamins A and D.28 Soy products often replace
animal products in third world countries where intake of B12and fat
soluble A and D are already low. Soy products actually increase
requirements for vitamins B12 and D.29

Are soy products easy to digest, as claimed? Fermented soy products
probably are; but unfermented products with their cargo of phytates,
enzyme inhibitors, rancid fatty acids and altered proteins most
certainly are not. Pet food manufacturers promote soy free dog and cat
food as "highly digestible".

Only Fermented Soy Products Are Safe
To summarize, traditional fermented soy products such as miso, natto
and tempeh-which are usually made with organically grown soybeans-have
a long history of use that is generally beneficial when combined with
other elements of the Oriental diet including rice, sea foods, fish
broth, organ meats and fermented vegetables. The value of precipitated
soybean products is problematical, especially when they form the major
source of protein in the diet. Modern soy products including soy milks
and ersatz meat and dairy products made from soy protein isolate and
textured vegetable protein are new to the diet and pose a number of
serious problems.

Another Look at Milk
What then about dairy products? A few studies have linked modern
commercial milk products with serious diseases such as cancer,
diabetes and arthritis; but natural milk products have a long history
of conferring good health in many parts of the globe. Dr. Weston
Price, a pioneer in the science of nutrition, studied isolated
population groups during the 1930's. He found that milk products were
the principal food of many supremely healthy populations including
isolated villagers in the Swiss Alps, the Masai and related tribes in
Africa, and Arabic peoples in the Middle East.30

Of the three areas in the world noted for the longevity of the local
population -the Caucasus Mountains in Russia, the village of
Vilcabamba in Ecuador and the land of the Hunza in northern India- all
three use whole milk products. The people of Hunza and Kashmir consume
whole fermented goat milk products; inhabitants of Vilcabamba consume
raw cows milk which they usually separate into cream cheese and whey;
and the centenarians of the Caucasus Mountains eat whole milk yogurt
and other dairy products.

Milk products form the backbone of the Hindu diet, with clarified
butter (ghee) and fermented curds eaten with every meal. "The cows are
our friends, they give food, they give strength, they likewise give a
good complexion and happiness," said Gautama Buddha. While the
Japanese have the longest life span of the civilized world on a diet
containing few milk products, the Swiss are a close second in the
longevity stakes with a diet just loaded with rich milk products like
butter, cream and cheese. Tied for third and fourth are the Austrians
and the Greeks. Both these populations consume whole milk products,
especially cheese. Milk products are even found in some parts of the
Orient, from water buffalo milk in Southeast Asia to cows milk in
northern China. The longest living man in the West was Old Par, an
English peasant who labored in the fields until his death at 152
years. His diet consisted almost entirely of raw goat milk products-
milk, cheese and whey.31

Processing Is the Problem
The path that transforms healthy milk products into allergens and
carcinogens begins with modern feeding methods that substitute high-
protein, soy-based feeds for fresh green grass; and breeding methods
to produce cows with abnormally large pituitary glands so that they
produce three times more milk than the old fashioned scrub cow. These
cows need antibiotics to keep them well. Their milk is then
pasteurized so that all valuable enzymes are destroyed-lactase for the
assimilation of lactose; galactase for the assimilation of galactose;
phosphatase for the assimilation of calcium. Literally dozens of
precious enzymes are destroyed in the pasteurization process. Without
them milk is very difficult to digest. The human pancreas is not
always able to produce these enzymes; overstress of the pancreas can
lead to diabetes and other diseases.32

Non-fat dried milk is added to 1% and 2% milk. Unlike the cholesterol
in fresh milk, which plays a variety of health promoting roles, the
cholesterol in nonfat dried milk is oxidized and it is this rancid
cholesterol that promotes heart disease. Like all spray dried
products, non-fat dried milk has a high nitrite content. Non-fat dried
milk and sweetened condensed milk are the principal dairy products in
third world countries; use of ultra high temperature pasteurized milk
is widespread in Europe.

Quality Dairy Products Are Available
Public health officials and the National Dairy Council have worked
together in this country to make it very difficult to obtain wholesome
fresh raw dairy products. Nevertheless, they can be found with a
little effort. In some states you can buy raw milk directly from
farmers. Whole pasteurized non-homogenized milk from cows raised on
organic feed is now available in many gourmet shops and health food
stores. It can be cultured to restore enzyme content, at least
partially.33 Cultured buttermilk is often more easily digested than
regular milk; it is an excellent product to use in baking.

Many shops now carry whole cream, that is merely pasteurized (not
ultra pasteurized like most commercial cream): diluted with water it
is delicious on cereal and a good substitute for those allergic to
milk. Traditionally made creme fraiche (European style sour cream)
also has a high enzyme content. Fresh, organic yogurt made from whole
milk according to traditional methods is also now available, as well
as organic raw cheese. Many imported cheeses are raw (look for the
words "milk" or "fresh milk" on the label) and are of very high
quality.

Butter Is a Healthy Food
Organic, cultured butter is available in many stores. It has restored
enzymes and a high vitamin A content. Contrary to widely held opinion,
there is no evidence that butter contributes to heart disease or
cancer. At the turn of the century, butter consumption in America was
18 pounds per person per year. Today it is a mere five pounds. As
butter consumption has plummeted, cancer and heart disease have risen
dramatically. The real blame for this increase points squarely at
hydrogenated butter substitutes--margarine and shortening.34 Butter
contains many nutrients that protect us against disease. Those with
severe allergies to milk products can still eat clarified butter
(ghee) and enjoy its good taste and numerous nutritional benefits.

In countries that traditionally produce milk, adults favor fermented
products such as yogurt, clabber, buttermilk and soft and hard
cheeses. These are easier to digest because of enhanced enzyme
content. But fresh whole milk is easily digested by most children and
is an appropriate food up to the age of three or four. A child's
toleration for milk will be much greater if it is raw. If you have
property in the country, consider raising scrub cows or goats in order
to provide fresh raw milk for your children, grandchildren, nieces and
nephews-there is no greater gift you can give them than the healthy
start conferred by fresh whole raw milk.

Homemade Formula Best for Babies
Neither milk-based nor soy-based infant commercial formulas can be
recommended for optimal development of the infant. Mothers who cannot
breast feed, for whatever reason, should prepare homemade formula
based on whole milk for their babies. The rare child allergic to whole
milk formula should be given a whole foods meat-based formula, not one
made of soy protein isolate. Time invested in preparing homemade
formula will be well rewarded with the joys of conferring robust good
health on your children.

Consumer Beware!
To summarize, there may be some beneficial factors in soy foods
prepared according to traditional fermentation methods. In the Orient
these are eaten in small amounts as condiments, and not as a
replacement for animal foods. Highly processed soy protein isolates
and textured vegetable protein have little in common with traditional
soy products. They might be compared to plastic processed cheese
slices, which have nothing in common with traditionally processed
whole milk natural cheeses.

Promotion of modern, industrially processed soy products should be
viewed with skepticism. This is a huge and powerful industry. Archer
Daniel Midlands, the world's major soy processor, spends heavily on
advertising, especially for news programs on major networks. The
company spent $4.7 million for advertising on "Meet the Press" and
$4.3 million on "Face the Nation" during the course of a year.

ADM also has holdings in major newspapers. Naturally, the press
presents soy in a favorable light. ADM lobbies heavily in Washington,
and supports university research programs. ADM president Dwayne
Andreas is a fanatic about spreading soy-based food around the world.
There's a lot in it for him-but not much in it for us. Consumer
beware. There is no joy in soy--it's a ploy.