# Is soy the devil's workshop?



## Son_of_Perdition (Oct 22, 2016)

I must keep reminding myself that while the internet is a vast storehouse of information it is also an unregulated pulpit for uncensored opinions.  Case in point the fads that proliferate the information highway concerning health foods.  I researched as much as I could about the effects on my health & medical conditions when I started any new craze.  I finally settled on a few that have proven to be beneficial to me.  i.e. apple cider vinegar, hemp hearts, flaxseed, low carb, whole dairy products, nuts to name a few.  Along the way I discovered that certain fad foods didn't agree with my digestive tract.  Kale, should have read the side effects, be forewarned, it creates a whole new set of problems.  

I never have gotten in with the coconut oil crowd either, waiting until there is more in depth study.  One of the fads I also never bought into simply because of my personal tastes was anything associated with 'soy'.  Now there is another list on MSN.com that lists 40 things that science & nutritionists are studying for links & side effects of soy.  I tried soy milk, expensive & nasty tasting in my book.  Couldn't even use it in my coffee.  I tried a soy burger one time thinking it would be beneficial to my diabetes, wrong, the burger raised my BS count over 100 5 hours later.  Both kale & soy are not welcome at my table.  I had been taking supplements back in my late 50's early 60's then found out from 'the internet' that most of the unregulated supplements may contain nothing more than weeds.  St. John's Wort interferes with many of your medications, causing untold problems.  Maybe my colon cancer while mostly a result of my lifestyle could have been compromised by the 4 caplets I was taking daily.

Below is the link if you care to read it about the 40 health issues that may or may not be connected to soy consumption.  I know some say they never read links but I'm including it all the same.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/40-ways-soy-harms-your-health/ss-AAjbDi3?li=BBnba9O


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## SeaBreeze (Oct 22, 2016)

I started getting interested in supplements and healthy foods decades ago, although I don't always eat 'healthy'.  Here's some older info about soy, I steer clear from it, especially now that I hear it's mostly GMO.  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...ecret-hidden-in-much-of-your-health-food.aspx  I do try to take a spoonful of coconut oil daily to help avoid dementia.



> The majority of soy's health claims are false; fostered by clever marketing to further reduce the cost and nutritional content of your food Ninety-four percent of all soy grown in the US is genetically engineered (GE), which virtually guarantees you're consuming GE soy when purchasing soy products and processed foods containing soy derivatives. Genetically engineered foods pose its own separate health risks, including hormone disruption and fertility problems
> 
> Soy derivatives can "hide" under a variety of different names, including mono-diglyceride, soya, soja, yuba, TSF (textured soy flour), TSP (textured soy protein), TVP (textured vegetable protein), lecithin, and MSG
> 
> ...


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## RadishRose (Oct 22, 2016)

I also read some time ago that too much soy can interfere with women's hormones, but I have nothing now to offer as a reference. Just wondering if anyone else heard this.


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## tnthomas (Oct 22, 2016)

Yea, for me soy was intriguing but as it is said "if it sounds too good to be true....it usually is".   Tofu is versatile and can be a low fat substitute for meat in many dishes.  Tofu generally is less expensive than meat as well.   But it's the hormonal imbalance issue that concerns me the most.

Just regular old fruit and vegetables is good enough for me, striving to limit consumption of red meat, processed meat in particular.

I use Kale in fresh green salads, and also in making Southern style greens.   Great taste, enormous fiber source.

Here is a typical recipe for Southern greens, as always modifications can be made for individual tastes:



> Ingredients
> 12 hickory-smoked bacon slices, finely chopped
> 2 medium-size sweet onions, finely chopped
> 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
> ...




In the Food & Drinks section of the forum, there is an interesting thread titled:

Cruciferous vegetables anyone?


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## Ameriscot (Oct 22, 2016)

The hormonal imbalance issue does not affect post menopausal women, since we are infertile anyway.  We eat tofu every couple of weeks, more often while in Thailand.  Also drink soy milk.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Oct 22, 2016)

I have celiac disease diagnosed through a biopsy which is an intolerance to gluten.  I am fine as long as I stay on a gluten free diet. I use a lot of soy flour when I bake because I can't have wheat. Soy gives my baked goods a nice texture in more denser cakes such as banana bread, fruit cake, etc. I haven't had a problem with it except it has so many more calories than wheat flour. I would like to point out that right now a gluten free diet is all the rage. It is not a healthy way to eat. By eliminating a grain such as wheat you are depriving your body of many nutrients. I have to eat like this but it is not the right diet to be on for any other reason contrary to what you might read.


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## RadishRose (Oct 22, 2016)

So many people just love to jump on the bandwagon for the latest food trend. Now it's gluten free.  What makes me laugh is the advertising on packaging and labels to get you to buy the item by using the latest buzz words:

"Popsicles, Now Gluten Free!"
"Spring Water, Gluten Free"
"Ground Beef, Gluten Free"

Years ago, everything had to be low fat or light, which evolved into Lo-Fat and Lite.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gluten-free-diet-fad-are-celiac-disease-rates-actually-rising/ :'
(CBS/AP) Nearly two million Americans have celiac disease and should avoid eating gluten, a new study finds. However, as little as a decade ago, virtually no one in the U.S. seemed to have a problem eating the protein that's found in bread and other foods.

Gluten-free diets not always necessary, study suggests.

Only 2 million out of approximately 321.50 million !!! This is 0.622083981% of the nation who actually have the disease. But, per the article, it may be rising. Maybe it will get to one percent in our lifetime?



.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Oct 22, 2016)

My body chemistry changed after my chemo, I break out with rashes or irritation using bandages, flushable wipes, any hand soap other than Zest, very painful experiences.  I realize when I started this tread there would be arguments.  Some foods affect my BS even though what you read says otherwise.  I can't eat potatoes (sweet, yams or white) without a spike.  I have to find out what doesn't affect it & stick with that.  As for soy, I'm not saying it is poison, but doesn't taste good to me & if the science is proven right eating it is like playing 'Russian roulette'.  I also tried almond milk, just wasn't the same, maybe being brought up with our own cow, drinking milk for most meals set the stage for my distaste of 'pretend' milk.  

I do use Trader Joe's almond flour in my oatmeal mix every morning, easier than roasting, chopping the raw almonds.  Started processing my own beans, afraid of the lining of the cans & the amount of sodium in the ready made ones.  I try to eat everything fresh from our local stores, never stop at a fast food drive up & when I go out for a dinner I order everything ala-carte, with instructions for making sure my vegetables are fully cooked, raw or undercooked is a digestive nightmare.  I'm not gluten free but really close to it, I get my needed whole grain nutrients from oatmeal & my CBC shows I'm doing something right.


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## Ameriscot (Oct 22, 2016)

Son_of_Perdition said:


> My body chemistry changed after my chemo, I break out with rashes or irritation using bandages, flushable wipes, any hand soap other than Zest, very painful experiences.  I realize when I started this tread there would be arguments.  Some foods affect my BS even though what you read says otherwise.  I can't eat potatoes (sweet, yams or white) without a spike.  I have to find out what doesn't affect it & stick with that.  As for soy, I'm not saying it is poison, but doesn't taste good to me & if the science is proven right eating it is like playing 'Russian roulette'.  I also tried almond milk, just wasn't the same, maybe being brought up with our own cow, drinking milk for most meals set the stage for my distaste of 'pretend' milk.
> 
> I do use Trader Joe's almond flour in my oatmeal mix every morning, easier than roasting, chopping the raw almonds.  Started processing my own beans, afraid of the lining of the cans & the amount of sodium in the ready made ones.  I try to eat everything fresh from our local stores, never stop at a fast food drive up & when I go out for a dinner I order everything ala-carte, with instructions for making sure my vegetables are fully cooked, raw or undercooked is a digestive nightmare.  I'm not gluten free but really close to it, I get my needed whole grain nutrients from oatmeal & my CBC shows I'm doing something right.



I love soy and almond milk.  Most of the time I eat healthily, but could do better.  Porridge, fresh fruit and veg, seeds, nuts.  When we use beans or legumes they are always dried and cooked in a pressure cooker.  I buy gluten free bars - quinoa, cocoa, cashews, because I like them.  Tried gluten free bread out of curiosity - gave most of the loaf to the birds.  Blech.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Oct 22, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> I love soy and almond milk.  Most of the time I eat healthily, but could do better.  Porridge, fresh fruit and veg, seeds, nuts.  When we use beans or legumes they are always dried and cooked in a pressure cooker.  I buy gluten free bars - quinoa, cocoa, cashews, because I like them.  Tried gluten free bread out of curiosity - gave most of the loaf to the birds.  Blech.


Well I personally like mustard on my steamed broccoli, can't get anyone else to give it a try.  I do have to be conscience of the sodium contend of the mustard & adjust my intake accordingly.


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## Ameriscot (Oct 22, 2016)

Son_of_Perdition said:


> Well I personally like mustard on my steamed broccoli, can't get anyone else to give it a try.  I do have to be conscience of the sodium contend of the mustard & adjust my intake accordingly.



Hmm... mustard on broccoli?  Not tempted.  I don't worry about sodium much as my BP is always low to normal, but I don't overdo.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Oct 22, 2016)

RadishRose said:


> So many people just love to jump on the bandwagon for the latest food trend. Now it's gluten free.  What makes me laugh is the advertising on packaging and labels to get you to buy the item by using the latest buzz words:
> 
> "Popsicles, Now Gluten Free!"
> "Spring Water, Gluten Free"
> ...


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## RadishRose (Oct 22, 2016)

Yes, Ruth I saw that you were diagnosed with celiac disease. What an ordeal for you! People who just like to be trendy with food have no clue how they would suffer if they truly had the disease as you do! Comparatively speaking there aren't many  sufferers and I'm sorry you have to be one.

The the link to the article I posted states this disease may be on the upswing . I was interested to see that no one looked for celiac disease back in the 70's. Since they began looking, do you think the disease is on the upswing or that they learned how to diagnose it?

I'm glad in a way Gluten-free has become a buzz word to sell product because Celiac disease awareness is now at an all time high, and that's a good thing!


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## Lon (Oct 22, 2016)

I love all the different CURRIES and because they have TUMERIC in them, which is supposed to be a inflammation inhibitor, I bought some TUMERIC POWDER and sprinkle a very little bit on some of my meals & salads.


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## tnthomas (Oct 22, 2016)

I use  turmeric in the form of curcumin capsules from iherb.com.


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## Cookie (Oct 22, 2016)

I've been eating tofu for the last 50 years, also tempeh and soy veggie products once in a while.  All good.


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## OneEyedDiva (Jan 8, 2017)

After I read and heard about the perils of whole milk from nutritional experts, I decided to try soy milk. Believe me, it depends on which brand you buy. We finally settled on Kirkland organic soy milk (Costco brand) which we bought by the case because it needs no refrigeration. I liked the taste but often would dilute it just a little with filtered water. Then when they started saying soy is bad for you, we started buy almond milk. For me it has to be Silk original. It has to be refrigerated. Again, we get the best price from Costco (3 for $7.69) but since our fridge won't hold 6 at a time and we only go once a month, sometimes we run out. So last month, we bought a case of soy milk again. A friend of mine who's a fitness instructor, thus had to take nutrition classes, said soy is a problem for women because of the hormonal content.  I feel that if I don't overdo consuming soy, I should be safe.  Here's an article I just found that explains more soy dangers and will have me rethinking how much or if I will continue to ingest soy products because right now I'm just not consuming that much. 
http://www.foodrenegade.com/dangers-of-soy/


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## Carla (Jan 9, 2017)

Ruth n Jersey said:


> RadishRose said:
> 
> 
> > So many people just love to jump on the bandwagon for the latest food trend. Now it's gluten free.  What makes me laugh is the advertising on packaging and labels to get you to buy the item by using the latest buzz words:
> ...


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## OneEyedDiva (Jan 23, 2017)

Carla said:


> Ruth n Jersey said:
> 
> 
> > When people say "jump on the bandwagon" it makes me feel gluten intolerance is not an accepted diagnosis. I am on a LOW FODMAP diet for the past three years which also calls for the elimination of gluten however I am also gluten intolerant according to my gastroenterologist. My diet is limited and I cannot begin to imagine anyone wanting to be on a diet like this voluntarily!
> ...


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## Debby (Feb 2, 2017)

So I went through the slideshow and all of the problems mentioned are pretty much attached also to other food you eat on a regular basis.  Breast cancer/dairy, goitregenic effects/strawberries, broccoli, cabbage, peanuts, etc., inflammation/animal products, 


As well, if you’re trying to avoid soy, animals are fed GMO soy which is sprayed with RoundUp and pesticides and not washed. So if those animals are consuming Roundup and pesticides, they're passing it on to you.  And for human consumption, some of the various products use organic soy which is not GMO.


I also did find one website that said that some studies are suggesting now that the isoflavones in soy may actually lessen the chance of developing breast cancer according to the American Cancer Research institute.http://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/soy.html


Soy may contain glutamine but so do all animal products and a variety of fruits and veggies.
http://livewell.jillianmichaels.com/food-containing-glutamine-5551.html

I didn't go through every slide but those are the highlights that I noticed.

One thing I did learn a few weeks ago when I was doing some research into B12, is that soy does inhibit the absorption of B12 and a few other nutrients so if you eat a varied diet and include a few supplements, you should separate the time that you eat your soy whatever and when you take your supplements.  I take B12 first thing in the morning but don't have my soy milk smoothie until early afternoon.


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## Debby (Mar 15, 2017)

As a point of interest, for the folks who wonder about soy, maybe the problem is more accurately, the potential for the RoundUp that is sprayed on soy fields (and corn fields)to cause cancer that is the problem.  The latest 'thing' passing through my FB is talking about the EPA's efforts  to stop any kind of research into the cancer causing potential of that spray. 
As we all know, soy and corn are in just about every manufactured food item as well as those two products making up the bulk of animal foods and that goes for the meat that you eat.  Maybe we should all quit asking the question, 'why is there so much cancer these days?'.


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...f-ghost-writing-papers-on-roundup-cancer-risk

The Environmental Protection Agency official who was in charge of evaluating the cancer risk of Monsanto Co.’s Roundup allegedly bragged to a company executive that he deserved a medal if he could kill another agency’s investigation into the herbicide’s key chemical.
The boast was made during an April 2015 phone conversation, according to farmers and others who say they’ve been sickened by the weed killer. After leaving his job as a manager in the EPA’s pesticide division last year, Jess Rowland has become a central figure in more than 20 lawsuits in the U.S. accusing the company of failing to warn consumers and regulators of the risk that its glyphosate-based herbicide can cause non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“If I can kill this I should get a medal,” Rowland told a Monsanto regulatory affairs manager who recounted the conversation in an email to his colleagues, according to a court filing made public Tuesday. The company was seeking Rowland’s help stopping an investigation of glyphosate by a separate office, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, that is part of the U.S. Health and Human Service Department, according to the filing.



 Personally, anytime that I eat a soy based product, it's organic.


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