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Soy Alert!

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 food.
Truth:
Average consumption of soy foods in China is 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) per day and up to 60 grams in parts of Japan. Asians consume soy food 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 thLlt 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.