By SHAWN SCHECHTER
I decided to write about soy and the soybean because not long after my immigration to Israel I realized that the majority of Israeli's believe it to be a healthy product to consume. What I write here will probably surprise and even shock most Israeli's but the dangers of consuming soy can not be overstated. Many countries already know about these dangers but for some reason this information has yet to become mainstream here in Israel. So I have taken it upon myself to enlighten you and to open your eyes to the truths surrounding the soybean. Prepare yourself. Before we begin I must explain to you what a GMO is. GMO stand for Genetically Modified Organism. A GMO is the result of a laboratory process where the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially added to the genes of another unrelated plant or animal. These foreign genes may come from insects, bacteria, viruses, animals or even Human beings. One of the main reasons GMO's are created is so that they can survive being pumped full of chemicals, in order to increase the size and yield of crops. GMO's remain a hotly contested topic of discussion and in fact the majority of European countries have chosen to ban the cultivation of GMO's in their respective countries. Now unlike cross breeding or hybridization which have been done successfully and safely for a long time and which involve related species. GMO's breach the natural laws of nature which exist between species. One example is genetically modified strawberries and tomatoes (GMO's) which are both injected and spliced with fish genes in order to protect them from freezing. One almost has to laugh at the idea of placing the genes of a fish into a fruit and then telling people it's safe and healthy. Now I don't want to get to deep into the topic of GMO's right now that will be coming soon, I just want you to understand the dangers and the absolute absurdity of these GMO's. They are dangerous,no long term studies have been done on them and what independent studies have been done show that they are definitely something we should stay away from, and last but not least they are created and controlled by extremely greedy people who's true motives are sinister. Now back to soy. 79% of all soybean production worldwide is in fact 100% GMO (genetically modified or GM). Practically every soybean in the world will soon be and almost is 100% artificial. Now aside from the fact that virtually all soy products are almost and will soon be genetically modified. let's discuss some of the other problems with the human consumption of soy. Now when it comes to soy there are two groups fermented soy products such as miso, soy sauce, tempeh, and natto, and non fermented soy products such as tofu and soy milk. If you are going to consume soy it is least harmful in it's fermented state.There are still many proponents out there touting the many health benefits of soy. Hogwash,I say all of these people have some type of vested interest in having people believing in soy's safeness not to mention multi billion dollar companies making vast amounts of money off of the production and sale of soy,So obviously these entities want you to continue buying their products in one or more of their various forms. It is interesting to note that in ancient China where soy originates from the Chinese were well aware way back in 1100 BC of the possible toxic effects of soy, which is why they were extremely careful in how they consumed it. In fact today soy remains a food product that the Chinese and Japanese consume in small amounts mainly as a condiment. A study published back in the April 2000 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that soy may speed the aging of brain cells. The brains of elderly people who ate tofu twice a week for 30 years were found to be aging much faster than normal. Another major worry in particular for women is the estrogen like molecules found in soy which are called Isoflavones. These isoflavones are known to have an effect on thyroid function, and menopausal women are at particular risk when it comes to soy induced hypothyroidism. Isoflavones are also known as phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels they can cause disruptions in female ovulation as well as stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Another problem with soy is that it can cause deficiencies in calcium, magnesium and vitamin D. A report sponsored by the British government found that there is very little evidence to suggest that soy food products can protect against breast cancer or any other type of cancer in fact soy food products may increase the risk of cancer. Numerous animal studies over the years have shown that soy foods cause infertility in animals. Soy consumption has also been shown to amplify hair growth in middle aged men which is a possible indication of lowered testosterone levels. There is also a wealth of information and studies which show that soy given to infants and young children is extremely unhealthy and quite possibly dangerous. I can go on and on but these are just a few of the dangers involved with the human consumption of soy foods and soy products.With the nation wide popularity of soy here in Israel I find this trend very alarming and people need to start doing their homework.
I myself am lactose intolerant meaning that my stomach can't abide regular milk. For those of you out there drinking soy milk there is a far better alternative which I have been a fan of for a long time which is rice milk. The only problem here in Israel is that most of the rice milk is full of needless chemical additives such as carrageenan which has been shown to cause gastrointestinal damage in some animal studies. However there is still an ongoing debate regarding the safeness of carrageenan. I would recommend finding a rice milk which is free of any additives. In conclusion soy is problematic at best. It is becoming harder and harder to make healthy food choices for the average person, but what we can do is avoid the things that are known to be bad for us. Even if you ignore all the negative findings regarding the safety and nutritional value of soy, you can't ignore one of the most important issues surrounding soy and that is the fact that almost all soy worldwide is genetically modified. It is no longer the natural crop that used to grow in China a thousand + years ago, it is a crop that has been created in a laboratory by people who could care less about our health and well being. Money is their motive and their bottom line doesn't include a single solitary thought for our well being.I hope you have found this information to be both informative and helpful.Healthy Eating!