Is soy evil?

[Dervill Crow]

Okay, so I'm lazy and unscholarly. There are just too many articles and books on the subject, so I'm posing the question to all you knowledgeable folks. Is soy good for you, bad for you, or somewhere in between?

[flvegan]

1. Overall, the actual studies show soy to be very good for you

assuming you're not allergic. There are somewhere near 30,000 published papers on the topic of soy, and yes, several can be spun to make soy appear to be bad for you.

What also needs to be taken into consideration is how one is eating/preparing the soy. The more processed it is, probably the less beneficial it is.

That in mind, too much of anything isn't good.

Was there a particular point of the "soy is good/bad" methodology you were curious about? I know that the hot topics are the thyroid, estrogen and BCAA complex. Didn't know if it was a general question, or if there was a specific bone of contention you had heard/read.

[Dervill Crow]

3. More of a general question.

I ran across a review of the book, "The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food," and was curious what cooler heads might think on the subject. Thanks for responding. :hi:

The key for me is probably to get away from overprocessed food; that's what got me into the overweight mess that I'm in now, and cutting out the animal products didn't result in any miraculous svelte new me. Somehow, though, I didn't really believe it is just the soy that's making me fat, it's the sitting on my arse in front of the computer. Cooking more fresh foods and beans and rice and such instead of relying on fake food would undoubtedly be a better plan.

[flvegan]

5. I won't say anything here, but I recommend you research this author.

Daniel is a staunch opponent of vegetarianism. I've had several discussions with people in the bodybuilding world in regards to her almost slanderous approach to a veg diet.

It's sad, really, as the author has, IIRC, a PhD in nutrition. Maybe what's more sad is that quackery can reach such a high level.

Or maybe the author is bought and paid for.

[LeftyMom]

6. Iirc, she's the one who did that NYT article about how raising kids vegan is child abuse

the one that was so ridiculous and one-sided, the ombudsman (I think they call them public editors now, but whatev) wrote a big long thing about how the paper had failed their obligation to their readership in running it.

[flvegan]

7. Weston Price article by the author

Well, this locks it up for me:

http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/soy-osteoporosis.html

And yes, you're right:

http://www.expertclick.com/NewsReleaseWire/default.cfm?Action=ReleaseDetail&ID=16475&NRWid=7067

[LeftyMom]

8. I have an awesome memory for a nutrient-starved child abuser.

:sarcasm:

She was also the author of the completely ridiculous article on teh horrible terrifying dangers of soy in Mothering that caused me to cancel my subscription.

It's just a bean. I think people get so wrapped up in the competing hype about how it's going to save our health or kill us all (while giving us cancer and making our kids gay,) they forget that.

[Dervill Crow]

10. All things in moderation is probably all I need to know . . .

After being a carnivore for 50+ years, raised on meat and potatoes or meat and Mission mac-n-cheese and the occasional canned green beans it's hard to find my way around.

[Dervill Crow]

11. She does come across as a bit nutty.

But then some of the foodies on the veg side do, too.

:crazy:

I am so glad this forum is here!

[LeftyMom]

2. Most of the articles I've seen either come from the Weston A Price nuts our quote them.

And they're big into plugging raw dairy, which is bad for a body twice ('cause it's dairy, and 'cause it's like Bacteria Chow) and even weirder shit like the idea that people need to eat lots more (like daily consumption) of organ meats and lard. :crazy:

[Tumbulu]

4. I think that people should avoid gmo soy

Soy was one of the first crops to be genetically engineered. I know a person who buys organic soy in huge quantities who claims that he cannot find gmo free organic soy in the US anymore. I listened to the owner of Nature's Path the Canadian organic cereal company say they only buy from a few growers now and they test every lot as most all the soy seed has been contaminated. But they still find gmo free soy.

I am so wary of eating any products of any crop that has been genetically engineered. That is my issue with it.

[Dervill Crow]

9. Good point. Thanks. n/t