Part 2: Should I Eat Soy?
I know you are now worried about soy, and you should be. I came across an incredible piece of research about the dark side of soy, its marketing, and how soy became what it is today. Hint: it’s all about making big money. I’ll share it with you next week but today, let’s discuss why soy is likely to make you fat and sick. No joke.
- Thyroid Issues
Soy basically destroys your thyroid gland because it contains goitrogens – substances that depress thyroid function. which in turn means excess body fat.
Although soy has been known to suppress thyroid function for over 60 years, and scientists have identified the goitrogenic component of soy as the so-called “beneficial isoflavones”, the industry insists that soy depresses thyroid function only in the absence of iodine. Ironically, most of us are deficient in iodine.
- Mineral Deficiencies
Soybeans have a ridiculously high concentration of phytic acid, higher than any other grain or legume. This anti-nutrient binds to important minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc and limits their absorption. Adequate levels of zinc are especially important for anxious people, as deficiencies are common and have shown to induce anxious behavior and depression. Unfortunately, soybeans are highly resistant to traditional phytate-reducing techniques like cooking, sprouting, and soaking (which works for other legumes and whole grains that also have phytates). The only way to significantly reduce the phytate content of soybeans is through fermentation.
- Protein Digestion
I know, you’ve been told that soy is your healthy protein. How can it hamper my protein digestion, you ask? Even though soy is packed with lean protein, it’s also packed with trypsin and protease inhibitors—enzymes that make the digestion of protein incredibly difficult. It also causes some gastric distress along with a deficiency in amino acid uptake, especially if you eat a lot of soy.
- Gas and Bloating
Soy is loaded with fiber oligosaccharides, prebiotic compounds that help feed our healthy gut bacteria, but are also known to cause flatulence and bloating. Don’t be surprised if people move away from you after your meals that have soy in them.
- Estrogen-mimicking
Soy isoflavones tend to mimic the female reproductive hormone estrogen because they are similar in structure. Soy is also extremely high in phytoestrogens, which are plant compounds that look like estrogen to the body.
Most studies on the benefits of soy are either sponsored by the soy industry or the authors have some kind of financial ties to the soy industry. So, when it comes to soy, it’s best to be safe than sorry.
Next week, I’ll write a little more about the dark side of soy.
