Soy has become so popular because of the industry advertising. It started me off as a believer! There was considerable research done in 1966 about the harmful substances within the soybeans. And now, it’s claimed to be the “miracle” food.
Production of soybeans in the U.S. is 40 times more now than it was starting in the 20th century. First it’s made for animal feed and then manufactured into soy oil, vegetable oil, margarine, and shortening.
Why has the soy industry concentrated on finding alternative uses and new markets for soybeans? Because it’s cheap and very profitable. It’s disguised in everything from hamburgers, hot dogs, baby formula, flour, and much more. It’s often marketed as low-fat, dairy free, or as a high protein meat substitute for vegetarians. The soy derivatives you need to look for are textured vegetable protein (TVP), partially hydrogenated soybean; soy protein isolate (SPI) hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP).
One of the dangerous substances in the soybean is phytic acid, also called phytates. These acids block the body of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc. But, you never hear about that.
Read the labels very carefully – and you will be amazed at the soy contents in snack foods, fast foods, and pre-packaged frozen meals. It’s also in canned tuna! Why you need soy in tuna is a mystery to me. In fact, I called a manufacturer and asked them. They weren’t sure but thought it had to do with flavor. Sure, like soybeans taste great! People only think it tastes good because of all the sugar added to make it edible.
They claim soy foods are a source of high-quality protein that provides health benefits that may help to prevent or treat certain chronic diseases. This is definitely not so for someone with a severe allergy to soy – like me. I bring this to your attention because even though you may not be allergic to soy, it makes sense to me to look for healthier alternatives.
They claim that because they are filled with bone-building and heart-healthy soy protein, they reduce overall calories and fat grams. If this is true, how come I gained weight with my active lifestyle? And what about women who are in their forties that start gaining weight? I believe it’s because of the all the soy products that they are consuming. And, they could possibly be developing thyroid disease and not know it. Don’t believe what you hear about women going through menopause. It didn’t reduce my “hot flashes”, lower my cholesterol, decrease my risk for heart disease, or osteoporosis. What soy did do was slowly but surely, killing me! And, I thought I was following a healthy diet with all the soy I consumed.
When it comes to fad diets they claim soy foods help promote healthier eating habits with low carb diets. They say many soy foods are naturally low in fat and saturated fat, while being high in heart-healthy protein. The example they use is a soy veggie burger provides 12 grams of soy protein with 5 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat and just 3 grams of net carbs. That soy veggie burger is what landed me in the hospital…my body said “enough all already!” It took four days in the intensive care unit for me to get the “wake-up” call.
Everyone knows his or her own bodies. If you are not feeling like yourself lately, try to eliminate soy products - I bet you will start feeling like your old self again!
And, now I would like you to claim your free chapter of The Hidden Dangers of Soy and also receive soy free recipes. http://www.hiddensoy.com
Dianne Gregg, author of "The Hidden Dangers of Soy" decided to write this book after developing a severe allergy to soy and nearly dying. She has done extensive research on this subject and wanted to share this crucial information to protect your health. The fact of the matter is that soy is not the "health food" it's cracked up to be. Listen to Dianne on the radio Tuesdays, 4pm - 5pm EST interviewing experts in the health and wellness industry. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Health-Watch-Radio
Carotenoids are oil-soluble plant pigments that act as antioxidants. They can be converted to vitamin A by the body. A cross-sectional study, appearing in Public Health Nutrition (2006; 9(4): 472-9) looked at the relationship between carotenoid levels and allergic rhinitis in 547 adults. The blood level of six carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein/zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, and cryptoxanthin) were measured. In addition, vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol, and gamma-tocopherol were measured. High levels of carotenoids were associated with a lower incidence of allergic rhinitis. No such relationship existed for the vitamin C and the tocopherols. Carotenoids are found in fresh produce, so eating plenty of fresh produce may be beneficial to allergy sufferers.
Research published in Science News (1994;145:324) raises the question of whether the antihistamines we take for allergies may be linked to cancer. Studies in mice have shown that antihistamines promote the growth of malignant tumors. Scientists at the University of Manitoba believe that the consumption of various medications, including antihistamines and antidepressants, may increase the risk for cancer. In February, 1994, the Department of Health and Human Services noted an increase in the incidence of cancer in the United States. Scientists at the University of Manitoba believe that the consumption of various medications, including antihistamines and antidepressants, may increase the risk for cancer and may be part of the reason for the increase. They have demonstrated that drugs like Elavil, Claritin, Hismanal, Atarax, Unisom, Prozac, NyQuil and Reactine have all created tumors in animal studies. Some antihistamines behave like the drug DPPE, which has been linked to enhancing tumor growth. By binding to histamine receptors, which interferes with enzymes designed to detoxify and remove poisons from the body. This will also interfere with the system that regulates cell growth. The drugs do not necessarily cause cancer, but can enhance the growth of cancer. Click here to find a practitioner with a website that is loaded with health information.
A study published in the journal Gastroenterology (April 2002;122:881-888), describes case histories of four patients with liver disease who also had celiac disease (gluten allergy). Gluten free diets reversed the liver dysfunction in these cases (one patient did not adhere to a gluten-free diet and the disease progressed until he needed a liver transplant). Two of the patients who managed to stay on the gluten-free diet, maintained good liver function. The researchers then looked at the prevalence of celiac disease in patients awaiting liver transplant and found that 4% of 185 patients had celiac disease. Celiac disease is characterized by gluten insensitivity; it damages the small intestine and interferes with nutrient absorption. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, gas, fatigue, and diarrhea. It is associated with other immune system disorders—including autoimmune hepatitis. The authors of this study believe that celiac disease should be investigated for all cases of autoimmune hepatitis or any hepatitis of unknown origin.
A study, published in Allergy (Vol. 61, No. 11, November 2006: 1310-1315) looked at exercise and activity levels in 1,700 German children over a period of 12 years. At the start of the study, 6% of the children were completely sedentary. At the end of the 12 years, the sedentary children were 50% more likely to develop hay fever.
