Dangers of Soy
When researching soy for your diet, you will likely find a lot of information that says it is one of the best ‘superfoods’ out there today and a lot that says it will disrupt your hormones and cause an endless list of health problems. There are passionate people on both sides of this debate, but more importantly, there are also a lot of studies and research too. Interestingly, both sides of the argument have some good points and data to back it up. For this post, we’ll look primarily at the dangers of soy and why soy shouldn’t be a significant part of your diet. When done reading, you will be able to make a more informed decision about whether or not you should eat soy, and if so, how much you should be consuming.
What is Soy?
Soy is a very versatile food that comes from the soybean. Soybeans are legumes, which is the same family as peanuts. An important point because some people who are allergic to peanuts can also have a severe reaction to soy. Soy has been a big part of diets in Asia for a very long time, and in the past several decades, has become extremely popular in the United States and other western countries too. Soy is used in many different foods and is perhaps most familiar as meat or dairy substitute. For example, soy is used in the following popular foods that you’ll find in most supermarkets:
- Tofu
- Soy Milk
- Soy-based Meat Alternatives
- Soy Sauce
- Many Thickening Agents
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Some Yogurts
- Some Peanut Butters
- Bouillon Cubes
- Pancake Syrup
- Potato Chips
- Frostings
- Many More
This is just a brief list of foods that often contain soy. If you’re looking to cut soy out of your diet, you will want to make sure you are checking labels to see if soy is an ingredient.
Soybeans Are Poisonous
One of the first things to note about soybeans is that they are
poisonous to humans when they are raw. They contain high levels of certain toxins and protease inhibitors that can make you very sick and may even lead to death. All soybeans that sold as food are first boiled (or otherwise cooked) to remove all of the toxins and other harmful components.
Genetically Modified
While additional study is certainly needed regarding any potential health hazards associated with genetically modified foods, it is good to be aware of the GMOs you are eating. About 90% of all soy that is produced and sold in the United Sates (and most other industrialized countries) is genetically modified. Whether you want to avoid GMOs or not, it is useful information to have.
Sprayed with Roundup
Like many other crops, almost all soy is sprayed with the herbicide
Roundup. Roundup has been linked to some adverse effects in people and animals. Further study is needed to confirm health hazards associated with Roundup.
Soy can Activate Estrogen Receptors
One of the biggest issues with consuming soy is that it has isoflavones that act as endocrine disruptors. What this means is that soy has a lot of components that can
activate estrogen receptors in the human body. The result of this can be a reduced estrogen activity that your body naturally produces. This is primarily going to be a problem for women, who need higher levels of estrogen than men. For men, soybeans can introduce more estrogen-like substances into the body than it needs. This can lead to a variety of health concerns for them as well.
Soy May Cause Increased Risks of Breast Cancer
There have been studies (
1,
2,
3) that have linked the isoflavones found in soy to an increased risk of breast cancer in animals. Human studies have also found that soy can increase activity in breast cells, which is a behavior linked to breast cancer. Further study is needed to determine if soy will directly increase the risk in humans, but it seems likely given the current information available. There was a small
study that found that women who took a 60-gram supplement of soy protein per day for 14 days had a significantly increased number of epithelial cells in the breasts. These cells have the greatest chance of becoming cancerous.
Soy can Effect Sperm Count in Men
A
study conducted on men who were attending an infertility clinic found that the men who consumed the most soy in the three-month period before the survey had the lowest sperm count. This study was quite small (just 99 men) but the results do seem clear. Additional study with more controls are needed, but this is certainly an early indication of the effect soy has on sperm count. Another
study on male rats that were exposed to soy isoflavones while in the womb found that they had adverse effects on their sexual development later in life. This may be an early indication that pregnant mothers should avoid soy, and that soy should not be given to young children.
Soy Based Infant Formula is Harmful
There have been quite a few studies that looked at the effects that soy-based infant formula had on children. One
study found that girls who were given soy formula as infants went through puberty at a younger age than those who had breast milk or milk-based formula. Another
found that girls fed soy formula had as infants had ‘significantly’ more breast tissue at the age of two than those who didn’t receive soy. Soy formula given to infants has also been
linked to longer menstrual cycles in adulthood, and more severe pain associated with the cycles. To put it simply, one should avoid feeding their children soy based formula whenever possible. Breast milk is best and should always be the primary food for infants, but when that is not feasible, milk based formula should be chosen.
Educating Yourself on Soy
As you can see, soy is not the ‘superfood’ that many people once thought it was. While it is a plant-based source of protein, most people will find that the dangers outweigh any benefits. In most cases, it is not going to be a significant problem to consume small amounts of soy, but having it become a staple of your diet should be avoided.