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Creating Wellness with your Food, Lifestyle and Environment Choices
Conscious Consumer
Contact Information
Joy Lasseter, Ph.D.
Nutritionist
Hypnotherapist
Professional Speaker
Author
email joylasseter@earthlink.net
web address - www.joyhealth.com
360 944-9119
Some people live to eat...
anything in sight.
I teach people to eat to live,
a long and healthy life."
Dr. Joy
"Forget aging,
I teach youngering."
Dr. Joy
by Joy Lasseter, Ph.D.
Health enthusiasts and consumers alike are cringing as another one of our "health food icons" falls out of favor. Rumors are coming to light about soy products that sound discouraging at best. This is not the first health food to fall from grace nor will it be the last. Historically we seem to be in the decade of hidden disclosures. All hidden secrets and hype of companies, manufacturers, advertisers and distributors are coming to the surface to be revealed and exposed.
I will be the first to change my position on a health topic when I read substantial clinical evidence indicating contrary information. New information has surfaced at the Third International Soy Symposium and Price Pottenger Foundation. The latest research indicates that soybeans contain compounds harmful to health.
There are several ways to process soybeans. Fermentation is the most desirable method. Soy sauce, miso, tempe are fermented soy products. Precipitation is accomplished by adding calcium sulfate or magnesium sulfate to a slurry of soy beans. This process does not remove all the harmful compounds from the soy product. Tofu and soy dairy substitutes ice cream, cream cheese, etc., are examples of precipitated soy products. Spraying at high heat is another method. Examples are soy milk, soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.
Soy beans have the highest phytate levels of any grain or legume. The phytate in soy is particularly resistant to cooking. Only fermentation reduces the phytate level. Phytates block mineral absorption, specifically calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc.
Unfermented soybeans contain enzyme inhibitors which block the digestion of protein. Other ingredients inhibit growth in humans, depress thyroid function and are potentially carcinogenic. Most of these harmful compounds are deactivated by fermentation.
The processing for soy protein isolate adds another unfriendly factor, aluminum. In addition the heat of this process denatures the protein making it largely ineffective. This product, used in soy "meat substitutes" increases requirements for vitamins E, K, D and B 12 as well as creating deficiency symptoms of the minerals previously mentioned. In addition, potentially carcinogenic nitrites are formed in the processing.
The new FDA ruling does not allow claims that foods can prevent cancer. Yet some advertisers are making these claims about their soy products. Furthermore there is new information that isoflavones may be toxic. There is controversy in some camps that the phytoestrogens were not considered to be helpful in preventing menopause symptoms. In addition, cholesterol reduction was considered to be insignificant by some clinical studies. Some authors conclude that women should not consume soy products to prevent breast cancer.
You might as well get used to the icons falling. I believe that more dirty tricks and secrets will be revealed in coming months and years. Why? We live in a highly polluted world. It is almost impossible to get uncontaminated food, water or air. Food manufacturers are genetically engineer foods or extract nutrients from foods to create new products.
Advertising companies are making claims or covering up information to get the best market share and increase company revenues. These companies are focused on their profit margin instead of the consumer's health and the long range effect of their action on our future food supply and the environment. We the consumers hold the power to stop all of this. We vote with our dollars. We hold the purse strings. If we don't buy a product, that company will cease to make a profit and will have to change. The power of the consumer's purse should not be underestimated!
The problem is that most consumers are tired, stressed and unconscious. They make too many decisions from convenience, taste or habit. This is a dangerous practice. Your future health is worth taking the time to check things out, ask questions, buy wisely and live a balanced lifestyle which includes wholesome natural foods, pure water, moderate exercise, good sleep, recreation, stress management exercises, pleasure, mental stimulation and something that feeds you spiritually.
Bottom line... be a conscious consumer. Don't believe the advertisers claims. Check things out by doing your own research or going to a health care professional. Your medical doctor has had only 12 hours or less of nutrition training in 8 years of medical school. Ask him/her questions appropriate to his/her training. Get several opinions from several professional nutritionists, naturopathic doctors, etc. And above all, use balance as your guiding principle in choosing your foods. For some reason Americans are extremists. We indulge in the strange law of excess: If a little is good for us then more must be better!" WRONG. Don't over use any food, beverage or activity if you want a healthy, balanced life.
Is soy really bad for us or is this another "tryptophan
scare"? Only time will tell. One more time, in case you
didn't get it yet, balance is the key to health. Excess
leads to imbalance. Moderation is a good thing! Wishing you
Health and Success! Dr. Joy
Joy Lasseter, Ph.D. is a Nutritionist,
Hypnotherapist, Author and Professional Speaker who
specializes in health and success programs. Dr. Joy's
speaking topics and health education products are listed on
her website at joyhealth.com. Her new book, Nutrition
Nuggets is available by mail order. Visit her website or
email her at webmail@joyhealth.com