"Not since Jack traded the family cow for a handful of magic beans has there been a more masterful sales job perpetrated on unsuspecting consumers."

"Soylent Green is people!" Those were the last lines uttered by Charlton Heston's character from the 1973 science fiction movie, Soylent Green. The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where only the rich get to eat real food while everyone else has to make due with unattractive tasteless soy-based food chips. In the movie, Soylent Green is a favorite among the starving populace. It isn't until the end of the movie that we discover that soylent green is actually manufactured from the remains of the dead.

I screened this movie recently for the first time in over two decades and marveled at the spooky similarity between the prevalence of soy in the movie and the ever increasing ubiquity of soy products today. Just about everyone eats soy whether they realize it or not. Many modern processed foods, perhaps up to 50% of them, include some type of soy in their ingredient list. A can of Campbell's Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup, for instance, lists 'soy protein isolate' among its ingredients. Soy is also concealed in many fast food items and has become a common 'stealth' ingredient in many public school lunch programs. Soy is a chameleon food in that it can be all things to all people, from soy based baby formula to protein shakes for bodybuilders to soy hamburgers, hotdogs and even soy ribs.

Conventional wisdom among many dietary experts is that eating soy is good for you. It has been touted as a miracle crop that is low in fat and cholesterol. Vegetarians love soy as it can be engineered into a reasonable facsimile of meat and is thought to provide the protein that vegetarians would otherwise be lacking. The list of health claims credited to soy include: maintainence of bone density, lowering of blood pressure and cholesterol, an aid in healthy weight maintenance, and for those otherwise healthy men with wispy hair, a preventative treatment for baldness. Hallelujah Hosannah, a versatile food that is inexpensive to produce, cures cancer and precludes the need for hair plugs must surely be a gift from the gods--or is it?

Once regarded as lightweight fare for the fairer sex, soy products have been aggressively marketed to men by the American Soybean Association and companies like Archer Daniels Midland. All the good news about soy sounds great, but how much of it is true? What you may not know is that the story of soy has a darker chapter that isn't nearly as cheerful as the stories that appear in the popular media. There are studies that hint at serious health problems associated with soy consumption. Even some of soy's defenders temper their endorsement by noting that "further research needs to be done" or that, "the jury's still out" when it comes to soy.

Soybeans were introduced to North America around 1765. US farmers began growing soybeans in large quantities around 1829. During the Civil War, soybeans were brewed and substituted for coffee when coffee beans were scarce. By the late 1800s, the cheap easy to grow soybean was grown as feed for foraging cattle. In the early 1900s, William Morse, a scientist with the USDA tested cultivars of soybeans at the Arlington Farm in Virginia and spent his career in the study and nurturing of the soybean. Agricultural chemist, George Washington Carver of the Tuskegee Institute turned his attention to soybeans as well and shed light on the unrealized economic potential of the humble bean.

During World War II, the United States turned to the use of soybean oil to offset the reduction in imported edible oils as a result of the war. Soybeans were used in the production of glycerin, a common ingredient in soaps, shampoos, pharmaceuticals and, oh yes, nitroglycerin. The US soon became a major exporter of soybeans and associated products, cranking out millions of bushels per year. By the 1950s, the nation's poultry and livestock never had to ask, "what's for dinner," as soybeans in the form of animal feed, had become a chief dietary staple on farms and ranches across the country.

Today soy is a primary dietary component of animals and people alike. Pigs, chickens, turkeys, cattle, sheep and even fish are all raised on a diet supplemented with soy. Humans get their soy in margarine, salad oils, dressings, soups, baked goods, fast foods and a growing number of processed convenience foods. Fields of soybeans cover millions of acres of farmland in the US and around the world, while the soy industry, a multi billion dollar enterprise, grows stronger everyday as the demand for soy products increases. Soy has many supporters and is often touted by vegetarians as the perfect food that can reduce reliance on beef and, they claim, the deforestation that is the result of cattle raising. Ironically, Brazil, fast becoming a competitor to the US for overall soybean production, is losing precious rainforest to grow soybeans. While, much of the output from Brazil's soy fields will undoubtedly end up as animal feed, it is equally likely that some of those vegetarian entrees at the grocery store came at the cost of a rainforest.

Soybeans are naturally toxic and contain antinutrients that can cause serious health problems. They should never be consumed raw which is why the Chinese avoided soybean consumption until after development of the fermentation process. Average consumption of soy in China today amounts to about two teaspoons, far lower than what most soy loving Americans eat. Fermented soy products, like soy sauce, miso and tempeh may be safe if consumed in small quantities (about 10 grams). Unfortunately, many people consume soy in amounts far higher because there are so many highly processed unfermented soy products available and soy is hidden in many products where you might not expect to find it.

The reasons for and against the consumption of soy would fill several books so what should you believe? One problem is that much of the research conducted on soy has been commissioned by organizations and companies with an economic stake in soybean production. It is not surprising then that this research often results in positives reports. Other research hints at serious problems associated with soy consumption. A short list of these problems include:

• Animal studies that resulted in infertility in study subjects
• Reduced cognitive abilities associated with the phytoestrogens found in soy
• Vitamin D and B12 deficiencies
• Precocious puberty (premature sexual development) in young females
• Stunted sexual development in young males
• The potential for breast cancer and infertility in women

Soy is a potent source of isoflavones that mimic the effects of estrogen, a female hormone. These isoflavones have been linked to thyroid problems that include weight gain and persistent fatigue. According to a University study, men who were subjected to mega-doses of soy experienced breast enlargement, nipple discharge (got milk?) and a reduction in testosterone production. In a statement that I'm certain wasn't meant to be funny, one of the researchers is quoted saying, "But we still couldn't find anything that was serious." Reading this, I couldn't help but pity the study participants, those poor guys who were no doubt grimly contemplating a future with their newly sprouted soy-breasts. All kidding aside, I think most men would consider soy-induced demasculinisation rather serious indeed. What I found to be particularly troubling about this article was that it never defined how much soy constitutes a 'mega-dose'.

With the popularity of soy milk as a replacement for mother's milk and cow's milk, the introduction to soy, for many, comes at a time when they are most vulnerable, as infants. Because of their smaller size babies are disproportionately affected by the phytoestrogens in soy formula that can lead to a host of disorders. Curiously, in New Zealand, soy feed has been shown to speed up sexual development in birds raised for the commercial pet market. This was, at first, considered an advantage by some until bird breeders began to notice that soy-fed birds developed serious disorders and suffered shorter life spans. Can soy formula yield the same results in children? The American Academy of Pediatrics has taken a wait and see position on phytoestrogen laced soy formula, preferring to wait for the results of a number of studies designed to address the issue.

Let's dispense with all the scientific chatter, for and against soy, for a moment and instead, lets examine corporate behavior. The tobacco industry and the Enrons and Worldcoms of our time prove that greed, avarice and the capacity for deception within the corporate community have no limits. A cursory examination of food advertising targeted at young children suggests that the food industry is no exception in this regard. Soy has enjoyed a stellar reputation because of the millions of dollars spent funding positive research, crafting powerful promotional messages for the public and purchasing access to elected officials.

Given the option of continuing to produce soy meal for animal feed or expand the market for soy products into the human population, with the promise of untold millions in added revenue, which route do you think the soy industry chose? But how do you get Americans to eat something as bland and unappealing as tofu? Promoters of soy solved this problem by positioning soy as an upscale product for the affluent class. They knew that mainstream American's in their efforts to "keep up with the Jones'" would follow along and follow they did. At the same time, the foods that sustained our grandparents, like milk, meat and animal fat were repositioned as unhealthy. Soy became the trendy new substitute for these nutritious offerings. One of the chief benefits to the industry for engineering this change in the foods America eats is that raising livestock is an expensive proposition. By comparison, growing soybeans is an inexpensive proposition.

>Telling Americans that soy was a healthy food was a good start, but not good enough. The industry knew it needed proof and so millions have been poured into soy research which, not surprisingly has yielded mostly positive news. According to an article written by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, PhD, published in the 2000 April-May issue of Nexus Magazine, "All soybean producers pay a mandatory assessment of one-half to one percent of the net market price of soybeans. The total-something like eighty million dollars annually-supports United Soybean's program to "strengthen the position of soybeans in the market place and maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets for uses for soybeans and soybean products." In sum total, soy products represent a veritable gold mine of revenue.

Soy research is often conducted by scientists who have financial ties to the industry. Conflicts of interest within the scientific community, in general, are out of control as it has become difficult to find top-tier scientists who don't have a hand, or two, in the cookie jar of a corporate benefactor. Even the National Institutes of Health has admitted in an embarrassing public confession that some of their own researchers have failed to properly report their financial ties to industry.

The irony is that despite soy's reputation as a health food, many of the processed soy products that we consume are little more than high caloric junk, loaded with additives, unhealthy fats, and mounds of sugar--the very things we were supposedly trying to avoid. Soy is undoubtedly profitable. Is it any wonder then that if there is bad news about soy the industry would seek to bury it beneath a barrage of positive research results. When you consider the millions upon millions garnered in revenue by the soy product producers, does anyone really expect this industry to derail the gravy train and publicly address the health issues related to soy?

For a time, this was my mantra, but ultimately, my personal experience with soy has not been especially good. Besides the effort expended learning to like the taste of tofu, the soy products I purchased in the quest for good health were generally more expensive than the foods they substituted. Upon reflection, I can't help but wonder if some of my weight gain, lethargy and past health problems were, at least in part, attributable to soy. I ate mountains of the stuff in the form of fake soy foods like burgers, hotdogs and even tofu straight from the package. I believed I was doing the right thing for my health and the health of my family. The problem is that we weren't very healthy. The more soy and low fat foods I ate, the more weight I gained. And even when I did lose weight, I simply gained it back.

Today is different. I no longer consume soy products or processed convenience foods that contain soy, so unless they're adding it to bottled water, I am 100% soy free. The difference between now and then is that I'm healthier, stronger, thinner and happier than I ever was as a "soy disposal unit." Are things better for me because I've exorcised soy from my diet? Maybe. What I do know for sure is that soy certainly didn't help me get where I am today, so you do the math.

We live in a marketplace where a culture of radical economic fundamentalism begets "profit at all costs" business practices. We exist in a world where esteemed scientists jump at the chance to sell their names, their reputations and their souls, in Faustian bargains, to the highest bidder. We are inundated with calls from the food industry propaganda machine to take personal responsibility for our health while they pimp junk food to our children then disavow any corporate responsibility for their actions. In such a place, a double dose of skepticism about the health claims of soy and other miracle foods is more than warranted.

If you choose to consume soy, it should be a decision based on all of the available information, not just what the soy cartel wants you to know. Just in case you may be missing some of that information, I have provided a couple of resources that may serve as points of enlightenment.

Be skeptical, ask questions, read and think so that you may live better lives.

www.soyonlineservice.co.nz
www.westonaprice.org/soy/index.html .................................................................................................................................
The information contained herein represents the sole opinion of the author and should not be construed as medical advice. Readers should consult with a knowledgeable medical care provider before beginning any new diet or exercise program.