Soy: A broad consideration A look into the health and environmental affects of soy foods.

What is a soy bean? A legume! Native to East Asia Versatile crop with a wide range of uses Has been used and cultivated for 5,000 years - very different today.

What is in soy? Flavonoids - Antioxidant with many positive health effects - found in soy beans as well as other plants.

Phytoestrogens Also found in soy can act like the hormone estrogen could change the production and/or breakdown of reproductive hormones such as estrogen

Where is soy? Everywhere! Similar to corn in that it has become a substitute and additive for many products. Soy milk, soy oil, soy baby formula, tofu, temphe, soy protein bars, in tuna fish cans etc.

Some of the Issues Soy becomes a food allergen Soy beans have become GMOs Heavy use of pesticides Processing of soy changes the nutritional quality Estrogen mimic Threat to the thyroid

Soy as a food allergen Soy is one of the top 8 foods that cause allergies. Milk Eggs Peanuts Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts) Fish (such as bass, cod, flounder) Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp) Soy, especially in children Wheat

Proportions Soy has been consumed historically in much smaller quantities FDA says 25 grams is healthy According to a Cornell study traditionally Japanese consume 8 gram/day -men 7 gram/day -women

Genetic Modification Soy beans have become a cash crop Modified to increase sustainability and yields Over 90% of soy beans are genetically modified

Processing of soy The process includes heating and chemically treating in aluminum vats, which leach Neutralized in an alkalaline bath Toxic Lysinoalanine is created during this process The curds are then spray dried at high temperatures to create SPI.  (Soy Isolated Protein)

Fermentation Fermented soy is much healthier During fermentation soy is cultured with beneficial bacteria Aids digestion Enhances minerals Medical benefits - intestinal flora

Soy as an estrogen mimic Members of the flavonoid class of phytochemicals have been demonstrated to possess estrogenic activity systems. Male development - development may never take place Female development - alarming number of girls are entering puberty much earlier than normal

Thyroid FDA's Soy Experts Speak Out Against Soy "there is abundant evidence that some of the isoflavones found in soy, including genistein and equol, a metabolize of daidzen, demonstrate toxicity in estrogen sensitive tissues and in the thyroid. This is true for a number of species, including humans. “ http://thyroid.about.com/cs/soyinfo/a/soy.htm

Thyroid health ensures hormone health The thyroid can influence how sensitive the body should be to other hormones

Soy and our environment Threat to biodiversity Spraying of pesticides Soy as a mono crop

Pesticides Spraying of pesticides puts synthetic chemicals onto the food and into the environment

Pesticide Use To ensure proper yields, fields are heavily sprayed We already know pesticides are synthetic chemicals --> endocrine disrupters Pesticides pose a threat to human health and the health of the environment.

Biodiversity Environmental concerns because of the high concentration of biodiversity Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay constitute 44% of the world’s soy production

Mono crops Mono cropped soy beans produce higher yields than intercropped soybeans in some instances Mono cropping is intensive on the soil

Take home messages All things in moderation Soy is not bad in all instances, but it’s also not a miracle food Eat unprocessed or fermented soy products in small quantities