Soy: Health Food Turned Toxic

Soy has long purported to be the perfect health food. For years it was touted as a great alternative for those looking for healthy, fat-free dishes. The versatile soybean can be transformed from a bean grown in a farmer’s field to everything from meat to ice cream and milk.

Because it’s inexpensive, soy has been seen as a great go-to food source to end hunger in impoverished nations.

Likewise, health nuts in more affluent nations have found it a trendy alternative to otherwise natural food sources when trying to look fitter.

The Truth
The truth is that soybeans, when processed into various soy products, can have harmful effects and should be avoided by those who are working towards health. Here are five reasons why:

Soy can weaken your bones and stunt your child’s growth.
Soy has a high content of antioxidants called phytates. These compounds can block the absorption of minerals used to produce strong bones. These include calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. When phytates increase to high levels in a child, they create growth problems that can be difficult to reverse. Cooking, sprouting, washing, soaking, or even processing soybeans does not diminish the phytate levels prior to ingestion.

Soy can be bad for your heart.
One of the longest held beliefs is that soy and its processed byproducts are great alternatives for those looking to improve cardiovascular health. During the low-fat/low-cholesterol craze of the 80s and 90s, those looking to get their hands on a healthy “burger” turned to soy. However, soy contains hemagglutinin, a compound that causes red blood cells to become sticky. As the red blood cells stick together, they form gelatinous masses that can compromise blood flow and increase cardiovascular stress. This stress can create problems similar to atherosclerosis, the same condition consumers were trying to prevent.

Soy could create Attention Deficit Disorder.
Because of its cheap processing costs, soy is often used in baby formula. Soy-based baby formulas have been linked to ADD. Theoretically, this could be caused by two problems. The first is that these soy-based formulas are practically devoid of brain enhancing Omega-3 fats when compared to breast milk. The second is that these formulations contain 80 times the manganese of breast milk. Manganese is a known neurotoxin in high doses.

Our next blog post will include more truths about soy and some things to keep in mind at the grocery store to help you keep soy out of your diet.

[CORE] Chiropractic and Wellness Center, we are committed helping our patients prevent disease and achieve their health and performance goals. We do this by educating our patients with cutting-edge health and nutrition information and providing the best in chiropractic and soft tissue treatment. If you are looking for a chiropractor in the greater Roanoke, Virginia area, look no further than [CORE]. Call us today!