It seems that controversy surrounds this little legume.   One one hand, some health advocates – especially among vegan communities – herald soy as a panacea for modern ills with claims that it heals heart disease, stops cancer, reduces hypertension and high cholesterol, increases fertility and successfully mitigates the symptoms of menopause; yet, further research into soy indicates that it isn’t all it’s hyped up to be.   Indeed, soy may actually be hurting our health more than we truly understand.   High in anti-nutrients and goitrogens, soy is highly allergenic, limits your ability to fully absorb nutrients in your food and contributes to hypothyroidism.   Diets high in soy – particularly soy protein isolate – can be particularly deleterious to overall health.

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Gregg outlines several other cases in which soy negatively impacted health of many people who’d bought into the soy industry’s claims.   In an excerpts from the Hidden Dangers of Soy, sufferers outline their stories:

“I thought I was very healthy, and I live a healthy lifestyle (I never smoked, no alcohol, exercise frequently, low stress.) I’m 35 and have been a vegetarian for 25 years. I always eaten lots of soy, and increased my intake significantly the last 2 years because of increased physical activity (to ensure I received adequate protein). 5 years ago, my doctor noticed my thyroid was enlarged, but functioning normally. Now it’s grown larger and I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. My preliminary research leads me to believe that soy was the cause of the thyroid enlargement and the   subsequent cancer.”

“I am a 31 year old female and have always been healthy and fit. Last year, I thought I needed more protein (I suppose hearing all of the Atkins hype) and since I am not much of a meat eater, I started eating soy protein bars, such as Luna, and ‘meatless’ burgers. After only two weeks, I fell ill. I was completely exhausted, mentally foggy, and felt like I couldn’t breathe. Just walking up the stairs made my heart race. I went to the doctor, and my blood work showed hypothyroid. The doctor asked me to come back for another test to determine the dosage of the thyroid medication that he intended to put me on. I found several articles telling of the dangers of soy and the effects it can have on the thyroid. I tossed out all of the soy stuff and within a few days, I felt 100% better. And when I went back several days later for the second blood test, guess what? Thyroid   function was completely normal. I truly believe that the soy products are what caused the problem. I no longer eat soy products and I’ve been fine.”

“I was fed on soy formulas as an infant, and I have been a vegetarian for 40 years. For 30 years, I have had soy products as a source of protein, thinking that I was doing the right thing. Now I have severe hypothyroidism, and the clinical picture is not yet complete. I have more tests to take. I have battled a weight problem for ten years, and I now know why. I am angry about this soy deception!”

Like much of the industrial food complex which interweaves business, farming and government, the soy industry is rife with insidious dealings that line the pockets of businessmen and politicians while neglecting soy consumption’s full impact on the health of the American public.   In a particularly egregious example, Archer Daniels Midland combined forces with impeached Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich to convert the diet of Illinois prisoners to one based heavily on soy protein isolate.   The diet caused severe illness in Illinois prisons.   (Read more about how the soy-based diet sickened Illinois prisoners).   In the Hidden Dangers of Soy, Gregg discusses the soy industry and just how soy wove its way into virtually every processed food on the market today.

When it comes to soy, there are strong financial incentives by companies like Monsanto, Cargill Foods, Soylife, and the many soybean councils that represent the farmers who grow this crop. It’s cheap and very profitable. The production of soybeans is 40 times more now than it was starting in the 20th century.

“Soy Serves Up Healthy Benefits” will get your attention. It made me a believer through all the advertising. It’s often marketed as a low-fat, dairy-free,
or a high protein meat substitute for vegetarians. It’s also disguised in everything from hamburgers, hot dogs, baby formula, flour, and much more. They say soy foods are a source of high-quality protein that provides health benefits that may help to prevent or treat certain chronic diseases. This is definitely not so for someone with a severe allergy to soy – like me. I bring this to your attention because even though you may not be allergic to soy, it makes sense to me to look for healthier alternatives.

Hopefully a much-needed wake-up call to the American consumer and a source of information and soy-alternatives for those who’ve already begun to feel the negative impacts of soy on one’s health, the Hidden Dangers of Soy provides a fresh look at soy, its impact on our food system and our bodies. The Hidden Dangers of Soy is available on Dianne Gregg’s website   HiddenSoy.com and on Amazon.com

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