The humble soybean, a staple of Asian cuisine for centuries, has made significant inroads among health conscious consumers in the West.
Soy food products also form the nutritional foundation for many vegetarians who have ethical qualms about eating flesh or who simply wish to spiritualize the body.
Soy is a nutrient-rich food that contains all of the essential amino acids required by our bodies, making it a complete protein.
Soy foods are high in fiber with no cholesterol.
In addition to the many vitamins and minerals, soy foods also contain phytochemical compounds (such as isoflavones) that have been linked to numerous health benefits.
Notably, the isoflavones in soy lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and decrease blood clotting which decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Research at the University of Illinois suggests that soy consumption can help prevent two of the biggest complications facing people with type 2 diabetes (kidney disease and heart disease).
Soy foods are thought to enhance the body's ability to retain and absorb calcium in the bones, helping to prevent osteoporosis.
One of the popular uses for soy foods and supplements in recent years is the alleviation of menopausal symptoms.
The isoflavones in soy may help regulate estrogen when this hormone is fluctuating and declining.
There are reports that soy may also decrease PMS symptoms.
Soy-based foods have been extremely helpful for persons with lactose intolerance.
Lactose intolerance results from the inability of the body to digest a sugar called lactose that is present in milk and dairy products.
The American Dietetic Association estimates that between thirty and fifty million Americans are lactose intolerant.
Symptoms of this common malady include abdominal gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
Since soy does not contain lactose, soy-based dairy substitutes prevent these annoying digestive problems.
Soy Questions The soy-foods' bandwagon has hit a couple of road bumps lately.
Research at the University of Illinois suggests that the well-documented health benefits of soy consumption in Asian cultures may be largely lost by processing techniques used in the West.
In particular, the cancer-fighting qualities of soy may not only be absent in Western soy-based foods and supplements, but the highly processed soy products may actually stimulate the growth of preexisting estrogen-dependent breast tumors.
The troubling research was performed on mice and is therefore inconclusive with regard to humans.
Previous research by a team of Dutch scientists also highlighted the differences between highly processed soy foods and more natural dietary soy foods that are traditionally consumed in Asia.
The Dutch study did not go as far as suggesting that processed soy products could be a risk factor for tumor growth.
Edgar Cayce on Soy Edgar Cayce discussed soy-based foods in fifteen readings given for individuals of all ages.
The readings affirm that soy is the best substitute for meat (257-252).
One of the prominent themes in this group of readings is the importance of each individual's response to soy.
For example, when asked whether a thirteen year- old girl should drink soy milk and not cow's milk, Cayce stated that this should be governed by the child's own appetite.
He noted that at times soy milk "does not work well with other influences.
" He went on to say that if there was a desire for soy milk in preference to cow's milk, the system would balance itself out (1206-9).
A nine-year-old girl was told that soy milk was not preferable to cow's milk.
Follow-up readings one and two years later were more favorable toward soy milk, eventually stating that drinking soy milk "part of the time as we find is excellent.
" (1179-7) Perhaps the girl's digestive system had changed during that span so as to better assimilate the soy milk.
The theme of individuality was also present in readings for an eight-year old boy who was told that, "For this body, it would be very well" to substitute soy milk for cow's milk (1188-7, italics added).
Two other readings for children (2153-2 and 1206-11) recommended soy milk.
A couple of curious readings for adults suggest another peculiar aspect of soy food digestion related to lifestyle.
A forty-eight-year-old woman struggling with menopause asked if she should drink soy milk.
Cayce responded, "This will depend much upon the activities of the body.
If there is sufficient of the energies used for physical activities to make same more easily assimilated, it is well.
If these energies are used for activities which are more mental than physical, it would not be so well.
" (1158-18) Clearly, this reading may be relevant to women considering soy products for relief of menopausal symptoms.
A similar sentiment was present in reading 340-31 given for a forty-seven year- old woman who asked whether she should alternate soy bean bread with whole wheat.
Cayce replied, "Soy Bean bread is wholesome for certain characters and conditions; provided the body is to be out in the open, very active, fiery or dictatorial, then eat Soy Bean bread! But if it is to remain indoors, with more of the normal temperamental reactions, leave it off!" This woman had a longstanding problem with "spastic colitis" which we now call irritable bowel syndrome.
These two latter examples suggest that being physically active may be essential for the proper assimilation of soy foods for some individuals.
If including soy foods in your diet makes sense to you, here are some soy choices that you can consider:
Soy food products also form the nutritional foundation for many vegetarians who have ethical qualms about eating flesh or who simply wish to spiritualize the body.
Soy is a nutrient-rich food that contains all of the essential amino acids required by our bodies, making it a complete protein.
Soy foods are high in fiber with no cholesterol.
In addition to the many vitamins and minerals, soy foods also contain phytochemical compounds (such as isoflavones) that have been linked to numerous health benefits.
Notably, the isoflavones in soy lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and decrease blood clotting which decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Research at the University of Illinois suggests that soy consumption can help prevent two of the biggest complications facing people with type 2 diabetes (kidney disease and heart disease).
Soy foods are thought to enhance the body's ability to retain and absorb calcium in the bones, helping to prevent osteoporosis.
One of the popular uses for soy foods and supplements in recent years is the alleviation of menopausal symptoms.
The isoflavones in soy may help regulate estrogen when this hormone is fluctuating and declining.
There are reports that soy may also decrease PMS symptoms.
Soy-based foods have been extremely helpful for persons with lactose intolerance.
Lactose intolerance results from the inability of the body to digest a sugar called lactose that is present in milk and dairy products.
The American Dietetic Association estimates that between thirty and fifty million Americans are lactose intolerant.
Symptoms of this common malady include abdominal gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
Since soy does not contain lactose, soy-based dairy substitutes prevent these annoying digestive problems.
Soy Questions The soy-foods' bandwagon has hit a couple of road bumps lately.
Research at the University of Illinois suggests that the well-documented health benefits of soy consumption in Asian cultures may be largely lost by processing techniques used in the West.
In particular, the cancer-fighting qualities of soy may not only be absent in Western soy-based foods and supplements, but the highly processed soy products may actually stimulate the growth of preexisting estrogen-dependent breast tumors.
The troubling research was performed on mice and is therefore inconclusive with regard to humans.
Previous research by a team of Dutch scientists also highlighted the differences between highly processed soy foods and more natural dietary soy foods that are traditionally consumed in Asia.
The Dutch study did not go as far as suggesting that processed soy products could be a risk factor for tumor growth.
Edgar Cayce on Soy Edgar Cayce discussed soy-based foods in fifteen readings given for individuals of all ages.
The readings affirm that soy is the best substitute for meat (257-252).
One of the prominent themes in this group of readings is the importance of each individual's response to soy.
For example, when asked whether a thirteen year- old girl should drink soy milk and not cow's milk, Cayce stated that this should be governed by the child's own appetite.
He noted that at times soy milk "does not work well with other influences.
" He went on to say that if there was a desire for soy milk in preference to cow's milk, the system would balance itself out (1206-9).
A nine-year-old girl was told that soy milk was not preferable to cow's milk.
Follow-up readings one and two years later were more favorable toward soy milk, eventually stating that drinking soy milk "part of the time as we find is excellent.
" (1179-7) Perhaps the girl's digestive system had changed during that span so as to better assimilate the soy milk.
The theme of individuality was also present in readings for an eight-year old boy who was told that, "For this body, it would be very well" to substitute soy milk for cow's milk (1188-7, italics added).
Two other readings for children (2153-2 and 1206-11) recommended soy milk.
A couple of curious readings for adults suggest another peculiar aspect of soy food digestion related to lifestyle.
A forty-eight-year-old woman struggling with menopause asked if she should drink soy milk.
Cayce responded, "This will depend much upon the activities of the body.
If there is sufficient of the energies used for physical activities to make same more easily assimilated, it is well.
If these energies are used for activities which are more mental than physical, it would not be so well.
" (1158-18) Clearly, this reading may be relevant to women considering soy products for relief of menopausal symptoms.
A similar sentiment was present in reading 340-31 given for a forty-seven year- old woman who asked whether she should alternate soy bean bread with whole wheat.
Cayce replied, "Soy Bean bread is wholesome for certain characters and conditions; provided the body is to be out in the open, very active, fiery or dictatorial, then eat Soy Bean bread! But if it is to remain indoors, with more of the normal temperamental reactions, leave it off!" This woman had a longstanding problem with "spastic colitis" which we now call irritable bowel syndrome.
These two latter examples suggest that being physically active may be essential for the proper assimilation of soy foods for some individuals.
If including soy foods in your diet makes sense to you, here are some soy choices that you can consider:
- Choose natural soy products thatare processed as little as possible.
- Pay attention to your body's individualresponse to soy foods.
- Include soy as part of a broadlybalanced diet with emphasis on fruits andvegetables.
- Make outdoor exercise a part ofyour lifestyle as much as reasonably possible.
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