Is soy bad for you? How to cut out Soy from your vegan diet?

Due to the controversy over Soy and Soy- Based products, Vegan Soy milk has changed its name to Vegan Sphere and will stop using Soy in its recipes!

Soy is big business, very big business

Do not let big companies control your health! 

What is soy?

 

 Products made from soy come from the soybean, which is a type of bean (legume) just like lentils or peas! Soy has been used in Asia for thousands of years, and today is also a very important crop in many other places around the world, including the U.S. Soy is popular for lots of reasons, including being affordable and providing a healthy serving of protein! 

As a protein source, soybean products are promoted as a healthier alternative to meat and as an aid to weight loss. Soy products are also used to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and to relieve symptoms of menopause and osteoporosis. Soy protein in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol is also promoted as a method to help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Soy is found in many food that is why it is so hard to avoid it.

Risks and environmental impact:

Soy is connected to: Amazon deforestation, heavy pesticide use, and genetic modification.
It increases estrogen production ( as a woman, you do not need to increase that! ) and reduces thyroid function

1. Soybeans contain large quantities of natural toxins or “antinutrients”. First among them are potent enzyme inhibitors that block the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed for protein digestion.
2. These inhibitors are not deactivated during cooking & processing.  Test animals fed these inhibitors developed enlargement and pathological conditions of the pancreas, including cancer.
3. Soybeans also contain haemagglutinin, a clot-promoting substance that causes red blood cells to clump together.
4. 99% of soy is genetically modified and it among the highest contamination by pesticides of any of our foods.
5. Soybeans are high in phytic acid, a substance that blocks the uptake of the essential minerals calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc, in the intestinal tract.
6. Soy products contain high levels of aluminum, leached from the aluminum tanks in which they are acid washed and processed at high temperatures.
7. Nitrites, which are potent carcinogens, are formed during the spray-drying of soy.
8. Soy Protein Isolates, which are shown to enlarge the pancreas and thyroid and increase fatty acid deposits in the liver.
9. Soy contains toxic isoflavones.
10. Soy foods have a high concentration of goitrogens which block production of thyroid hormones.
    

For a full comprehensive piece on the dangers of soy check out this article by Sally Fallon & Mary G. Enig ph.D.
For vegans it might seems tough to cut out soy considering that Tofu, soymilk, soy cheese, soy whatever are the staples of their diet. However, there are many alternatives such as:

- Seitan

-  Beans

- Rice milk, rice cheese, cashew milk, almond milk, almond cheese

-  Coconut Milk, Coconut yogurt

-  Nuts and Seeds ( cashew cheese, cashew paté)

- hemp burger

- eggplant/zucchini burger

- Vegan pasta

- Cereals

- Protein rich veggies

- And lots of other stuff!

                                                                                         

       

                      

So it is possible to be a soy-free vegan!