By Karen Aney (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: November 23, 2011
Soy: Known as soya across the pond, it’s a term often associated with people who wear Birkenstocks and need haircuts. However, it’s more prevalent in our diets than most people realize – especially in North America. Yet, studies have shown that it’s not necessarily all that great for our health.
What is soy? It comes from the soybean (or soya bean), which is a legume. It can be consumed in the form of the bean itself, as a grain and also as an oilseed. It’s an inexpensive source of protein that also mimics the effect of estrogens in the human body fairly well.
According to the website www.soystats.com, North America accounts for 36 per cent of the world’s total production of soy. Only four per cent of that comes from Canada. This adds up to the United States being responsible for 70.4 million metric tons of soy. That’s 70,400,000,000 kg. To put that in perspective, UFV’s collective student body only weighs about 1,235,680 kg. That’s a lot of zeros.
Perhaps more importantly, the increased cost of food in North America can be directly correlated with the increased cost of soy. According to the Agricultural Statistics Board, soybeans that cost $4 in 2002 cost $12 in 2008. The price has only gone higher since then. Because soy is used to feed agricultural creatures, the price rises across the board: milk, eggs, bread – soy is the root of it all.
The disconnect in perception comes from the fact that many people don’t realize the prevalence of soy in our diets. Much of the soy produced in North America is used to feed animals that we eat every day: cows, chickens, even salmon. This is why upscale restaurants and some grocery stores talk up their “grain fed” (etc) meats; soy, while it contains the dietary protein necessary for animal growth, does not encourage a healthy meat.
One aspect of the health concerns regarding soy products is the fact that Canada does not legally require companies to label their food products if they contain genetically modified soy. Many studies have been shown to demonstrate the dangers of genetically modified soy; increased risk of cancer, rats with damaged immune systems, and reduced cognitive function are principal among the negative results.
A further risk is to infants. The first aspect of this risk is the prevalence of soy allergies among infants; though most outgrow it around the age of three months, Health Canada warns that severe soy allergies can last for the remainder of their lives and even be fatal. Another risk is demonstrated in a study conducted by the Kyoto University of Medicine in 1999, which found that a diet with a heavy soy component was causally connected with an increased risk for childhood leukemia.
Further studies have been conducted that associate soy intake with a variety of health problems for adults. One such study conducted by the National Institute on Aging in the USA found increased instances of cognitive issues: “poor cognitive test performance, enlargement of ventricles and low brain weight were each significantly and independently associated with higher midlife tofu consumption.” While these statistics reflected the male sample group most strongly, females were also affected.
Health Canada recognizes many of the health benefits of soy; on their website, they even have a power point presentation regarding the scientific reasoning behind their positive claims. Among these stances are that soy “may reduce severe and frequent menopausal symptoms”, and is integral to a healthy lifestyle for females in their childhood and adolescence. However, it outlines many of the risks as well: it can be dangerous to those with heart problems, causes increased risk of breast cancer, liver issues and blood pressure difficulties. One of the studies cited by Health Canada shows that these health risks are not statistically viable in Asian countries; this suggests that the increased intake of soy in North America is the cause of the danger.
So what’s the take away? Soy itself isn’t all that dangerous. Drinking soy milk a few times a week, having a tofu stir fry – these things aren’t going to give you cancer or reduce cognitive function. The problem is in the extra soy we consume. It pops up in unexpected places: chewing gum, candy, chocolate, microwave dinners, processed meats – it’s a long list. To keep an eye on your soy intake, check ingredient labels carefully. Apart from the obvious (soy, tofu, etc), soy can be listed under names such as kinako, kouridofu, miso, mono-diglyceride, natto, nimame, okara, and yuba. More importantly? Birkenstocks in winter can cause frostbite. Stay healthy, readers.
