By Underground Health Reporter

This is a FACT: Soy is not healthy for you.

Advertising has created a multi-billion dollar soy industry. But, have you stopped to question whether or not soy is actually healthy for you?

Soy is generally believed to be a “miracle food” and the general public has fallen for the claims completely.

But, did you know that 90% of soy grown in the U.S. has been genetically altered? (Stats provided by none other than the  U.S. Department of Agriculture.) These genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been proven by various studies to:

  • Increase your risk of developing allergies
  • Strengthen your resistance to antibiotics

All this before taking into account the harmful chemicals – such as aluminum – that food manufacturers use to process soy.

Fermented vs. Unfermented Soy

Ever heard of Kombucha tea?  It is a new wave of natural health drinks beneficial for gut flora that has earned its own placement in cold storage shelves in health food stores around the country.  The Asian have cornered the fermented products beyond Kombucha, including fermented soy, miso, natto, tamari, tempeh and soy sauce to add in their regular diets. The health benefits

of eating fermented foods such as these have been proven time and again in multiple research studies: rich in minerals, protective against some cancers, and easy to digest (among many other positive qualities).

Unfermented soy – commonly found in soy milk, cheese and burgers – is an entirely different ball game. If you see “made with soy” on a food package, then you have been fooled by food manufacturers to automatically believe that product is healthy for you. But, the only real “soy miracle” is how successfully unfermented soy products have capitalized on the advertising dollar, spawning a growing multi-billion dollar industry.

Unfermented soy not only lacks the advertised health benefits…soy is bad for you and completely dangerous.

The Whole Soy Story

We  have probably all been there and done that.  Bought soy. Ate soy. Fed soy to our children.  Now, our bodies – and our children’s bodies – are paying the price of dangerous unfermented soy.

Kaayla Daniel has written The Whole Soy Story, and references thousands of valid studies that link unfermented soy to:

  • Declining Brain Function
  • Digestive Disorders
  • Immune Deficiency
  • Increased Cancer Risk
  • Increased Risk of Heart Disease
  • Infertility & Early-Onset Puberty in Children
  • Malnutrition
  • Thyroid Malfunction

If you have the idea that soy is beneficial, then keep in mind studies that praise the health benefits of soy typically include fermented and unfermented soy products together. Don’t be tricked into believing that all “soy” will protect you from disease because the dangers of unfermented soy are real and could make you very sick.

A Mayo clinic study summed up soy in the most unbiased manner yet. Only 3 out of 34 supposed “benefits” of soy could be proven. Soy is a valid source of protein. Soy can help to lower cholesterol. Soy can inhibit diarrhea in infants who are sensitive to other formulas.

The rest of the health claims by soy lacks sufficient evidence to be conclusive.  Mayo suggest further research to prove these benefits. Nonetheless, soy growers have enjoyed the advertising claims and hype provided by the media over the last 20 years. After all, soy is a huge cash cow.

Top 3 Reasons to Avoid Unfermented Soy

Even with scientific evidence (or lack thereof) proving unfermented soy is dangerous, most people have not changed their minds about soy. Here are the top 3 reasons why you should avoid unfermented soy at all costs.

  • Goitrogen
    Somewhat common knowledge is the fact that soy can suppress normal thyroid functioning, disrupting your metabolism as a result. Who wants a slower metabolism???  An Isoflavone called Genistein, a Phytoestrogen found in soy, blocks your thyroid’s natural production of hormones and its ability to absorb nutrients. As a result, your damaged thyroid can cause weight gain, fatigue, menstruation irregularities and loss of cognitive function. If you take thyroid medication, soy interferes with its effectiveness – increasing your risk of thyroid complications.
  • Phytoestrogens
    Soy is higher in these plant-based estrogen’s called phytoestrogen than any other source. Phytoestrogens mimic true estrogen. The double whammy of estrogens and phytoestrogens in the body can result in breast cancer, decreased sexual desire, infertility and uterine fibroids. If you are feeding your infant soy formula, then he or she is getting up to the equivalent of 4 birth control pills each day. You wonder why early onset puberty has increased over the past 2 decades? Soy, that’s why!
  • Phytic Acid
    Unfermented soy is high in phytic acid, an anti-nutrient that lowers the absorption of minerals. Thus, unfermented soy has been linked to malnutrition.  Only fermented soy is digestible by the human body. The Asian cultures only adapted soy into their diet once they learned to ferment it! Plus, a typical Asian diet includes only 2 teaspoons of fermented soy each day, often paired with nutrient rich foods such as fish.

When soy is fermented, it destroys these “anti-nutrients” and is safe to eat in moderation.

Don’t believe the soy hype – or the “soy miracle.” Unfermented soy is dangerous! Mayo clinic’s advice for more conclusive studies about the far-reaching effects of soy should be taken by scientist and food advertisers. Only the soy producers stand behind soy consumption without reservation.

In the meantime, nourish your body with fermented soy only.  Why take that risk with your health?

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