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  Posted by Tom at 08/14/08 06:29:00

  The vast majority of the anti-soy websites are run and promoted by rabidly anti-vegetarian organizations such as weston price foundation, mercola and others. Most of whom are connected in one way or another and all of whom promote the consumption of animal parts and fluids, which are far more damaging than soy could ever be. That said, enjoying a wide variety of plant foods is always best, not just soy products. Here in our home we enjoy an ever revolving variety of soymilk, almond milk, hemp milk, oat milk and rice milk. All of which are tasty and nutritious in their own unique ways. We also enjoy a wide variety of veggie-meats such as soy burgers, rice burgers, oat burgers, seed & nut (sunshine) burgers, wheat-meats such as Field Roast, etc. Almost all soymilks and tofu are now organic, which is optimal. Concerning the estrogen argument, plant estrogens are about 1,000 times weaker than average human estrogens, and are actually thought to be far more helpful than hurtful in many ways, since they do mimic our bodily estrogen but are much less powerful. Generations of children have been raised on soy formula, with nothing but positive results. Far healthier than cow formula, which is designed for baby cows. It is only over the last decade, with the massive transition of so many folks towards becoming vegetarian and vegan, and soy products being a perfect stepping stone away from animal products, that the pro-meat/dairy interests have launched these attempts at fearmongering the public away from soy products, in hopes that folks will either continue or resume their consumption of animal parts/fluids. It's the industry's last stand of sorts, as the tides of positive, compassionate and sustainable change are rapidly rising against them and they know it. Unless one has an allergy to them, soy products in moderation are perfectly fine, variety is key.

  
  
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  Posted by kindlizard at 08/16/08 23:11:12

  although, tom, unless you are a woman with a history of hormonal problems, you may not have the appropriate background....
  
  many women w breast cancer issues are strongly advised to NOT eat soy, even by naturopaths (who generally don't endorse the beef council)

  
  
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  Posted by Tom at 08/21/08 10:40:26

  kindlizard, I was responding to mostlyvegan's mention of websites condemning soy, the majority of which are definitely run by anti-veg pro-meat organizations, which may or may not have any connection to the national beef council. Smaller scale farmers who raise and kill animals for profit are also a part of the industry as a whole. I've encountered some of those naturopaths who have been snared and influenced by some of these "natural-sounding" organizations and their scary literature. While condemning soy they turn around and gobble down bacon, sausage & cheese pizzas (I've watched it), and encourage others to consume animal parts and fluids, whether raw, organic, grass-fed, or whatever. Just speaking from personal experience and encounters. I am not a doctor, but have been doing my best to keep up with all angles of the soy debate for a number of years now and it definitely seems that every time some form of anti-soy hype hits the radar it is almost always being propagated by those groups or their disciples. Not a conspiracy theorist, just keeping tabs on things. I've also heard from people who've had breast cancer in the past and had their doctors recommend not eating soy, yet do not discourage them from consuming animal protein, which is a proven cancer-igniter, indicating that they most likely are not thoroughly informed on the nutritional aspect of the issue. It always circles back to the point that asian women, who have a regular, though not excessive, intake of soy products, have a far lower incidence of breast cancer than do western cultures where soy consumption is much lower.
  Sorting through the information and the misinformation. The one seemingly solid soy fact that all sides agree on is to avoid taking soy supplement pills, as they are just such an excessive amount that is definitely an overload to the human body.
  
  

  
  
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  Posted by kindlizard at 08/21/08 18:27:19

  I know of naturopaths that eat vegan, take herbs, and such... not the ones you mention.
  
  I know of vegan women with those issues, so that was my scope.
  
  Agree that the hype is crap too. But think there are incidents that may need to avoid as well.
  
  Soy is wonderful, it blew my mind when I first encountered it. However, there are many wonders to celebrate in the plant kingdom. I love all beans, most more than soy at this point (black beans!!).