You might have read that soy is very good for health. You will be surprised to know that around 100 years back it was considered unfit for eating. It has been found that soy is actually very hard on our body system, especially on the hormonal system. Soybean was considered as one of the sacred grains among wheat, barley, millet and rice in China centuries ago. It was considered sacred because it was very useful in crop rotation. The roots of soybean fix atmospheric nitrogen into useful nitrogen compounds which maintain the level of nitrogen in the soil for the growth of other crops. At that time soybean was not eaten. The soybean found it useful as food only after fermentation was discovered in the form of fermented food like soy-sauce and miso.

The soy was not consumed before fermentation was discovered because Chinese found that soybean has got many natural toxins and these toxins cannot be destroyed in conventional cooking. These toxins are strong inhibitors that block digestive enzymes. The toxins are deeply imbedded proteins which produce serious gastric disorders and block absorption of essential amino acids. Soybeans comes largely from genetically engineered plants. Soy contain compounds known as goitrogens that depress thyroid function.

Soy contains phytoestrogen, which is a plant compound that mimic estrogen in the body. This is helpful in fighting diseases like cancer, coronary heart diseases and osteoporosis. But, recent studies have found that phytoestrogen can increase breast cancer and cause thyroid disease. Soy has prove to be effective in getting hot flash relief for some women. However, a few studies show that women in menopausal stage are likely to have more negative effects from soy. Soy supplements may also interfere with tamoxifen which is an anti-estrogen drug taken by women to help prevent cancer. Intake of soy is loosely associated with reduced testosterone level in men.

It is true that claims are there which consider soy healthy but the emerging evidence to the contrary cannot be ignored as well. Researchers are still trying to find out conclusive connection between breast cancer, testosterone levels and high hormone level found in soy. If you are using soy in your diet, especially feeding your child on soy milk, try to avoid it and educate yourself on the product. Read the label before you buy food because soy has become an important constituent of many food items.

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