The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food [Hardcover]

This book provides very well written and easy to take in information on why soy should be eaten only in the traditionally fermented forms (tempeh, natto, miso) and only in very small amounts, if at all.

The facts on soy are shocking. Not only are the many health claims made about soy extremely dubious, there are many serious concerns about its safety as a food.

Soy is hardly the health food it is promoted to be by the soy industry and in the highly processed form it is almost always eaten in, it is not very 'natural' either, and should not be considered a 'whole food.'

The idea that huge amounts of soy are eaten in asian countries, and have been for very long periods of time, and that this contributes to their good health is just a myth!

Products containing soy protein isolate, soy oil, hydrolized vegetable protein etc. should be avoided - especially by pregnant or lactating women, babies and children and women who are trying to become pregnant. (Sterol containing margarines should also be strictly avoided by this group.) Soy supplements are also to be avoided.

Giving a baby soy formula is like giving them 3-5 birth control pills a day and can have permenent effects on their reproductive health such as precocious puberty, small penis size, overdeveloped male breasts, longer more painful periods and infertility. Eating lots of soy has a drug-like or hormone-like effect.

Soy can inhibit enzymes in the body, reduce testosterone levels, reduce libido, cause a number of thyroid problems, increase cancer risk, cause cardiac arrhythmias, cause a toxic build up of manganese or aluminium and low iron levels and many other problems. Soy is also one of the top 8, 7, 6 or 4 top food allergies - depending on whose numbers you listen to.

Problems with the thyroid often occur at a dose of only 30 grams a day. 5 recent studies showed that soy is worthless in treating menopausal symptoms. 4 recent studies linked soy estrogens to infant leukemia. The goitrogens in soy which interfere with thyroid fuinction cannot be cooked out of them, as with many other goitrogenic foods. Most soy in the US is also GM. The list goes on.

This book includes some very sad case studies of the terrible effect soy has had on peoples lives, especially when soy is given to very small children and babies.

One of the worst things about the heavy promotion of soy is that this inferior food is displacing many healthier food items in our diets and on our farms. The (very well funded) soy lobby has done such a good job of demonising far healthier oils and foods such as coconut oil, eggs and butter, based on twisted science.

I'm going to find a traditionally brewed/fermented soy sauce for use in cooking occasionally and restrict my soy intake to that plus a few of my lecithin containing supplements (where I can't find a soy free alternative).

If you are a big soy eater, or eat foods which are processed and may contain hidden soy, this book is essential reading.

You may also want to read the information on soy and its dangers on the Weston A. Price website.

This is a great and unique book. I am not aware of any other book that has dissected the soy(a) myth at all, let alone so comprehensively. (The UK refer to the substance as soya and the USA as soy - same horror).

Written in easy to understand language, well referenced and beautifully argued, this should be compulsory reading for anyone working in the field of diet and nutrition, all parents and especially anyone currently consuming this substance. From the history of soy being used (appropriately) for manufacturing of car parts and textiles to the difference between what Japanese people actually consume vs what Western nations produce - every thing you never knew about soy(a) is covered.

There are nice touches of humour, which is just as well because there's nothing funny about the health concerns linked to soy(a) - from cancer to the impact on fertility and the threat to reproduction. If your infant is on soy based formula then you'll understand that you've effectively got them on a birth control pill. The claims that soy(a) helps with the menopause ('natural HRT' kind of claims) are an admission of the hormone content of the substance (plant isoflavones in your cappuccino anyone?)

You will learn about the structure of the plant from which soy comes, the anti nutrients that it comes with, the toxicity and allergens and more and more. If you care about your health, or anyone around you and/or if you consume or have consumed soy(a), please read this book and then pass it on to a friend.
Many thanks - Zoe Harcombe

This books is a great read, very well written and on top of that its super informative and really explains why soy is really no food.