Monday, July 7, 2008
Bummer about your tofu

It seems that vegetarians are screwed on multiple levels, they get called hippies by me AND they might be at an increased risk of dementia in old age. The study recently published in the journal Dementias and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders focused on a number of elderly Indonesians who live across a wide range of areas in Java. They discovered that people who ate tofu at least once a day (which is classified as high consumption) had a statistically higher chance of showing dementia.

Soy products are rich in micronutrients called phytoestrogens, which mimic the impact of the female sex hormone oestrogen.

Soy products are NOT all bad though. You need to know the differences in what you are consuming. Unfermented soy products are the problem.

Unfermented soy products like tofu and soy milk and yogurt cause the following:
- Block absorption of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. This results from a high content of phytic acid and phytates.
- Estrogenic effects from the isoflavones causing increasing estrogen levels higher than what's healthy
- Suppress thyroid function which is referred to as Goitrogenic effects and disrupt endocrine function
- Inhibit growth due to the trypsin inhibitors that it contains
- Can cause blood clots due to haemagglutinin
Some of the symptoms caused by soy include acne, canker sore, inflammation and infection of the mucous membrane lining of the eyelids and the exposed surface of the eyeball, dermatitis, diarrhea, eczema, hives, heart palpitation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, panic attack and PMS like symptoms.

However, there are also many good reasons for eating soy products. If you have diabetes, soy products slow absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. They may also protect against damaging effects of glucose-induced oxidation, common in people with diabetes.

Soy protein is a complete protein. It is equal in quality to animal proteins, such as that found in milk and meat. Soy has been recognized as such in the new USDA food guidelines.

Studies indicate soy components may delay onset of tumor growth and decrease size of tumors present. As little as one serving of soy foods a day (ex: one cup soy milk or 1/2 cup tofu) may be enough to reduce the risk of developing cancer.

It is up to you what type of soy intake you bring into your diet. It is always important to way the options and research what you are putting into your body because in nearly all cases there will be positive and negative effects.

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7:37 AM
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