Dangers of soy?

August 14, 2000

Opinions wanted please! I've been doing a lot of research lately into the so-called dangers of soy. I've read that eating soy while pregnant MAY cause genital defects (hypospadias) in baby boys. Please see www.medicinecabinet.co.uk/news/news_0204a.htm This troubles me a lot as I'm due with my second child (a boy) in October.

Also, I've read about the dangers of feeding soymilk to infants and toddlers because of the phytoestrogens. This also has put a scare in me, as I gave my first child soy formula since birth, and she still continues to drink about 3- 8 oz bottles a day. please see www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/home.htm

I'd appreciate opinions/advice regarding this subject. I've seen conflicting information surrounding this issue and I'm not sure what to beleive anymore! Thanks, Heidi- Michigan

August 16, 2000

Heidi,

I think the best argument for the safety of soy is the fact that people,

including women and children have been eating tofu and tempeh and other soy

foods for thousands of years in Asia. In Japan, mashed tofu is often the

first solid food fed to babies. On the other hand, the concentrated soy

protein powders and other products on the market today are new and have not

stood the test of time.

There has been quite a bit of concern raised about feeding soy formulas to

infants. But not enough research has been done yet to draw firm conclusions.

We do know that today the levels of phytoestrogens in soy formulas are much

lower than when they were first introduced about 40 years ago. But soy

formula should always be the last choice for feeding babies. Of course

breastmilk is first, followed by cow's milk based formula. Babies,

especially preterm babies, do not absorb or utilize minerals from soy based

formula as well as they do from cow's milk based formula or, certainly,

breastmilk.

I recently wrote an article on the safety of soy for children in my

newsletter, Tiny Tummies - I would be happy to send or fax you a copy.

Sanna

Sanna James Delmonico, MS, RD

Editor, <A HREF= " http://www.ssas.com/ttummies/ " >Tiny Tummies Nutrition News</

A>

www.TinyTummies.com

P.O. Box 5756

Napa, CA 94581

phone/fax: 707-251-0550

August 16, 2000

In a message dated 8/16/00 11:04:37 AM Central Daylight Time,

Ttummies writes:

<< the best argument for the safety of soy is the fact that people,

including women and children have been eating tofu and tempeh and other soy

foods for thousands of years in Asia. >>

These soy products were probably not made from the genetically modified

soybeans that are now used in most products (particularly those not labeled

" organic " ).

Tracey

August 16, 2000

In a message dated 8/16/00 9:15:46 AM Pacific Daylight Time, TFreyre

writes:

> These soy products were probably not made from the genetically modified

> soybeans that are now used in most products (particularly those not

labeled

> " organic " ).

>

Excellent point. And while GM soybeans may or may not have health

implications for people, their use certainly has serious ethical and

environmental implications.

Sanna

August 16, 2000

, " otto99 " <otto99@g...> wrote:

> Opinions wanted please! I've been doing a lot of research lately

into the so-called dangers of soy. I've read that eating soy while

pregnant MAY cause genital defects (hypospadias) in baby boys.

Please see www.medicinecabinet.co.uk/news/news_0204a.htm This

troubles me a lot as I'm due with my second child (a boy) in October.

I have been a vegetarian for 11 years,including while I was pregnant

with my son, who has absolutely no genital defects. I consumed soy

products daily as I still do. The past three years I have been vegan,

and am 3 months prgnant with my 2nd child, I do not have any concerns

about what I eat.

Summer

>

> Also, I've read about the dangers of feeding soymilk to infants and

toddlers because of the phytoestrogens. This also has put a scare in

me, as I gave my first child soy formula since birth, and she still

continues to drink about 3- 8 oz bottles a day. please see

www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/home.htm

>

> I'd appreciate opinions/advice regarding this subject. I've seen

conflicting information surrounding this issue and I'm not sure what

to beleive anymore! Thanks, Heidi- Michigan

August 17, 2000

Hey, these people eat soy in very many guises, including a bigger use of the other, safe soy-by products such as soy sauce, soy oil etc... And surely not in as great quantities as the Western vegans. Because the Western people consumed very great quantities of dairy , and when they turned vegan, they wanted to keep their habits as they were, with very minimal changes, so wherever there was dairy now they put soy milk and tofu.

I believe-although I have no numbers to cite- this makes for much greater percentage of such products than is to be found in Eastern diets, which rely much more on vegetables and, yes, seafood and meat whenever possible -the only vegetarians there being the poor people, as even Buddhist monks are happy meat eaters in the Far East!

And women in those countries have traditionally breastfed their children for two years and more, so the first soy products the children would get would be quite late, and in small quantities, not at all as their exclusive food

All in all, when so much is at stake, why not stay on the safe side? I'm not saying cut soy dairy substitues alltogether, but keep it a once-in-a-while thing, not a staple.

Irene

In a message dated 8/16/00 Ttummies writes:<< the best argument for the safety of soy is the fact that people, including women and children have been eating tofu and tempeh and other soy foods for thousands of years in Asia. >>

August 17, 2000

Does the FDA require that genetically modified food be labeled? There

doesn't seem to be an uproar over it in the US as in some parts of Europe.