SOY: SOMETIMES GOOD, SOMETIMES NOT
There's no question that soy has improved the lives of a number of people in different ways. Some view it as a lifesaver for babies allergic to milk. Many people who have reactions to petrochemically based ink in newspapers and magazines have benefitted when soy ink is used instead.
Yet there is a downside to soy and awareness is the key. For one thing, those who are allergic to soy have to navigate the food world out there. In nutritionist Kaayla Daniel's book, The Whole Soy Story, she explains that, "Soy protein isolate was invented for use in cardboard."
Soy is often used in foods but not identified, according to Mary Vance Terrain in her Utne Reader article, The Dark Side of Soy. Terrain cites that some Vitamin E can be derived from soy oil and also that soy can be found in certain "...canned tuna, soups, sauces, breads, meats (injected under poultry skin), and chocolate, and in pet food and body-care products."
Terrain notes that soy has "...aliases such as textured vegetable protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and lecithin," and explains that the process "...required to hydrolyze soy protein...produces excitotoxins..." including glutamate as in MSG and aspartate, a part of aspartame which can cause brain cell death.
In addition, processed soy is in some fast foods according to Terrain, including burgers, chicken nuggets and patties, some grilled breasts, buns, dressings, dips, sauces, french fries, and certain American cheeses.
Some misconceptions regarding the benefits of soy stem from its use by Asians. Terrain notes that "...the Asian diets include small amounts...of primarily fermented soy products," and, "Fermented soy creates health-promoting probiotics..." whereas most use of soy in the United States is a processed form and "...processed soy food snacks or shakes can contain over 20 grams of nonfermented soy protein in one serving."
Getting back to using soy milk for babies, the question, "Soy or milk-based formula: Which is better for my baby?" was asked on the website BabyCenter and answered by dietician Jill Stovsky.
Of course, soy formula is often used when the "...baby is sensitive or allergic...to cows' milk protein, or when a baby is having trouble digesting lactose or milk sugar. Babies can be chronically sensitive to cows' milk protein and may have to avoid it for the first several months of life."
However, warns Stovsky, "...soy protein is just as likely to cause food allergies. In fact, most babies who are allergic to cows' milk protein are also allergic to soy protein." Stovsky recommends consulting with the child's healthcare provider and states,
"Sometimes, you might need to change brands a few times to find out what's best for your baby."
