Soy- Yay Or Nay?

The soy debate is ongoing. It's been linked to slowing metabolism in livestock and rats. It's been known to attack an already low thyroid. Unlike gluten and sugar, it's effects don't seem to be well-documented or substantiated. What does exist, however, are compelling arguments. Is it a coincidence that soy, while relatively new to the American diet, has been touted as this "power food", yet hasn't seemed to slow the rising rates of obesity? Is it a coincidence that there are studies beginning to link the presence of soy in a nursing mother's diet to a child's development of endocrine related disease? Is it also a coincidence that the soy industry went from making $1 billion a year to $4 billion once it was endorsed as a "healthy" food in America? Who do you suppose paid for that endorsement? And their profits stand to increase by 11% every year. Natural Health News So, who stands to profit by me thinking soy is a "healthy" food?


Soy is a phytoestrogen, and helpful in menopausal women because of it. It's also a complete protein, so yay for vegans. But what about those of us with weak thyroids? To me, it's a good enough reason to try to avoid it. Obviously, it's not the poison sugar and gluten are - in small doses, at least. But here's the kicker- soybean, soybean oil, soy lecithin, and soy protein are in everything. Candy, bread, tortillas, chips, salad dressings, condiments, basically any frozen meals, and in some ice creams. So a few grams, here and there, not a biggie. But a few grams in every food you eat? That poses a problem, especially with something that has been linked to thyroiditis already.

The good thing is that foods that are naturally free of gluten and sugar, are also free of soy. Coincidence that most foods with both gluten and sugar also have soy? I think not. It's a three birds, one stone kind of thing.

Food for thought:
Soy and Estrogen Dominance
Medicine Net - Soy and Synthroid
The Science of Soy