| I stop by Starbuck's every now and then for my | | | | into making soymilk: washing the beans in alkaline |
| morning coffee. The other day I noticed they'd | | | | or boiling them in a petroleum-based solvent; |
| put some pamphlets on the checkout counter | | | | bleaching, deodorizing, and pumping them full of |
| about how good their soymilk is for you. I'd like to | | | | additives; heat-blasting and crushing them into |
| share my thoughts on this with you. Many people | | | | flakes; and then mixing them with water to make |
| think of soymilk as a healthy milk substitute, they | | | | "milk." |
| seem to buy into the media hype- and I doubt | | | | This only adds more dangerous chemicals without |
| Starbuck's means its customers any harm. But | | | | removing any of soy's natural toxins. This is NOT |
| you shouldn't drink it. | | | | a "dietary staple" in China, Indonesia, or any other |
| Soymilk can be bad for you. Not just the brand | | | | country. And it shouldn't be here, either. |
| Starbuck's uses - any brand. It's the unnatural | | | | Claim: "Also, interest in soy is rising because |
| byproduct of soy that your body can't digest | | | | scientists have discovered that a soy component |
| without processing. If you were to eat | | | | called isoflavone appears to reduce the risk of |
| unprocessed soy, it would cause cramping, | | | | certain diseases." |
| nausea, and can cause more serious health | | | | Fact: The opposite is true. Recent science |
| problems. Here are a few of the pamphlet's false | | | | suggests soy "isoflavones" are dangerous to your |
| claims about soymilk (and the truth about them): | | | | health. |
| Claim: "In countries where soy is a dietary staple, | | | | Isoflavone isn't actually a single substance, but a |
| such as China and Indonesia, soy consumption has | | | | category of substances. Isoflavones include |
| been linked to a reduced risk of certain chronic | | | | "phyto-estrogens," plant-based compounds that |
| diseases." | | | | mimic the female hormone. Eat enough of these |
| Fact: This is only half-true. The soybean itself is | | | | and you'll upset your body's hormonal balance. The |
| inedible. It contains toxins meant to ward off | | | | young are especially vulnerable: research published |
| insect predators. These include: | | | | just last year found that soy-based |
| * Anti-nutrients that prevent your body from | | | | phyto-estrogens could cause "precocious puberty." |
| absorbing essential minerals like calcium, | | | | The study focused on a four-and-a-half year old |
| magnesium, iron and zinc. | | | | girl who had developed breasts because her |
| * Enzyme inhibitors that make it harder for your | | | | parents fed her too much soy formula. Clinical |
| body to absorb protein. | | | | research also links two of these phyto-estrogens, |
| Both of these substances can give you abdominal | | | | genistein and daidzein, to childhood leukemia and |
| pain, gas, nausea, cramps, and other | | | | breast cancer. |
| gastrointestinal problems. | | | | Stick with a little organic raw milk or half-and-half |
| * Hemaglutinin, a substance that promotes blood | | | | in your coffee. It would be great if Starbuck's |
| clots. | | | | offered organic dairy. That would be truly healthy. |
| * Goitrogens, which cause gout and thyroid | | | | Keep some on hand at home and in the office if |
| problems. | | | | you have access to a refrigerator. As for soy |
| Societies that depend heavily on soy-based foods | | | | products, the traditional fermented soy foods like |
| use traditional preparation methods thousands of | | | | tempeh, miso and soy sauces are safe and |
| years old that neutralize or eliminate these | | | | healthy. (Again, go organic if you can.) |
| poisons. This process is not the one used here in | | | | These small changes in your diet to rid yourself of |
| the United States. Tempeh, miso, natto, and soy | | | | unnecessary toxins are well worth it. Remember |
| sauce are fermented products. The fermentation | | | | also, that anything pasteurized or homogenized |
| process destroys the toxins. Tofu comes from | | | | kills and removes any good that may come from |
| the pressed "curds" of the soybean. The rest is | | | | the milk, so stay away from those processes |
| thrown out - and the bad stuff along with it. | | | | also. |
| Compare this with the industrial processes that go | | | | |