tofu ..bad for you?

[sanna]

Has anyone else been hearing negative things about tofu? I have been vegetarian for 12 years, and tofu has been a big part of my families diet (our son is vegan). But lately, I have been hearing all sorts of negative press. I even printed out a long article on the negative effects of tofu given by a panel of doctors from the web. Some of the things mentioned were; that it inhibits the assimilation of certain minerals, that it even stunts growth in children, about the estrogen connection(to much). etc...

It was enough to get me questioning. So now, we eat it 1x a week and are doing more beans.

[Sofiamomma]

I, too, have read some negative articles about soy. I don't know how much stock to put in them, but they did worry me, because we do quite a bit of soy, too. The stuff I read said pretty much the same as what you mention. I don't have anything to add to your post, but am interested in what others have to say.

[valeria_vi]

sanna,
could you post a link to that atricle?

A couple of articles i know of are:

http://www.thedoctorwithin.com/index24.html
http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/index.htm

[Elphaba]

excuse me, apparently i irritated the owners of this thread. i'll just be going now.

[valeria_vi]

shoshannas mom,
the links I have posted above have absolutely NOTHING to do with dairy counsil.

[AmyG]

Like almost everything, I think soy is okay in moderation. I try not to take in too much since I'm trying to conceive and don't need any extra estrogen, but if that weren't the case, I would just make sure I didn't eat it all the time. I would imagine one time a week would be perfectly fine. A little more frequently would probably be okay.

There may be some bad effects, but there are tons of good ones. I just try to eat a little bit of everything so that the bad effects are less of a problem.

[sanna]

fermented vs non..

valeria, I will look up that link.

As far as I remember it, it also had nothing to do with the dairy council. What I discovered, is that tofu eaten the way we eat it now is a relatively new thing. Before in Asia, tofu was eaten fermented (miso, tamari and Tempe). Tofu was eaten as it is now in very very small quantities (such as in soup). The question as to whether it is actually healthy for the body in large quantities is a new thing to explore.

[valeria_vi]

yep,
this is in essence what I have been reading about, and, sincerely speaking, it makes sense TO ME.

[Alexander]

I remember a study conducted in Hawai'i a few years ago. It concluded there was a definate link between tofu and , er , and er, (the word for old people losing their memory). !!!

It sure would explain the senility of the Japanese old people!

a

[earthmomma]

john robbin's reply to anti-soy articles

Well-known author and activist John Robbins reply to the anti-soy articles mentioned above:

http://www.foodrevolution.org/what_about_soy.htm

In this article, he tackles the "anti-soy article written by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, titled "Tragedy and Hype," that has been widely circulated. This article presents a systematic series of accusations against soy consumption, and has formed the basis for many similar articles. Large numbers of people, as a result, are now seriously questioning the safety of soy."
The Fallon and Enig article is what was posted on Mercola's website above...

Check out John Robbin's website too, he's well-researched and high-integrity, IMO.

Hope this helps....As a vegetarian/mostly vegan for 17 years, I have eaten plenty of soy! I eat it occasionally, mainly as an additive, instead of everyday.... and I eat plenty of other types of foods for variety and nutrition.

[Sofiamomma]

Earthmomma,

Thanks for that link! I haven't had time to read it all, but I e-mailed it to myself. Everything in moderation, I always say!

[beanma]

there's an article about soy and these concerns in this month's (march, i guess) health magazine. i think they have a website -- maybe http://www.healthmag.com/. they had a nice chart in there with the different levels of isoflavones in different soy products that might be helpful to you. the conclusion they reached was basically, all things in moderation. HTH.

edited to say: drat! that article's not online. you might check it out next time you stand in line at the grocery store or wherever, though.

[namama]

anyone heard of this organization?

a friend just alerted me of the soy situation and shared this website. said it had all sorts of information about soy, etc. what made me look twice was the info about the effects on children.

But I want to see if anyone has heard of them...

www.westonaprice.org

there is interesting info but some of it is way off the path we're on.

it just seems that everything in moderation must be key.

[elainie]

I have been a member of this org. for over 7 years now. I find a lot of what they say to ring true. I know Sally personally and she has raised 4 beautiful healthy ( I should say SUPER HEALTHY children) which is something she is rrvery proud of and should be. Mary Enig is also the best lipid researcher out there and I just hope that all of us (myself included)educate the public about the dangers of canola oil, modern soyfoods used in excess, lack of fat soluble vitamins etc.. etc.. The goal is healthy well nourished children who don't rely on vitamin supplements, have healthy bones and teeth, and have excellent immune systems.

[valeria_vi]

Originally posted by elainie
I have been a member of this org. for over 7 years now. I find a lot of what they say to ring true. I know Sally personally and she has raised 4 beautiful healthy ( I should say SUPER HEALTHY children) which is something she is rrvery proud of and should be. Mary Enig is also the best lipid researcher out there and I just hope that all of us (myself included)educate the public about the dangers of canola oil, modern soyfoods used in excess, lack of fat soluble vitamins etc.. etc.. The goal is healthy well nourished children who don't rely on vitamin supplements, have healthy bones and teeth, and have excellent immune systems.

elaine,
you have been a member of WHAT org.?

[elainie]

Sorry, the mentioned link- The Weston A. Price Foundation, I used to be a member of The Price Pottenger Foundation based in Ca. and then there was a shifting of some of the core founders who founded The Weston A. Price Foundation based in Washington D.C.
Some board members include Susan Weed, William Campbell Douglas,
Ron Schmid ND,as well as other well known authors in the field of natural health.

[sanna]

namama,
Interesting link. The soy information is pretty much what I was refering to. We have been limiting soy to once a week now.

Jeez.. Just when you think you are doing something right and healthy for one's family. Ie; not eating meat..

[Mama Lori]

From a Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic perspective tofu is a very cold food and although it has protein it cannot substitute for the warmth and nourishment that meat can provide. That said from a vegetarian-except-fish, who tries and tries to eat meat but can't (excpet I'm starting to handle chicken broth). Also the estrogen content is of concern particularly for children. A Chinese medine doctor/herbalist I took my ds to recently said soy products are good for women to have a few times a week, but anyone else should have none or very little. Tempeh is better than tofu in terms of not being as cold.

[robbiemama]

just my opinion--
too many foods to worry about so soy is not top of my list
i'm asian and i grew up eating soy EVERY DAY (as do most asians here and in asia) in some form (fermented and not) as did everybody in my family, etc.
i'm not worried
also, asked my pediatrician re: estrogen & soy & boys--she said no worries here as well
p.s.--not sure about the comment about senile japanese old people...

[member]

I got yer back!

What is with the senile Japanese comment? Was it suppose to be funny? I wasn't; it was racist and offensive.