Soy: Perfect Food or Evil Imposter? - a podcast by Chef Wendell Fowler/Allan Haw

Live Right Now - Episode 009 – Soy: Perfect Food or Evil Imposter?

What’s square, white, jiggles, weighs about eight ounces, can make you gag, and often can clear a room in ten seconds?

The answer is, tofu, or soy bean curd. This often-maligned product has been known to strike dread in the hearts of the bravest culinary souls, paralyzing them in fear at its mere mention. (Not wholly unlike the feeling you might get when receiving notification of an IRS audit.) Flash back to the flower children of the mid and late 1960s, when a rumor wafted through the grease-filled air that the Golden Arches folks used a sinister form of fibrous soybeans as filler in their burgers. “Ai-ee! Hack! P-tooey! We’ve been poisoned!” In retrospect, what we should have protested instead was the saturated-fat-laden bovine tallow used to deep-fry those golden, salt-covered French fries. (Just as an FYI, though, McDonalds and Taco Bell have indeed been using soy products as filler for decades. Nevertheless, don’t expect to see the International House of Bean Curd popping up soon.)

So how many centuries have people been eating tofu? Tradition has it that tofu was invented by Liu An (179–122 B.C.), a prince of the Han Dynasty, supposedly while searching for a substance to help him achieve immortality. But way before then, in 2838 B.C., Chinese Emperor Cheng Nung developed soy cultivation. Soybeans did not, however, grace American soil until Samuel Bowen brought it to the continent and Henry Yonge planted the first soy crop on his farm in Thunderbolt, Georgia, in 1765. Did Henry know when he sowed the seeds of soy he would be saving us from the sorrow of serious sickness and senility? Somebody let a snake loose?

New findings are out about tofu and soy products, however, and as I painfully sift through the mountains of information on the subject, I have to ask myself, “Is it actually—gasp!—bad for us?”

After decades of aggressive research and marketing and touting the wiggly curd as a miracle cure-all for many of humanity’s maladies, I wonder, alas, is the honeymoon over?  Is mass tofu-phobia justified? Can tofu really make your brain shrivel and encourage dementia and breast cancer? What’s with that? For a substance that has been providing nourishment for humans for so many years, this Rodney Dangerfield of food is getting no respect.

But what I’m placing in your to-go bag is whether we should be alarmed about these new studies regarding the safety of eating tofu, or is this junk science? Is it safe to continue making tofu a foundation of our diet? Ignorance may be bliss, but information is a powerful tool, so let’s look objectively at both sides of the issue, and, as my Mom would have said, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.” We need to encourage more funding for further studies and season our own judgment with a generous helping of knowledge. I'd like to emphasize that in every study I looked at showing beneficial effects, the study was either sponsored by the soy industry, or the authors had some kind of financial ties to the soy industry. Follow the money, as they say.

When asked about the validity of tofu-phobia, the Indiana Soybean Board responded passionately with this reassurance: “Wendell, I think the important thing is that overreacting and taking things out of context is the biggest problem...Asians have been eating soy foods for centuries and undoubtedly there is no evidence that they have less cognitive function.” Yes, but they were not GMO! And, contrary to what you may have heard, Asians do not consume large amounts of soy. They use small amounts as a condiment (about two teaspoons daily), but not as a primary protein source. And the type of soy they consume is traditionally fermented soy.

Soybean crops are also heavily sprayed with chemical herbicides, such as glyphosate (Round-up), which researchers have found to be carcinogenic. The herbicide has been the subject of controversy for years once it became known it causes serious health problems, including endocrine disruption, allergies, asthma, autism-spectrum disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, rhinitis, obesity, leukemia, lymphoma, and other forms of cancer.

One of the primary reasons it would be wise for you to avoid soy is more than 90 percent of soybeans grown in the United States are genetically modified. Since the introduction of genetically engineered foods in 1996, we’ve had an upsurge in low birth weight babies, infertility, and other problems in the U.S., and animal studies have shown devastating effects from genetically engineered soy including allergies, sterility, birth defects, and offspring death rates up to five times higher than normal. Soybean crops are also heavily sprayed with chemical herbicides, such glyphosate which a French team of researchers have found to be carcinogenic.

Glyphosate, the world’s most widely (vilified) used herbicide linked to Monsanto’s Roundup Ready genetically engineered crops, has been found at alarming levels in a wide range of best-selling foods across the U.S., Food Democracy Now! and The Detox Project announced Monday.

The results published in this report are from the first independent glyphosate residue testing of popular American food products performed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), the regulatory recognized “gold standard testing methods at an FDA registered laboratory.

These newest findings also come as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) postponed hearing which were due to explore glyphosate’s link to cancer in humans. Last year, 17 leading global cancer experts from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) sparked a firestorm when they classified glyphosate as a class 2A “probable human carcinogen.

On the heels of the growing controversy surrounding glyphosate’s safety, this unique testing project  that started in 2015, has so far found alarming levels of glyphosate in General Mills’ Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Raisin Bran and Frosted Flakes and PepsiCo’s Doritos Cool Ranch, Ritz Crackers and Stacy’s Simply Naked Pita Chips, as well as many more  famous products at levels that present significant risks according to the latest independent peer-reviewed science on glyphosate. Detoxproject.org

Soybeans — even organically grown soybeans — naturally contain “antinutrients” such as saponins, soyatoxin, phytates, trypsin inhibitors, goitrogens and phytoestrogens. Traditional fermentation destroys these antinutrients, which allows your body to enjoy soy’s nutritional benefits. However, most Westerners do not consume fermented soy, but rather unfermented soy, mostly in the form of soymilk, tofu, TVP, and soy infant formula. Mercola.com

Fermented Soy Probiotics versus Unfermented

Many types of fermented foods are very good for our gastrointestinal tracts, helping to keep points A through Z flowing and in good working order, which is imperative for optimum health. Soybeans are among those foods that are best whether fresh or fermented. Fermented non-GMO organic soy products such as tempeh and miso are much easier for our Earth Suits to digest than processed silken tofu products.

Tempeh, a fermented soybean product that comes in cakes, is made from whole soybeans and has a nutty, smoky flavor and is similar to mushrooms in texture. At our home we us it to cook sloppy joes, barbecue, Cajun “steaks,” Caesar salad protein, spaghetti sauce, taco filling, and chili. The grandkids love it, and sneaky chef that I am, I don’t tell them how good it is for them!

Four ounces of cooked tempeh contains 17 grams of protein, a mere 204 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrates, and 8 grams of (good) fat. Plus, it’s full of calcium, iron, zinc, and fiber. It’s so much better for you than the same size portion of steak, and doesn’t contain artery-clogging saturated fats, antibiotics, and growth hormones so commonly found in factory farmed beef.

A plethora of reasons to make soy the center of our diets abounds. In 2001 in San Diego, California, at the Fourth International Symposium on the Role of Soy in Preventing and Treating Chronic Disease, a mutually agreed-upon conclusion was reached: Non-GMO, organic Soy may possibly have a positive effect on cognitive function. Two preliminary research studies presented at the symposium showed that soy actually improved several aspects of cognitive function, especially verbal memory. Hopefully, this good news will alleviate any concerns you’ve had about the soy-and-dementia issue. The Soy Board reminds people to keep things in perspective. The negative effects were found only in an epidemiological study; however, animal studies suggest just the opposite—soy has beneficial effects on cognitive function.” Hmm?

This is somewhat contrary with what Dr. Lon Wright of the Pacific Health Research Institute presents. He has conducted a study of 3,734 middle-aged Japanese-American men that indicates that eating tofu more than twice a week may be linked to dementia. White’s theory is that the phytoestrogens in tofu interfere with the brain’s estrogen receptors and keep the brain from properly using estrogen. His article appeared in an edition of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. But listen to this:  He says, “I would be violating a cardinal rule if I said my data says you shouldn’t eat tofu [or other soy foods].” Ah-hah! White emphasizes this data can’t be turned into sweeping conclusions, and the findings must be considered preliminary. And according to Beverly Creamer, staff writer for a Honolulu advertiser newspaper, “It’s the first time scientists have labeled a dietary risk factor for the disease that affects 2 percent of the nation’s sixty-five-year-olds and up to 16 percent of eighty-year-olds.” Finally, White’s study was based on processed tofu, which is not fermented, and which could be considered another endorsement for the fermented forms of the bean or edamame.

Here’s more spice for the health stew: University of Minnesota scientist Mindy Kurzer, Ph.D., who does extensive research on the humble bean, assures us that there are no data connecting soy and cancer. “There is a theoretical risk that processed soy might promote breast cancer in some way,” Kurzer added, “but it’s purely theoretical at this point.”

Forgo the ubiquitous protein bars made with protein isolate. Side effects of soy protein isolate: In animal studies, soy isolate has been linked to allergies, thyroid problems, and even brain damage. Soy has been labeled one of the top seven allergens for people to avoid, as soy isolate is found in a lot of processed foods, including bread and baked goods, soups and sauces, and breakfast cereals and protein bars. There have also been several studies on soy protein and age-related dementia, although many of those studies have been inconclusive. Wellnesstoday.com

Perhaps the problem is our American lifestyle. Otherwise-healthy Asians who come to live in America ultimately succumb to the same health maladies as native-borns. Is it the pineal gland-trashing fluoridated water, the pesticides, food coloring, preservatives, fungicides on our produce, or our overly polluted environment? Or is it a disconnection from earth.

Consider the negative findings. Until then, open your mind as well as your mouth to the healthy virtues of unprocessed, non-GMO, organic soy products, but don’t go overboard and follow the American mantra, “More is better.” Most of the time, less is more.

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Noodles with Avocado and Kale                                                                     (Recipe from: Eat Right Now with Chef Wendell Fowler: The Divinity of Food-2017 Lulu Press)

 

• 1 package tempeh (can substitute firm Tofu if preferred) - cut into cubes-protein


• 3 tbs. coconut oil


• 2 tbsp. wheat-free soy (Tamari)


• 2 tbs. maple syrup or brown rice syrup


• 1 # brown rice noodles or rice noodles


• 2 avocados


• 4 cups chopped kale


• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas


• Green onion, chopped


• Ground flax or chia seed

 

Sauce:

• 2/4 cups peanut butter


• 3 tbsp. fresh grated ginger


• 2 garlic cloves, minced


• 3 tbsp. wheat-free soy (Tamari)


• Hot pepper flakes to taste


• Juice of two fresh limes


• 2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil

 

To Prepare:

1. Cook pasta per package instructions, drain and reserve.


2. Cut tempeh into 1/2 inch cubes


3. In a large sauté pan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat and add the tempeh cubes.


4. Sauté gently till the edges begin to brown.


5. Add the soy and syrup and cook 4- 5 minutes longer. Set aside to cool. Keep warm however.


6. Cook noodles to package instructions


7. To make dressing, whisk together the peanut butter, ginger, syrup, soy, lime and sesame oil to a mixing bowl.  Too thick?  Add water.


8. To assemble the dish, fill four bowls with noodles and top with kale, peas, and avocado quarters.


9. Pour about 1/4-1/3 cup of dressing of each and garnish with sesame seeds, chia / flax, avocado wedges and green onion.

 

Live Right Now theme music is “future soundtrack II” by Adam Henry Garcia from the Free Music Archive licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

 

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