I am always surprised to see so much information on soy. Some good and some negative. As you can see there is some negative about soy but with that said it depends on many things. Dr. Richard Brouse is a Biochemist, a Clinical Nutritionist as well as a Physician Chiropractor. I think you find this conversation about the Facts and Myths with Dr. Brouse enlightening

Soy Protein- Facts and Myths

A conversation with Dr. Brouse

Shaklee has known how to separate soy with cold water extraction for 30 years. Dr. Shaklee was one of the earliest researchers in soy in the USA.

The effects of soy was first measured in birds which showed they changed foliage and matured very young as well as slowing down the thyroid function. After this observation they realized there was an anti-tyrosine property in raw soy beans.

Dr. Shaklee had to separate the protein from the raw soy bean and leave behind the enzymes that contained the anti-tyrosine substance.

Another problem is when you cook soy, in order to de-nature compounds like the anti-thyroid substance, then you begin to rearrange the amino acid substance in soy which then becomes a toxic substance.

Two years ago Vegetarian Times ran an article telling their customers not to eat soy products because they are poison. Shaklee has known this for a long time.

There is a process called a “Mallard” reaction – whenever you cook a food you de-nature it and make it into something different. That’s why the Chinese would take tofu, which is a water extract of soy curd, and cook it and eat it right away, before there was any time for degradation.

There is no word in the Chinese language for hot flashes because they don’t cook things and store them to eat them later, especially soy.

Dr. Shaklee knew that too. By using a cold water extraction technique, you get the very best of the soy and all of the positive things like the phytoestrogens which inhibit breast cancer and prostate cancer in men.

There are over 1500 studies showing the positive benefits of soy and only 12 to 20 negative studied showing that when you alter and de-nature soy you end  up with junk. Dr. Shaklee knew the difference.

Some people today don’t read the fine print to realize there is a difference in soy. The Veggie burger group and several other companies’ textured vegetable protein products produce cancer, we know that. So it’s just coming to the news media, and they are making a good point.

The difference in Shaklee is that they did the research long before people even started talking about this stuff. You can go on the net and get an article written by Chris Jenson about the anti-thyroid effects of soy.

Soy Quality Control Checklist

Do not purchase soy powders and expect them to produce positive health results unless you know that the following “ESSENTIAL SEVEN” quality controls have been met by the manufacturer:

1.___  The beans must be organically grown

2. ___ The beans must NOT be genetically engineered

3. ___  Each batch must be checked to confirm that it contains the 9 essential amino acids

4  ___  In the manufacturing process to produce the soy isolate, the crushed soy flakes must be water  washed (not alcohol washed)

5. ___  The anti-thyroid/anti-growth substance MUST be removed

6  ___  The process must be without  heat

7. ___  The soy isolate must have calcium added (when the oil is removed it becomes an acidic food – when calcium is added it makes it neutral again)

The attached explanations will help you to clear up confusion.

a)   Were the soybeans ORGANICALLY GROWN? ….. studies have shown decreased levels of food nutrients and increased levels of nitrates in chemically fertilized crops, when compared with their organic counterparts.

b)  There is a connection between the ingestion of nitrates & CANCER!  Therefore, it is important to know that pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides have not been used during the growing process.

In particular, with soy beans, since they are such a hardy plant, a powerful and  DEADLY weed spray called Round-up is usually used.  For your safety, you must know that your soy products are organically grown.

b)  Were the soy beans GENETICALLY ENGINEERED? ….. genetically engineered soybeans are much cheaper to purchase, and most companies producing soy products look for ways to save money.

c)  Does your soybean powder contain ALL of the nine essential amino acids?            ……. One of the most valuable features of the soybean is that it is a complete protein and provides ALL nine of the essential amino acids.  The body requires these daily to produce hormones, digestive juices, antibodies, and enzymes.  HOWEVER, not all soybeans are created equal ….. quality and amino acid content will vary based on soil conditions, and variable  growing and harvest conditions.

If one essential amino acid is missing, the immune system can be depressed 30%, and many important body functions are delayed or stopped.  Therefore, it is essential that each batch of soybeans be checked for amino acid content if we want to depend on the soy isolate to provide a GUARANTEED supply of the nine essential amino  acids.

d)  Were the crushed soy flakes washed in alcohol or water?  Alcohol washing destroys isoflavone content up to 88%!  It is the isoflavones that reduce the risk of breast, prostate, lung and bowel cancer!  As well, it is the isoflavones that are so beneficial in hormone balancing and increasing bone  mass.

e)  Was the “anti-thyroid”, “anti-growth” substance in the raw soy removed? Orientals, who have consumed large amounts of soy for years, have known that RAW soy contains an “anti-growth”, “anti-tyrosine” substance.

Tyrosine deficiency will cause low blood pressure, low body temperature, and restless leg syndrome.  Therefore, Orientals always lightly cook their soy foods to deactivate the “anti-tyrosine/anti-growth” substance.

Shaklee has designed an extracting process that removes this substance, yet keeps the soy in a raw form in order to maintain the HIGHEST LEVEL OF AMINO ACIDS and ISOFLAVONES which are very sensitive to heat.

f)  Is your soybean food RAW or heated? 

Amino acids are very sensitive to heat.  In some studies, cooking protein has been shown to destroy up to 50% of some ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS.  If an individual consistently consumes a diet that is lacking in all of the essential amino acids, inadequate brain development and  hormones, or other body tissue development can be the result.

 g) Has CALCIUM been added to your soy powder? 

Some negative reports about soy say that soy powders are VERY ACIDIC and cause bone loss because it causes calcium to be drawn from the bones!!!!

The raw soy bean is a NEUTRAL food ….. neither acidic or alkaline.  However, the removal of the soybean oil (which is essential so the soy powder will not go rancid very quickly), makes the powder very acidic. Therefore, adequate calcium (which is very alkaline) must be added to cause the powder to be neutral again, or it can cause the above stated problem.  Many protein powder manufacturers do not           add any or enough calcium.

h) Do soybeans cause cancer?

It is true that “overcooked” soy does contain “carcinogenic” compounds.  When soy is extruded through high temperature, high pressure steam nozzles to form what is called “textured vegetable protein – TVP for short”, this form of processing renders the soy “meat substitute” carcinogenic or cancer-causing.  TVP is what is used in soy dogs and soy burgers, and should be avoided.

i) What about roasted soybeans? 

Whole soy beans are high in plant fat.  If soybeans are roasted to eat as soy nuts, the heat alters the fat and makes it a trans-fatty acid, which causes both cancer and heart disease.  As roasted soy nuts sit on the shelf or in the cupboard in storage, the oils are becoming more and more rancid and carcinogenic.  AVOID roasted soy beans.

j)  But I’ve heard that soy protein is hard on the  kidneys!

Animal protein is much harder to digest than vegetable protein.  Since many people have digestive difficulties, protein that is not thoroughly digested is very challenging to the kidneys.  Powdered protein is in a  predigested state, and the BEST protein source to choose!   Protein is not the enemy – it is essential for life.  It is true,however, that EXCESSIVE protein is hard on the kidneys, so if a person consumes more than 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily, AND does not consume adequate carbohydrates with it, this could cause kidney damage.

k)  But I have breast cancer, and I’ve been told I cannot have soy!

It is true that soy is a “phyto-estrogen” food, which means it contains substances that have hormone-like components.  However, their estrogen strength is 1/1000th that of the body’s own stronger estrogen’s. therefore, you want to load your digestive system with quality controlled raw soy powder, because these weaker estrogens will block the estrogen receptor sites from receiving your body’s own stronger estrogen s and therefore be very protective against estrogen fed cancer

To Learn more  about Shaklee Soy Protein Products see links

Energizing Soy Vanilla:

http://smarthealthchoices.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=20665

Energizing Soy Coco:

http://smarthealthchoices.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=20670

Soy Protein Mix (for cooking and drinking- contains NO sweetner)

http://smarthealthchoices.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=20661

Cinch (Soy -also comes in Whey)

http://smarthealthchoices.myshaklee.com/us/en/category.php?main_cat=WeightManagement&sub_cat=CinchShakes