THE TRUTH ABOUT SOY MILK

Soy milk is made by soaking soybeans, grinding them with water. The fluid which results after straining is called soy milk. The health benefits of soy milk are controversial, because like milk, soy is a common food allergen. The milk industries ad campaigns boast about how low fat milk, fat free milk and soy milk are accepted healthy by the medical industry.Unlike milk from a cow, soy milk has no lactose, which makes it a viable alternative to cow’s milk for those suffering from lactose intolerance. Soy milk is promoted as a healthier alternative to cows milk and people have begun to replace many foods in their diet with soy products. There are alot of recent studies to prove that consuming soy can be harmful to your health.

When soy is processed it does not guarantee filtering for toxin elimination. Soy milk has to be heated at high temperatures, it will result in a break down of the protein which is found in soy. When the soy has been consumed the body can have trouble breaking it down causing side effects that can range from diarrhea, cramps and headaches. Preservatives are added to the soy so they can have a longer shelf life, these preservatives can too cause side effects within the body. Phytates are found in soy, these decrease the amounts of nutrients that are absorbed in our body such as iron and zinc. 

Soy has high levels of phytoestrogens which are plant derived compounds, these mimic the hormone estrogen which is found in our body. When we consume phytoestrogens they upset the endocrine functions within our body which can disrupt thyroid functioning in women. This is unhealthy for women who have hypothyroidism as soy can slow down the function of the thyroid gland.  The plant compounds in soy milk which mimic estrogen can block normal estrogen in the human body, this can cause infertility and increase your risk for breast cancer.

When men consume soy the phytoestrogens can reduce testosterone, which may lead to a lowered sperm count making it harder to conceive. 

One of the worst problems with soy comes from the fact that 90 to 95 percent of soybeans grown in the US are genetically modified (GM), and these are used to create soy protein isolate. Genetically modified soybeans are designed to be ‘Roundup ready’, which means they are created to withstand heavy doses of herbicides without killing the plant. The active ingredient in Roundup herbicide is called glyphosate, which is responsible for the disruption of the delicate hormonal balance of the female reproductive cycle. Pregnant women should avoid soy milk as glyphosate is toxic to the placenta. If the placenta has been damaged the result can be miscarriage or birth defects. Feeding your infant soy-based formula can cause a host of health problems including behavioral problems, food allergies and digestive distress, early puberty and fertility problems, asthma and cancer.

If you are going to drink soy milk always buy organic. Other alternatives are almond milk, rice milk or organic and raw cows milk.

Source
http://www.juliaandlibby.com/2012/12/11/the-truth-about-soy-milk/