- [Robbie] "What Happens When" is a series
where Plant Based News takes a deep dive
into the topics that concern our health and wellbeing,
and hear from experts who debunk
some of the most common myths.
- It's destroying our planet, it causes cancer,
it makes men more feminine, it causes hyperthyroidism,
it's the leading cause of deforestation,
it blocks nutrient absorption.
Soy is the worst thing on earth!
- [Narrator] With inconclusive evidence
regarding these click bait statements,
how did soy get such a bad rep?
The soy bean is one of the most versatile food sources.
Edamame, soy milk, tofu sprouts, miso, tempeh, soy sauce.
Foods made of soy in both unfermented and fermented form
have been the bedrock of Asian cuisine for millennia.
Unfermented soy products such as tofu and soy milk
are prevalent in countries
like China, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
While in Japan, about half of soy intake
comes from the fermented foods, natto and miso.
But since its rise in popularity in Western cuisine
over the past 60 years, soy and its effects on the body
have become the object of many studies, myths, and debates.
With so much crazy information about soy out there,
let's break down some of the myths
of what actually happens when you eat soy.
The health effects of soy-based foods
have been heavily studied for over 30 years,
but one consistent myth remains.
That soy products contain high levels of estrogen.
- Soy beans have no negative effect on fertility
according to the best available evidence.
A meta analysis from 2020
looking at 41 clinical interventions
showed that soybeans had no effect on testosterone,
estrogen, or sex hormone-binding globulin.
- [Narrator] Soy contains natural compounds
called isoflavones which are a type of phyotestrogen,
and are similar in structure to estrogen.
This raises the concern that the body might recognize
these natural compounds as estrogen,
which can promote breast cancer, hinder thyroid function,
or even have feminizing effects on men.
In reality, soy isoflavones actually have
weaker effects than estrogen.
- When it comes to soybeans and cancer, we can relax.
Soybeans have actually been found to be beneficial,
to protect us from some of the most common cancers,
including breast cancer, prostate cancer,
and gastric cancers.
- [Narrator] A leading meta-analysis
of clinical studies points out
that soy foods don't affect hormones negatively.
In fact, the overall research suggests
that the beneficial role of soy against cancer
might be primarily attributed to soy isoflavones.
Soy intake can reduce the risk of breast cancer in women.
Research suggests that some of the other
potential health benefits of soy
include lowering blood pressure and blood sugar,
improving fertility and bone health,
and reducing menopause symptoms.
Soy foods are rich in protein, fiber,
vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- Soy beans are absolutely fantastic for health.
They contain all essential amino acids,
as well as phytonutrients and antioxidants.
Many people don't know this,
but isoflavones and soy actually have
more antioxidants in them than vitamin C.
- [Narrator] All plant foods contain
all nine essential amino acids
that the body cannot make on its own
and must be obtained from the diet.
Studies have proven the health benefits
of consuming soy products,
especially when they replace red meat in a person's diet.
Highlighting the benefits of eating plant-based.
But soy contains plastics, some still claim.
This is no more than another outrageous myth
made up to bring down some soy products.
There is no evidence that soy contains plastic,
and if you're really worried
about consuming plastic through your food,
then you need to look no further than the micro plastics
that end up in meat through animal feed.
The benefits of soy as a source of protein
and its cheap production cost also make it
a popular option for livestock Feed.
This, however, is at the root
of soy's massive environmental impact.
Many claim that vegans
are actually destroying the environment
through consuming soy products.
- There's an idea going around
that soy is worse for the environment than meat.
It couldn't be further from the truth.
All the evidence shows when looking
at land use, deforestation, greenhouse gases,
fresh water use, by far, one of the best foods we could eat
is soy based foods.
- [Narrator] Soy production has more than doubled
over the last few decades, and according to some estimates,
the global production of soy today is 13 times higher
than what it was in the 1960s.
However, only 6% of the worldwide soy grown
is actually consumed by people.
- More than 75% of all soy by mass globally
is fed directly to farmed animals,
and that only returns about a 10% back in calories
from feed over to meat.
So there's a huge amount of waste there,
there's a huge amount of deforestation, and land use.
- [Narrator] As much as 75 to 80%
of the soy grown is fed to farmed animals
like chickens, cows, and pigs.
People eating soy products
isn't what is driving the current soy production.
The demand for meat products is.
The growth of commercial farms,
and the demand for meat in the 20th century
has led directly to the explosive growth of soy
in the mid 20th century.
This is a threat to the environment in several ways.
The growing demand has led to the increase
in the arable land needed to grow soy.
In places like North and South America,
this has led to unsustainable conversion
of forest and grasslands to farmland,
which endangers wildlife and whole ecosystems.
The more meat is consumed, the more land is needed
to rear and feed these animals.
Between the years 2000 and 2005,
Brazil was one of the world's leading soy producers.
It lost more than 50,000 square miles of rainforest.
A large portion of that for soybean farming.
Despite regulations limiting the harmful effects
of soy on the environment,
soy farming is a lucrative business
that continues in many endangered areas.
Another way in which the mass production of soy
is harmful to the environment is the vast amount of water
that is needed to keep up the high demand for soy growing.
This in turn leads to a huge loss of water
needed for local communities and ecosystems,
which rely on these water sources to survive.
Any water that is left is unsafe to drink
and is contaminated with pesticides.
Soybean cultivation for farmed animals
destroys habitats for wildlife
including and increasing greenhouse gases
which contribute to global warming.
What is the solution?
Just eat more soy.
There is no direct link between consuming soy products
as part of a plant-based diet
and the destructive effects of growing soy.
In fact, when soy is produced solely for human consumption
as an alternative to meat, the demand for soy
would actually be reduced.
Click bait headlines that proclaim soy products
as destructive to people's health and the environment
are ignoring the underlying cause of the problem.
That meat is actually much worse.
The humble soybean is fundamental to plant-based diets.
It is an excellent source of protein
and its benefits by far outweigh
the negative effects of meat.
Soy has been around for millennia and it is here to stay.