Niet iedereen is ervan overtuigd dat soja
zo gezond is. Aan de ene kant heb je de propaganda van de soja industrie en aan de andere
kant de sites die waarschuwen voor soja. Wel zit er verschil in pure soja produkten en
gefermenteerde soja produkten. Eten Japanners echt zoveel soja of wordt gefermenteerde
soja daar gewoon als smaakmaker gebruikt...... ik zal in ieder geval eens op zoek gaan
naar studies en artikelen mbt de voor- en nadelen van soja zodat je zelf kunt bepalen of
je soja in je dieet wilt opnemen......
Uit diverse studies blijkt wel dat bepaalde
soorten veel oxaalzuur kunnen bevatten en dat kan weer voor nierstenen zorgen. Dit
oxaalzuur komt ook voor in oa rabarber, zuring, raap, spinazie, postelein, rode biet,
cacao en kan zich binden aan calcium en die combinatie kan dan weer tot nierstenen leiden.
Begrijp goed dat er veel geld omgaat in
zowel de melk- als de zuivelindustrie dus wordt er over en weer met modder gegooid. Ik
probeer dan ook zoveel mogelijk studies te vinden en artikelen die op die studies
gebaseerd zijn.
Volgens professor Sheena Lewis van de
universiteit van Belfast bevat soja stoffen die op het vrouwelijk hormoon oestrogeen
lijken en deze kunnen bij mannen de vruchtbaarheid verlagen.....
Voor mij geldt nog steeds, alles met
mate.....
Ron
Studies Showing Adverse Effects of
Dietary Soy, 1971-2003
Soy Dangers Summarized
* High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce
assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not
neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow
cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
* Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with
protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing
trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
* Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine
function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult
women.
* Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid
agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of
soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
* Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not
absorbed and actually increase the body's requirement for B12.
* Soy foods increase the body's requirement
for vitamin D.
* Fragile proteins are denatured during
high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.
* Processing of soy protein results in the
formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
* Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent
neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many
soy foods.
* Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum
which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.
Soja veroorzaakt vervroegde
puberteit en menopauze
New Study Shows Compounds From Soy Affect
Brain and Reproductive Development
Two hormone-like compounds linked to the consumption of soy-based foods can cause
irreversible changes in the structure of the brain, resulting in early-onset puberty and
symptoms of advanced menopause in research animals, according to a new study by
researchers at North Carolina State University. The study is a breakthrough in determining
how these compounds can cause reproductive health problems, as well as in providing a key
building block for how to treat these problems. The study is the first to show that the
actual physical organization of a region of the brain that is important for female
reproduction can be significantly altered by exposure to phytoestrogens – or
plant-produced chemicals that mimic hormones – during development. Specifically, the
study finds that the compounds alter the sex-specific organization of the hypothalamus
– a brain region that is essential to the regulation of puberty and ovulation. The
study also shows that the phytoestrogens could cause long-term effects on the female
reproductive system.
Sojamelk niet zo gezond? Sojamelk mogelijk
gevaarlijk? Ik kwam ervaringen tegen van ouders waarvan de kinderen veel te vroeg in de
groei waren geraakt, die veel te vroeg in de puberteit waren gekomen. Ik schrok hier echt
van, omdat onze dochter ook erg groot is voor haar leeftijd. Ze zit ver boven de
hoogste lijntjes van de groeicurves, en we waren al een aantal keer bij de schoolarts
geweest omdat die zich daarover ongerust maakte. Indien de groei niet zou afzwakken zouden
we 'er iets aan moeten gaan doen'.
De Cancer Council of NSW (Australische
gezondheidsorganisatie) waarschuwt kanker patiënten soja produkten te vermijden omdat zij
de groei van tumoren kunnen versnellen. Met name de hormoon-gerelateerde kankers zoals
borst- en prostaatkanker.
Het cholesterol verlagen met behulp
van het eiwit in soja
Amerikaanse onderzoekers vinden een nieuw goed punt van soja. Behalve dat het goed is voor
het immuunsysteem en slagaders, zorgen de eiwitten in de soja ervoor dat het cholesterol
niveau daalt.
Voedselgoeroes bezingen soja in alle toonaarden. Stoffen in de sojaboon zouden de kans op
allerlei soorten kanker verminderen en het menselijk hormoonsysteem verjongen.
Onderzoekers van het Rikilt ontdekten echter dat een stof in soja de groei van
kankercellen juist versnelt.Hoewel mensen die veel soja eten - zoals vegetarirs en Aziaten
- minder vaak kanker krijgen, zijn wetenschappers al vaker op ziekmakende eigenschappen
van soja gestuit. Welke stof de effecten veroorzaakte, was onduidelijk. In de jaren
tachtig ontdekte het Nizo bijvoorbeeld dat proefdieren die veel soja-eiwit binnenkregen
vaker kanker ontwikkelden. Ander onderzoek wees echter naar een andere verdachte, een stof
die vastzit aan het soja-eiwit: de isoflavonode genistene. Bij vrouwen die de overgang
achter de rug hebben, imiteert deze stof de werking van het vrouwelijke hormoon estradiol.
Bij jonge mannen blokkeren stoffen als genistene estradiol juist. Sporters gebruiken ze om
sneller vet te verliezen.
Soja bevat tevens plantaardige zuren en
lectins (ofwel haemagglutins, invloed op bloed), nitrosamines (kankerverwekkend),
manganese (mangaan), protease-remmers (protease zorgt voor gedeeltelijke omzetting van
eiwitten, inbegrepen trypsines (dat zijn enzymen die zijn betrokken bij het proces ter
ontmanteling proteïnen ten behoeve van het lichaam. De zuren breken tal van vitaminen en
mineralen af, hetgeen ook gebeurt als je teveel granen eet.
Twijfels over preventieve rol soja bij
borstkanker
Johns Hopkins and Georgetown University researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 18
epidemiologic studies revealing that women who eat soy products may have a slightly lower
risk of developing breast cancer. But the researchers quickly add that inconsistencies and
limitations among the studies raise doubt about the potential benefit, and warn women that
high-dose supplements could do more harm than good.
Johns Hopkins and Georgetown University researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 18
epidemiologic studies revealing that women who eat soy products may have a slightly lower
risk of developing breast cancer. But the researchers quickly add that inconsistencies and
limitations among the studies raise doubt about the potential benefit, and warn women that
high-dose supplements could do more harm than good.
Soy Formula Not Proven to Prevent
Allergies in Infants, Review Concludes
Although soy infant formulas were created to reduce the chances of babies developing
allergies or food intolerances, there is no clear proof that soy or other specialized
formulas lower those risks, a new review has found. “There is no evidence that using
any type of formula is better than exclusive breastfeeding for prevention of
allergy,” said authors David Osborn, M.D., of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and John
Sinn, M.D., of Westmead Hospital, in Australia. “Specialized formulas should be
restricted to situations where infants cannot exclusively breastfeed or when an infant
develops a specific food allergy or hypersensitivity.” Food allergies can include
wheat, peanuts, cow’s milk and soy protein. Cow’s milk allergy is the most
prevalent in children and has been documented in 1.8 percent of children along with 0.5
percent of children who have allergies to soy protein, the reviewers say.
Dark soja sauce is better than vitamine C and red wine according to researchers of the
university of Singapore.Volunteers who ate rice with dark soya sauce had free radical
damage cut by 15 per cent over six hours after eating it, compared to those who ate rice
with food colouring only. Between three and four hours after the meal, when the
antioxidant effect reached its peak, damage was cut by 20 per cent. Those who ate rice
with dark soya sauce also experienced increase in blood flow by 10 per cent over six
hours. Between three and four hours after consumption, blood flow increased by as much as
50 per cent.
The findings were published in the international journal, Biochemical and Biophysical
Research Communications. Said Professor Barry Halliwell, Deputy President (Research and
Technology) and Head, Department of Biochemistry: “We are impressed that dark soya
sauce slows down free radical damage in young healthy people. There’s a preventive
aspect, showing that it may potentially slow down the rate of cardiovascular and
neurodegenerative diseases.”
Next, the researchers are isolating the exact compounds in the sauce that are responsible
for the antioxidant effect. Researchers would also need to ascertain whether long-term
consumption of dark soya sauce will prolong its oxidising effect in the body, said
Professor Halliwell.
In the 1980s, Stuart Berger, MD, labeled
soy one of the seven top allergens -- one of the "sinister seven." At the time,
most experts listed soy around tenth or eleventh. Bad enough, but way behind peanuts, tree
nuts, milk, eggs, shellfish, fin fish and wheat. Today soy is widely accepted as one of
"the big eight" that cause immediate hypersensitivity reactions.
Food allergies are abnormal inflammatory
responses of the immune system to dust, pollen, a food or some other substance. Those that
involve an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE) occur immediately or within an hour.
Reactions may include coughing, sneezing, runny nose, hives, diarrhea, facial swelling,
shortness of breath, a swollen tongue, difficulty swallowing, lowered blood pressure,
excessive perspiration, fainting, anaphylactic shock or even death.
Delayed allergic responses to soy are less
dramatic, but are even more common. These are caused by antibodies known as
immunoglobulins A, G or M (IgA, IgG or IgM) and occur anywhere from two hours to days
after the food is eaten. These have been linked to sleep disturbances, bedwetting, sinus
and ear infections, crankiness, joint pain, chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal woes and
other mysterious symptoms.
Food "intolerances",
"sensitivities" and "idiosyncrasies" to soy are commonly called
"food allergies", but differ from true allergies in that they are not caused by
immune system reactions but by little-understood or unknown metabolic mechanisms. Strictly
speaking, gas and bloating, common reactions to soy and other beans are not true allergic
responses. However, they might serve as warnings of the possibility of a larger clinical
picture involving allergen-related gastrointestinal damage.
PROFIT vs RISK
The soybean industry knows that some people
experience severe allergic reactions to its products. In a recent petition to the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), Protein Technologies International (PTI) identified
"allergenicity" as one of the "most likely potential adverse effects
associated with ingestion of large amounts of soy products." Yet PTI somehow
concluded that "the data do not support that they would pose a substantial threat to
the health of the US population."
This statement is hardly reassuring to the many children and adults who suffer allergies
to soy products. And it ignores a substantial body of evidence published during the 1990s
showing that some of these people only learn for the first time about their soy allergies
after experiencing an unexpectedly severe or even life-threatening reaction. Although
severe reactions to soy are rare compared to reactions to peanuts, tree nuts, fish and
shellfish, Swedish researchers recently concluded, "Soy has been underestimated as a
cause of food anaphylaxis".
Hidden soya in fast food 'cutting
men's fertility'
A team led by Sheena Lewis, professor of
reproductive medicine at Queen's University in Belfast, has conducted studies linking soya
to reduced male fertility. Scientists believe chemicals in the soya bean mimic the female
hormone, oestrogen.
New research indicates that soybeans and
soy-based foods, a staple in the diets of many health-conscious consumers, may promote
kidney stones in those prone to the painful condition. The finding will be published in
the September issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed
journal of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society. The
researchers measured nearly a dozen varieties of soybeans for oxalate, a compound that can
bind with calcium in the kidney to form kidney stones. They also tested 13 types of
soy-based foods, finding enough oxalate in each to potentially cause problems for people
with a history of kidney stones, according to Linda Massey, Ph.D., at Washington State
University in Spokane. The amount of oxalate in the commercial products easily eclipsed
the American Dietetic Association’s 10 milligram-per-serving recommendation for
patients with kidney stones, with some foods reaching up to 50 times higher than the
suggested limit, she noted.
The Effects of Antenatal Exposure
to Phytoestrogens on Human Male Reproductive and Urogenital Development
Recently in the news we have been hearing
about declines in male fertility and increases in reproductive birth defects in males. We
have discovered substitutes and replacements for products that have been part of our
culture for hundreds of years, and we readily embrace new developments and technologies
that make our lives easier. Now more than ever consumers are being exposed to many factors
that may disrupt our delicate hormonal balances.
In the review entitled “A Sea of
Estrogens,” author John Biggs warns us about the introduction of a whole range of
endocrine disrupters into our food and the environment.1 Endocrine disruptors, including
pesticides, industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals and even plant hormones are having
fundamental effects on immune function and the reproductive system. These compounds mimic
hormones produced and regulated by the body’s delicate
hypothalamal-hypophyseal-gonadal axis. Some of the most common industrial hormones are
those that mimic the effects of estrogens, including dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane
(DDT), bisphenol A, diethylstilbestrol (DES), genistein and enterodiol. When ingested,
these estrogen-mimicking compounds (EMC) alter the normal levels of estrogen in both
females and males by binding to and activating estrogen receptors.
Human consumption of soy products is
increasing. Soy foods have high nutritional value and also have been reported to have
health benefits. However, high concentrations of oxalate in soy foods increase the risk of
kidney stones. These are calcium oxalate kidney stones. Soy foods also contain phytate.
Studies suggest that phytate exhibits effective anticarcinogenic action against many types
of cancer. Phytate is also a potential inhibitor of calcium oxalate kidney stone
formation. Our objective was to test 30 commercial soy foods for oxalate and phytate
content. There was a wide range of concentrations of oxalate and phytate in the soy foods
tested. Soy food containing low concentrations of oxalate and high concentrations of
phytate may be advantageous for kidney stone patients or persons with high risk of kidney
stones.
New Report on Soy Finds Limited Evidence
for Health Outcomes
Daily consumption of soy protein found in tofu and other soybean products may result in a
small reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL, known as bad cholesterol) and
triglyceride levels, according to a new evidence review supported by HHS' Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality. In addition, isoflavones found in soy may reduce the
frequency of hot flashes in post-menopausal women. However, the available studies on the
health impacts of soy were limited in number, of poor quality, or their duration was too
short to lead to definite conclusions. Overall, across the 68 studies that examined the
impact of soy on cholesterol levels, consumption of soy products resulted in a 5 mg/dL
(about 3 percent) reduction in LDL and an 8 mg/dL (about 6 percent) decrease in
triglyceride levels in the populations studied. Among these studies, a large variety of
soy products, doses of soy protein, and doses of soy isoflavones were tested. The average
dose of soy protein in the studies was equivalent to about one pound of tofu or three soy
shakes daily.
Scientists, doctors and nutritionists who
have warned that soy is not a health food and poses special risks to infants and children
received support this week from the Israeli Health Ministry, which issued a health
advisory recommending that soy foods be eaten only in moderation.
“The Israeli Health Ministry strongly
recommended that consumption of soy foods be
limited for young children and adults and that soy formula be avoided altogether by
infants,” said Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, author of The Whole Soy Story: The Dark
Side of America's Favorite Health Food. “This is giant step forward. I hope that
Israel's action will encourage other government agencies to alert their citizens to the
fact that it is a myth that soy is a 'health food' and that there are very real dangers
from making soy a staple of their diets.”
Dr. Daniel noted that there are hundreds of
studies linking soy foods and soy infant
formula to digestive problems, thyroid dysfunction, ADD/ADHD, dementia, reproductive
disorders and even cancer. “The Israeli Ministry took this matter very seriously and
based its advice upon the conclusions reached by a 13-member committee of nutritionists,
oncologists, pediatricians and other specialists who spent more than a year examining the
evidence. The committee concluded that the estrogen-like plant hormones in soy can cause
adverse effects on the human body, including cancer promotion and reproductive problems.
They strongly urged that consumption of soy foods be minimized until absolute safety has
been proven.”
According to the Jerusalem Post (July 20), soy is widely used in Israel by people of all
ages because it is a cheap substitute for meat and soy infant formula is especially
popular among haredi families who choose not to mix milk-based baby formulas with meat
meals. The Health Ministry plans to distribute information about the dangers of soy foods
and soy infant formula to pediatricians, health care workers and the public. It firmly
recommends that babies that cannot be breast fed receive cow's milk formula and be given
soy infant formula only as a last resort. Day care centers and schools, many of which now
frequently serve soy foods several times a day, are being told to limit them to no more
than one serving per day and no more than three times per week. Finally, doctors should
closely monitor the blood thyroxine levels of babies and toddlers suffering from
hypothyroidism who are on soy infant formula and/or eating soy foods because of the
well-known adverse effects of soy on the thyroid.
“The Israeli Health Ministry's
recommendations are in accord with those made by the
United Kingdom's Chief Medical Officer and the British Dietetic Association, both of
which have alerted pediatricians and parents to use soy infant formula only in unusual
circumstances,” said Dr. Daniel. “In New Zealand, the Health Ministry has
suggested that doctors carefully monitor the thyroids of infants on soy formula. However,
no country has come close to Israel's warning against soy foods for children up to age 18.
This sets an important precedent.”
Although the Israeli Health Ministry stopped short of making recommendations on soy
consumptions for adults, it found that the evidence on soy foods alleviating menopausal
symptoms is inconsistent, that soy phytoestrogens can increase breast cancer risk and that
they can reduce male fertility. The Ministry determined that soy has been shown to reduce
blood cholesterol but stated that there is no clear proof that it reduces the risk of
heart disease. “The bottom line,” said Dr. Daniel “is that the Israeli
Health Ministry looked long and hard at the evidence and reached the appropriate
conclusion that we should eat soy only occasionally and in moderation because possible
benefits are far outweighed by proven risks.”
* * * * *
Source: www.thewholesoystory.com
Soy: For Your Health or Their
Wealth?
Soy has become synonymous with healthy
eating. Who hasn't heard of the marvels of soy? Even Dr. Weil has jumped onto the soy band
wagon, pushing the "health benefits" of soy during a recent appearence on Larry
King Live. The USDA recently approved the use of soy in our children's school lunches. But
could something that sounds so healthy actually be dangerous? Before you reach for that
next bite of tofu and wash it down with some great tasting soy milk, we believe you should
read about the dark side of soy.
To summarize, traditional fermented soy
products such as miso, natto and tempeh, which are usually made with organically grown
soybeans, have a long history of use that is generally beneficial when combined with other
elements of the Oriental diet including rice, sea foods, fish broth, organ meats and
fermented vegetables. The value of precipitated soybean products is problematical,
especially when they form the major source of protein in the diet. Modern soy products
including soy milks and artificial meat and dairy products made from soy protein isolate
and textured vegetable protein are new to the diet and pose a number of serious problems.
A Hawaii study shows a significant
statistical relationship between two or more servings of tofu a week and "accelerated
brain aging" and even an association with Alzheimer's disease, says Dr. Lon White.
The Pacific Health Research Institute researcher urged caution at a recent conference in
Washington as scientists from around the world discussed the role of soy products in the
prevention and treatment of disease. The symposium was sponsored by giant soybean growing
and processing firms such as Archer Daniels Midland and DuPont. The largely unregulated
food supplements industry is preparing to step up sales, claiming that isoflavones, plant
chemicals found in high concentrations in soybeans, offer "natural" cures for
breast cancer, osteoporosis, prostate cancer, heart disease, menopausal "hot
flashes" and other chronic conditions.
In 1988 a hospital launched a "healthy
eating day" in its staff canteen at lunchtime. One dish contained red kidney beans,
and 31 portions were served. At 3 pm one of the customers, a surgical registrar, vomited
in theatre. Over the next four hours 10 more customers suffered profuse vomiting, some
with diarrhoea. All had recovered by next day. No pathogens were isolated from the food,
but the beans contained an abnormally high concentration of the lectin
phytohaemagglutinin.1 Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins present in most plants,
especially seeds and tubers like cereals, potatoes, and beans. Until recently their main
use was as histology and blood transfusion reagents, but in the past two decades we have
realised that many lectins are (a) toxic, inflammatory, or both; (b) resistant to cooking
and digestive enzymes; and (c) present in much of our food. It is thus no surprise that
they sometimes cause "food poisoning." But the really disturbing finding came
with the discovery in 1989 that some food lectins get past the gut wall and deposit
themselves in distant organs.
Epidemiological studies of populations
whose diets contain high levels of soy show that they have a lower incidence of and
mortality from hormone dependent cancers such as cancer of the breast and prostate. In
vitro studies have shown that genistein and diadzein, two isoflavones found in soy, can
inhibit the growth of breast cancer8 and prostate cancer tissue. Conversely, dietary
oestrogens from soybean products have been implicated as a possible cause of infertility
and liver disease in some animal species, although these effects seem to be species
specific.
Have you ever wondered about soy? It's
promoted as the miracle food that will feed the world while at the same time prevent and
cure all manner of diseases. But what if all you've read about soy is nothing but a
multi-million dollar marketing strategy based on scanty facts, half-truths and lies?
How could anyone get away with that? The
soy industry is one of the world's most wealthy and powerful and one that will steamroll
anybody that dares suggest there may be problems with the darling soy. When we first
questioned the safety of soy a representative of Protein Technologies told us that they
had:
teams of lawyers to crush dissenters, could
buy scientists to give evidence, owned television channels and newspapers, could divert
medical schools and could
even influence governments
It's rather scary how our health has been put in danger for the sake of the food industry.
So who is making billions at the risk of our health?
Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) is one
of the leading manufacturers of soy products. They sought for "GRAS" (generally
recognized as safe) status from the FDA for isoflavones, the estrogen-like compounds found
in soy products. DuPont, owner of Protein Technologies International, is the leading
manufacturer of soy protein isolate?
Soy can be found in many processed foods;
over 75% of all processed foods! Check ALL can and box labels and know what you are
eating. Read these articles to learn what to look for in the products being sold to
consumers.
Half of the commercial dry pet foods have
soy as the main protein source, with soy appearing as the first ingredient after corn or
(in some very high protein products such as kitten food) as the first ingredient. If you
want you pet to be healthy have less fleas, a good coat; I highly going to your local feed
store and purchase MAX by Nutro Products, Inc. They have quality pet foods for both dogs
and cats.
Far from being the perfect food, modern soy
products contain antinutrients and toxins and they interfer with the absorption of
vitamins and minerals.
"Each year, research on the health
effects of soy and soybean components seems to increase exponentially. Furthermore,
research is not just expanding in the primary areas under investigation, such as cancer,
heart disease and osteoporosis; new findings suggest that soy has potential benefits that
may be more extensive than previously thought." So writes Mark Messina, PhD, General
Chairperson of the Third International Soy Symposium, held in Washington, DC, in November
1999.[1]
For four days, well-funded scientists
gathered in Washington made presentations to an admiring press and to their sponsors --
United Soybean Board, American Soybean Association, Monsanto, Protein Technologies
International, Central Soya, Cargill Foods, Personal Products Company, SoyLife,
Whitehall-Robins Healthcare and the soybean councils of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky,
Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota.
The symposium marked the apogee of a
decade-long marketing campaign to gain consumer acceptance of tofu, soy milk, soy ice
cream, soy cheese, soy sausage and soy derivatives, particularly soy isoflavones like
genistein and diadzen, the oestrogen-like compounds found in soybeans. It coincided with a
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision, announced on October 25, 1999, to allow a
health claim for products "low in saturated fat and cholesterol" that contain
6.25 grams of soy protein per serving. Breakfast cereals, baked goods, convenience food,
smoothie mixes and meat substitutes could now be sold with labels touting benefits to
cardiovascular health, as long as these products contained one heaping teaspoon of soy
protein per 100-gram serving.
Genetically modified foods are rapidly becoming as common in the American diet as salt and
soft drinks – but most Americans don’t know it. Food processors, grocery stores,
regulators don’t have to tell you – and chances are they don’t even know
A new book by Marc Lappé and Britt Bailey, Against The Grain, makes it clear that genetic
engineering is revolutionizing U.S. agriculture almost overnight.
In 1997, 15 percent of the U.S. soybean
crop was grown from genetically engineered seed. By next year, if Monsanto
Corporation’s timetable unfolds on schedule, 100 percent of the U.S. soybean crop (60
million acres) will be genetically engineered. The same revolution is occurring, at the
same pace, in cotton. Corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and other food crops are lagging slightly
behind, but compared to traditional rates of change in farming, are being deployed into
the global ecosystem at blinding speed.
The mass media have largely maintained
silence about the genetic engineering revolution in agriculture, and government regulators
have imposed no labeling requirements. The result is the public has little or no knowledge
that genetically altered foods are already being sold in grocery stores everywhere.
Genetic engineering is the process whereby
genes of one species are implanted in another species to give new traits to the recipient.
Under the natural order, the movement of genes has only been possible between closely
related species. Now, however, genetic engineering allows scientists to play God, removing
genes from a trout or a mosquito and implanting them in a tomato with unknown long-term
consequences.
All told, based on the evidence to date, I
see no reason to worry about eating soy foods, whether fermented or not. I still recommend
consuming one to two servings of soy per day, an amount equivalent to one cup of soy milk,
or one half cup of tofu, soy protein (tempeh) or soy nuts.
OmniHeart-studie toont gunstig
effect van plantaardige eiwitten aan
Soja, noten, zaden en bonen: goed voor een gezond hart
De OmniHeart-studie1, gepubliceerd in het
toonaangevend medisch
tijdschrift Journal of the American Medical Associaton (JAMA), toont aan dat men door het
gedeeltelijk vervangen van koolhydraten door eiwitten in de voeding een lagere bloeddruk
en bloedcholesterol bekomt. Belangrijke bronnen van plantaardige eiwitten zijn soja,
noten, zaden en bonen. Personen met een lage bloeddruk en een laag cholesterolgehalte
lopen minder risico op hart- en vaatziekten.
Meer dan 160 gezonde Amerikaanse
vrijwilligers namen deel aan de OmniHeart-studie. De studie werd o.a. gefinancierd door
het National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Professor Lawrence J. Appel van The Johns
Hopkins University en zijn team vergeleken het effect van drie verschillende
voedingspatronen op de
cardiovasculaire gezondheid. De drie geselecteerde voedingspatronen worden reeds
aanbevolen bij patiënten met cardiovasculaire problemen omdat ze allemaal weinig
verzadigd vet, cholesterol en zout bevatten en rijk zijn aan fruit, groenten, vezels en
verschillende mineralen.
De drie voedingspatronen onderscheidden
zich van elkaar door volgende kenmerken: het eerste bevatte een hogere hoeveelheid
koolhydraten, het tweede was rijker aan mono-onverzadigde vetzuren en het derde aan
plantaardige eiwitten.
De resultaten van deze Amerikaanse studie
bevestigen de positieve effecten van de drie voedingspatronen op de gezondheid: ze
verlagen de bloeddruk en het cholesterolgehalte. Indien de koolhydraten echter vervangen
worden door plantaardige eiwitten door het integreren van soja, peulvruchten, granen,
noten en zaden in de voeding levert dit bijkomende positieve gezondheidseffecten op. Deze
gunstige effecten zijn bovendien groter dan die van de voeding rijk aan mono-onverzadigde
vetzuren. De onderzoekers halen aan dat de resultaten van deze studie nauw aansluiten bij
de resultaten van de recent gepubliceerde Intermap-studie2, die stelt dat het consumeren
van plantaardig eiwit gepaard gaat met een belangrijke bloeddrukdaling.
“De resultaten van beide studies zijn
van groot belang en ondersteunen de trend naar een gezondere leefstijl, waar plantaardige
voedingsmiddelen een sleutelrol spelen,” aldus Christine Debeuf, International
Science & Nutrition Manager van Alpro Soja. “We zien dat steeds meer mensen heel
bewust kiezen voor soja omdat ze
weten dat het gezond én lekker is.”
1 Appel et al. Effects of Protein,
Monounsaturated Fat, and Carbohydrate Intake on Blood Pressure and Serum Lipids, JAMA,
November 2005, Vol 294(19), blz. 2455- 2464.
2 Elliot et al., Association Between Protein Intake and Blood Pressure, Archives of
Internal Medicine 2006, January, Vol 166, blz. 79-87.
Zweedse studie ziet risico op
prostaatkanker met 26% dalen
Plantaardige voeding vermindert risico op prostaatkanker
Voeding die rijk is aan phyto-oestrogenen,
kan het risico op
prostaatkanker met 26% doen dalen. Dat is vastgesteld in een Zweedse studie die het
verband onderzocht tussen het risico op prostaatkanker en de consumptie van
phyto-oestrogenen.
Phyto-oestrogenen zijn bestanddelen die van
nature in plantaardige voeding voorkomen. Voorbeelden zijn isoflavonen uit soja en
lignanen uit vlaszaad en roggebrood. Deze plantaardige bestanddelen werden door
wetenschappelijk onderzoek al vaker in verband gebracht met een verminderd risico voor het
ontwikkelen van prostaatkanker.
Een Zweedse studie heeft het verband tussen
phyto-oestrogenen en het risico op prostaatkanker onderzocht. Hiertoe werd de voeding van
1499 Zweedse mannen met prostaatkanker vergeleken met 1130 gezonde mannen. Uit het
onderzoek blijkt dat de personen met de hoogste inname van voedingsmiddelen, rijk aan
phytooestrogenen (zoals soja, bonen, noten, bessen, zonnebloem zaden, vlaszaad), maar
liefst 26% minder kans hadden om prostaatkanker te ontwikkelen. De hypothese dat
voedingsmiddelen die van nature rijk zijn aan phyto-oestrogenen geassocieerd kunnen worden
met een lager risico op prostaatkanker, wordt door deze studie ondersteund.
“Soja is uniek door zijn van nature
hoge gehalte aan isoflavonen,” stelt Christine Debeuf, International Science en
Nutrition Manager bij Alpro. “Het vervangen van melkproducten door de overeenkomstige
sojaproducten is een eenvoudige manier om meer soja in de dagelijkse voeding te
integreren,” aldus Debeuf.
De resultaten van deze studie werden gepubliceerd in Cancer Causes and Control (2006)
17:169-180.
Intermap Study toont positief
effect van plantaardig eiwit aan
Plantaardig eiwit doet bloeddruk dalen
Een grootschalige studie uitgevoerd bij
4680 deelnemers uit vier verschillende landen toont aan dat de consumptie van plantaardig
eiwit bloeddrukverlagend werkt. Maar in tegenstelling tot andere studies, stellen deze
onderzoekers geen correlatie vast tussen totale eiwitinname en bloeddruk.
Een hoge bloeddruk vergroot het risico op
hart- en vaatziekten. Tot op heden werd een hoge eiwitconsumptie (van plantaardige of
dierlijke oorsprong) vaak negatief gecorreleerd met de bloeddruk. Maar onderzoek toont aan
dat vleeseters een hogere bloeddruk hebben in vergelijking met vegetariërs. In een
recente studie gepubliceerd in Archives of Internal Medicine stellen Elliot en andere
onderzoekers dat niet
de totale hoeveelheid eiwit, maar wel de hoeveelheid plantaardig eiwit verantwoordelijk is
voor een bloeddrukdalend effect. Maar liefst 4680 deelnemers uit vier landen (Japan,
China, Verenigd Koninkrijk en de Verenigde Staten) namen deel aan de studie. De
onderzoekers gingen na of er een verband bestaat tussen de
voedselinname en de bloeddruk.
Uit de resultaten van het onderzoek blijkt
dat een hogere consumptie van plantaardig eiwit gepaard gaat met een lagere bloeddruk.
Welk deel van het plantaardig eiwit precies verantwoordelijk is voor de
bloeddrukverlaging, is nog niet duidelijk. Wel stellen de onderzoekers een significant
verschil vast in aminozuursamenstelling (waaruit eiwitten opgebouwd zijn) van voeding rijk
aan plantaardig eiwit en voeding rijk aan dierlijk eiwit. Verder onderzoek zal uitwijzen
of de aminozuursamenstelling wel degelijk verantwoordelijk is voor de bloeddrukdaling.
“Dergelijke studies zijn van groot
belang omdat ze de positieve impact van aangepaste voeding op de gezondheid
aantonen,” aldus Christine Debeuf, International Science and Nutrition Manager van
Alpro, “Men kan meer plantaardige eiwitten consumeren door soja dagelijks in de
voeding te integreren, bijvoorbeeld door melkproducten te vervangen door sojaproducten. Zo
geniet men ook meteen van de vele andere voordelen van sojaproducten, zoals hun gunstige
vetzuursamenstelling en het feit dat ze cholesterolvrij zijn.”
Meer informatie over deze studie vindt u in
Archives of Internal Medicine (2006, January, Vol 166, blz. 79-87).
