The health benefits of Soy

This is a question that comes up again and again. At every market or food festival somebody always makes an enquiry or statement about the health benefits of Soy. Is it good for us or is it a 'bad food'. "Isn't it an Oestrogen mimicker and therefore won't it make us blokes infertile?"It was in response to this type of question that we developed our Hi-fibre bread flour to be completely Soy free so that our customers would have a choice.

I was reminded of this conundrum again whilst reading a recent article from Food Navigator Long-term consumption of a soy-rich diet may decrease a male’s sperm count, says a study with mice. Adult mice fed a soy-rich diet had sperm counts 25 per cent lower, and 21 per cent smaller litter sizes, than mice fed a soy-free diet, according to research published in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. The study was dismissed, however, by Michelle Braun, PhD, a member of soy supplier Solae's nutrition science group, who noted that scientific evidence from human studies shows no correlation between soy intake and changes in testosterone levels, therefore, suggesting no affect on male fertility (Fertil Steril 2009). “In this study, animals in one of the experimental groups were fed a single source of protein (soy protein) for the duration of life, which is not comparable to typical human consumption,” said Dr Braun. “It is tenuous to attribute the differences observed between the two study groups to the phytoestrogen content of the diet. “The health benefits of dietary soy protein go beyond the phytoestrogen content. There is an overwhelming amount of clinical evidence that indicates soyfoods, which are low in fat and a good source of high quality protein can make important contributions to an overall healthy diet,” she added.

During the late eighties and nineties Soy flour seemed to be used in almost every kind of food from bread to sausages. It was seen as a wonder ingredient which could be used to cut costs by replacing some of the more expensive ingredients but not affect the taste or texture of the existing product, in some cases even improving the quality of the end product. But there are huge health benefits with Soy, the product is high in fibre, protein and minerals yet low in saturated fat and free of cholesterol. There is a growing awareness amongst consumers that Soy is an important ingredient in its own right.

I wonder if people are getting their information about Soy mixed up and confusing the issue. What I mean by that is are people mixing up the scare stories concerning GM Soy with Soy in general? Is Soy guilty by association with GM? What I find quite ironic is that people will refuse to eat Soy and continue to give it bad press, worried about its health benefits, but are quite happy to eat beef, pork, and chicken which are reared on a diet rich in GM soy! Let us not forget that Soy has played a huge role in the diet of the Chinese and Japanese for thousands of years, and if anyone is in any doubt about the effect of soy on their fertility rates perhaps a quick look at the population statistics will put their minds at rest.

Rise in adult allergies

Following on from my last blog I came across an article last Sunday in 'The Observer', 07.02.10, about the 'Shock rise in number of fatal adult allergies'. What's most interesting about this article is firstly the admission by the NHS that allergies do indeed exist! that its not just someone making it up to feel different or a figment of ones imagination!, but secondly, that despite all the research and knowledge there is still no identifiable cause for this rise in allergies. The article states 'It could be to do with changes in our environment, a change in allergen exposure, pollution, or diet. The only thing we know is that it is clearly related to modern, western ways of living.' I believe it is no coincidence that as the food industry has striven to produce 'food' as cheaply and efficiently as possible there has been a steady increase in the number of people suffering from allergies. Whenever people are diagnosed with an allergy or intolerance they are told to avoid all processed food and to go back to scratch cooking and unprocessed food, ie food the way it used to be when we were growing up. How many people remember their mum cooking the dinner everyday? Nowadays due to our modern lifestyle we are very time poor and so rarely cook a full dinner. As a working parent I am only too aware of the problem of juggling work and family, so I'm not advocating that we all stop buying processed food or ready meals however perhaps we should look a little more closly at the labels and see exactly what it is that we are eating. Having to go on an 'allergy' diet does not mean having to do without in fact its quite the opposite. Because one has to prepare all ones meals the quality and flavour will improve a hundred fold! What will also improve beyond measure is ones quality of life.

National Allergy Week

We have reached a stage in mankinds development in which Allergies have become so common that we have a 'National Allergy Week'. Whilst this may be good news for a company like ours that specialises in producing 'free-from-' products one has to ask oneself how this has come about? As a child growing up 'allergies' were virtually unheard off in my peer group. OK most people will remember the kid with asthma in their class but now the number of asthma sufferers is in the region of 1 in 4 children, as opposed to 1 in 100, 20 - 30 years ago. Is it because we now have better testing methods for detecting allergies, or greater awareness of their existence, or that our children are more susceptable to them as a result of our modern lifestyle. There is no definitive answer to this question, however most people have a strong opinion one way or another. For example our modern lifestyle has certainly lowered the effectiveness of the human immune system making us more susceptable to foreign bodies. The increased use of antibacterial substances in the household have certainly had an impact. Children are raised in quite a sterile environment so their immune system can be under developed. Our immune system is the best form of defense the body can have hence you'll often hear the older generation refer to the benefits of 'clean dirt'! Lets use an example, take two identical plants, one raised in a greenhouse and one raised outside, the one in the greenhouse will be softer and more prone to disease. The increased incidence of allergies could also be down to the misinterpretation of what an allergy actually is. Having an allergy to a food generally means that should one accidentally consume some of that particular food then it will bring about an allergic reaction in a number of ways but in the most frightening as an anaphylatic attack. Which as a parent absolutely terrifies me. I am aware of a number of children in my area who have a peanut allergy and catering for these children at parties can be very stressful. I have nothing but admiration for the parents and siblings who have to deal with this on a daily basis! I think what most people refer to as a food allergy is in fact a food intolerance. An intolerance generally causes a feeling of discomfort over a certain period. This discomfort can be dizziness, bloating, stomach cramps, eczema, a rash, itchiness, migraines, headaches, nausea, tiredness etc. The reasons for the rising number of people with intolerances is probably down to a number of factors, namely, greater awareness that the problem exists, greater choice of foods so easier to eliminate the offending food item, the desire not to put up with the discomfort any longer, greater levels of processed foods in our modern diets. As I stated earlier in my blog there is no definitive answer to the increased incidences of allergies today, however I am certainly on the side that says what we have is a direct result of our modern lifestyle over the last 20 - 30 years. If we continue to put rubbish into our bodies then we will continue to see an increase in allergies and intolerances. Maybe if nothing else 'National Allergy Week' will help further the discussion and debate. At least through discussion we are furthering peoples knowledge and helping them decide!

Food 2030

The Government has just produced a report (FOOD 2030) which is its view on Food production in the UK over the next 20 years. Many people think that this report applies only to the Farmers and major Food Producers, however on reading further it actually affects all of us as much today as it will in 20 years time!. For example, in the wheat-free market there are products available on the shelf that are shipped in from the other side of the world. Products that can be manufactured here in the UK. This would have the benefit of shortening the supply chain, keeping the money in the economy, safeguarding jobs, and lessening the environmental impact by reducing the transport involved. That is not to say that we should only purchase products manufactured in the UK, I think people need to look at the impact of the products they purchase on our world. People will have to start changing their shopping habits sooner rather than later. We have the ability with our spending power to directly affect the world in which we live.