In an effort to join the healthcare revolution, many households have switched from cow’s milk to soy milk . Unlike cow’s milk, soy milk (or soy) does not contain lactose, so for people who avoid dairy products, such as vegans or those who have a lactose intolerance, soy milk seems a good choice. Fortified soy milk is even a good source of protein, iron, B vitamins, and calcium, while low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Sounds good on the surface, right? The only problem is that research has shown that consuming soy milk can seriously jeopardize your health.
Common soy milk ingredients
The ingredients in soy milk are:
- Soy milk (filtered water, whole soy)
- Sugar cane
- Sea salt
- Carragenina
- Natural flavoring
- Calcium carbonate
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Vitamin D2
- Riboflavin
- Vitamin B12
Carrageenan linked to colon cancer
Most of those ingredients probably sound familiar, and they don’t seem too bad, but carrageenan may be one that you’re not familiar with. Carrageenans are a family of linear sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from red edible algae. They are commonly used in the food industry for their gelling, thickening and stabilizing properties.
Not only is the body unable to digest carrageenan, it has no nutritional value at all. Although it is derived from a natural source, it is destructive to the immune system. It causes a negative immune response that causes inflammation. Research has linked carrageenan to an increased rate of colon cancer , along with gastrointestinal inflammation that can cause IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), spastic colon, chronic diarrhea, and inflammatory bowel disease.
While the type of food you decide to put in your body is a personal choice, being informed is the best way to make a decision that benefits your health. Soy milk has been a subject of controversy for years, but there is a significant amount of evidence showing that it can have harmful effects on the body.
Top 10 reasons to avoid soy milk
1. Soy contains large amounts of natural toxins that affect estrogen levels. Drinking just two glasses of soy milk a day can significantly alter the hormones in a woman’s body, disrupting the menstrual cycle.
2. Soy contains hemagglutinin , a substance that promotes clotting that causes red blood cells to clump together.
3. About 99% of soy is genetically modified, so it contains one of the highest levels of pesticide contamination.
4. Soy and soy products contain high levels of phytic acid , which inhibits the assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc.
5. Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum, which is toxic to the body. It negatively affects the nervous system and kidneys, and has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
6. Brittle soy proteins are exposed to high temperatures during soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein. This makes them dangerous for human digestion.
7. Soy contains toxic isoflavones – genistein and daidzein . They can stimulate the growth of existing breast cancer.
8. Soy contains plant estrogens called phytoestrogens, which disrupt endocrine function and can lead to infertility and breast cancer in women.
9. Soy foods have high levels of goitrogens that block the production of thyroid hormones .
10. During the drying process of soybeans, nitrates, powerful carcinogens, are formed.