D. Cinelli wrote: http://www.rosneath.com.au/ipc6/ch01/mollison/
OK, this may be a little off-topic, but it's more proof ot the corporate hegemony and since a lot of people who think like we do are left of center, I imagine you'd like to know about that health food you may be eating. This info on tofu was news to me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As many farmers around the world can attest to, soy is a product of the soybean. Soybeans have been grown in China since almost 3,000 BC and valued as a crop. The soybean plant is a short bush that grows podded beans. Soybeans were brought to the US in the mid-1700s. They are eaten whole as a food, squashed for their oil or, most often, mashed to form a base for other food products. The US currently has 65 million acres of soybean planted to support the gigantic processed food industry. 60% of all food on store shelves contain soy. As a side note, the asians did not by and large EAT their soy. They fermented it for up to 3 years and then used it as a light condiment. 65% of the asian diet consisted of fish (Japan) or pork (China) - i.e. natural meats. The soy intake was around 2 Tbsp a day - a far cry from the huge amounts of "modified soy" found in a modern developed country diet. Unlike just about any other plant, soybeans are high in protein and iron. This makes them especially valuable for vegetarians and vegans, but also of interest to anyone who cannot afford to eat meat or wants an alternative. In rural communities where animals were incredibly expensive, soybeans were a cheap alternative. Soy has been shown to help lower cholesterol when taken as part of a healthy diet. The diet included 23g/day of soy protein powder. Another study in 2003 found that soy helped reduce the risk of cancer in mice, results which they attributed to the isoflavones in soy. Often, soybeans are used as a protein substitute in vegetarian diets because they are high in iron. Women especially need adequate iron intake to remain healthy. However, a study done in 2001 shows that only 27% or so of the iron in soybeans is actually absorbed. Previous studies put the absorption amount as low as 2%. Both agree that women not eating meat should take vitamins to ensure adequate iron intake. There are "phytates" in soy which block a body from properly absorbing zinc. So eating soy *while you eat* other plant materials means that you won't absorb the zinc in those plants. It doesn't affect the zinc IN your body already but it does harm your ability to absorb new zinc while you are eating soy. Meaning either you need some non-soy-eating times to get your zinc into you, or you need to take vitamins at a different time of day to compensate. Zinc is critical for proper brain functioning. Phytates also interfere with absorption of calcium, magnesium and iron. Two thirds of soybean oils in use are hydrogenated. Read more about Trans Fatty Acids to learn about the risks of hyrogenated oils. Even if you eat soy in other manners, you should try to avoid using soybean oil. Soy has been shown to interfere with the thyroid and immune system. A doctor at the National Center for Toxicological Research noted in a letter to the FDA that "Infants consuming soy infant formula rich in isoflavones have about a two-fold risk of developing [goiter and autoimmune thyroiditis]". Isoflavones have been bred into soybeans in modern times and are an estrogen-like compound. In addition, the high isoflavone levels in soy products have been associated with earlier puberty rates in girls in developed countries. 1% of girls have some signs as early as age 3. Soy formulas often have high levels of manganese in them, which can harm the brains of infants and even lead to ADHD problems. Some soy formula manufacturers are putting warning labels on their products as a result. Soybeans contain trypsin inhibitors that block protein consumption and hemagglutinin that causes clots to form. It you take in huge amounts of soybeans, you increase your risk for pancreatic damage and even pancreatic cancer because the trypsin inhibitors block protein use and therefore make your pancreas work too hard to overcome this effect. Huge amounts of soybeans can also make clots that can form in your heart or lungs. Soy contains goitrogens that block thyroid function. In small doses these goitrogens do not harm you, but large doses can slow your thyroid. Soybeans The US grows more soybeans than any other country, and over half of all US soybeans have been genetically modified to handle "roundup" - a weed killer. Unfortunately, while this was meant to reduce the pesticides needed, studies have shown that actually the soybeans now get up to 5 times as much pesticide laid on them as before because the crops are so valuable. Many people are allergic to soy, just as people are intolerant of lactose and wheat products. This can cause bloating and other symptoms. It's always wise to try going without something for 2 weeks to see how you feel - and then to reintroduce it slowly to see how you react. Unfortunately this can be VERY tough with soy since just about every processed food could have soy in it. Because it is such a cheap bulker, it is used in everything from gum to cereal to cardboard. Because the soy industry is a multi-million-dollar moneymaker, it is easy to find studies backed by this industry that support their claims of 100% worry free safety. But as in all things regarding your health, it is important to evaluate your options and to balance your food in moderation. The more you can eat fresh, natural foods, and avoid processed foods of any kind, the better off you will be. Dr. Lon White of Hawaii was interested in how tofu eating affected the men in his area. He traced a group of men from 1965 to 1993. Dr. White found "a significant link between tofu consumption during midlife and loss of mental ability and even loss of brain weight." Research into this has found the connection. First, healthy brain cells are measured by a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A low BDNF causes brain atrophy and is linked with Alzheimer's. In a study published in "Neuroscience Letters", they found that soy intake lowered the BDNF in rats. In research reported on brain.com, a site that talks about the brain, it turns out that every plant has its means of defense. Roses have thorns, some plants taste awful. The soy plant's defense is that it puts out an estrogen-like substance. This causes males who eat it to become less fertile, in essence lessening the likelihood that the males will create baby "soy eaters" to keep eating the plant. This estrogen-like substance interferes with how natural estrogens are received in the brain - and compromises brain efficiency. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/XgSolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ----- / o o \ ===OO=====OO============================================= (4)Portals (2)News Wikis (2)Conferences - No BuSHIT! Start here: http://pnews.org/ (On Internet since 1982) http://pnews.org/PhpWiki/ (West Coast News Wiki) http://g0lem.net/PhpWiki/ (East Coast News Wiki) ========================================================= FIGHT THE RIGHT! ================== Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rhetoric-list/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! 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