tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post114194217546256103..comments2024-03-19T00:45:26.274-07:00Comments on Vegan Lunch Box: Soy ControversyJennifershmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663322884550580226noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1855814929418516472008-06-23T19:08:00.000-07:002008-06-23T19:08:00.000-07:00"...I think the most important consideration is so..."...I think the most important consideration is soy's effects on hormone levels. If it contains enough phytoestrogens to improve menopause symptoms or regulate female cycles, it certainly has an effect on everyone's hormone levels. You must consider that when you are giving it to your growing children on a regular basis..."<BR/><BR/>I have just found this blog and love it!!!! I like that you are addressing the soy concern, because there is one out there. I agree with the above comment, as too much unfermented soy can mess with your hormones. Adding lots of sea vegetables will help any negative effects on your thyroid too. Like anything here in North America, we take something that started out good and over process it. Soy in it's traditional fermented version is great.<BR/><BR/>That being said, I love that you feed your son so healthy. I have a 19 month old that I am keeping on a very clean diet. I found your blog searching for new recipes for him. I am wondering what you fed him back when he was my son's age? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!<BR/><BR/>Thanks again for showing that there are health aware mom's out there and for all the wonderful meal ideas!Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09011251298766042182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-46048022466325475142007-11-28T15:22:00.000-08:002007-11-28T15:22:00.000-08:00You commented earlier on "its a good think he does...You commented earlier on "its a good think he doesn't have to worry about his cycle". Well that's true but he still has hormones and too much soy = too much oestrogen in a boy's body and testosterone goes out of wack.<BR/>Seriously, soy is processed garbage and you're letting kids eat it. Make sure you keep a really vigilant check on his health. I'm sorry this may offend you but kids need proper nutrition.Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03181442844616803097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-85211879978017745112007-11-20T15:29:00.000-08:002007-11-20T15:29:00.000-08:00hi and thanks for your post and linkies.I found yo...hi and thanks for your post and linkies.<BR/>I found your page searching:<BR/>vegetarian cookbook +"no soy".<BR/>I'll just add my experiences to those of others in case it resonates for someone, somewhere :-)<BR/>years ago when I had been lacto-ovo vego for some years a doc told me I was lactose intolerant, not based on anything but because she was and now she believed all her patients were too. I switched to soy milk on her advice and became extremely ill. Returning to dairy returned my health. (I actually had gallstones from over dieting and was suffering gallstone attacks and had a scarred gallbladder - not lactose intolerance), I have been subclinical hypothyroid for years and only in the last year or so found out that soy is a goitrogen. as is flax and flouride, which is particularly high in black tea but also green tea. I now know why I feel like death after drinking tea, taking flax seed or flax oil and drinking soy milk. Many people do not respond like i to to soy milk. If so, good luck to you and keep doing what feels right. It feels bad to me, but I can handle the fermented stuff, a little soy sauce doesn't bother me at all, but soy milk has an extreme effect.<BR/>i listen to my body and it tells me what it likes and doesn't like, hopefully this will help someone else to find what their body wants, rather than being "right" about an issue.<BR/><BR/>good health to us all!<BR/><BR/>Cat :-)cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04431852404207822719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-82456654480738608052007-11-19T15:28:00.000-08:002007-11-19T15:28:00.000-08:00We should all eat clean - meaties and vegetarians ...We should all eat clean - meaties and vegetarians alike.<BR/>Asians eat soy - but not nearly as much as people are consuming now and their soy is fermented.<BR/>I would never touch soy - unless fermented. <BR/>In your quest to become more healthy processed products should be removed from the shopping list.Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03181442844616803097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-24632431700309470982007-09-11T14:59:00.000-07:002007-09-11T14:59:00.000-07:00By now there are over 70 comments so I didn't read...By now there are over 70 comments so I didn't read them all, but I just want to say first, hats off to you for this website!<BR/><BR/>I am not part of the soy industry, and do not stand to make a profit from soy or a "soy scare."<BR/><BR/>When I became vegan, I found I was really missing some things, especially milk. I began to drink a lot of soy milk and use a lot of tofu in my cooking to try and make up for the dairy products that I liked so much and missed! After a few months, my period stopped. I was travelling, so I thought maybe it was related to that. When it didn't reappear for almost three months, I got a little worried. I was starting to feel signs of either pregnancy or an ovarian cyst (the symptoms are quite similar!). <BR/><BR/>When it became pretty clear I wasn't pregnant, I went to the OBGyn and found I had an ovarian cyst. At the time, I didn't know much about soy, but my boyfriend insisted that he had heard negative things about it, so I started to research it, and YES, it can cause ovarian cysts, due to it's high level of naturally-ocurring estrogen (which is why it's recommended to menopausal women for symptom relief: it replaces the estrogen your body is no longer producing). However, for a NON-menopausal woman, it CAN have disastrous effects. The OB told me I had several small fibroids on my ovaries and one cyst, that was actually making it painful for me to exercise.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, long story short, she prescribed some progesterone pills for me; I wasn't keen on putting more foreign hormones into my body, so I just stopped eating soy, completely. I wouldn't even eat things with the infamous soy lecithin. After about 10 days, I got my period back.<BR/><BR/>Since that incident, I only have soy on occasion, if I go out to a Thai place and they have tofu curry or something, for example. I NEVER choose it as an ingredient in my own cooking, and only drink soy milk if someone takes me out for coffee. Up until I started consuming soy products, I had a scarily regular period, and now that I've banned them, I once again am regular and have had no further trouble with my ovaries.<BR/><BR/>So I'm just saying, you can chalk the "soy scare" up to people who hate vegetarians, or the fact that it is actually a product with estrogen in it, which can throw your body out of whack. There was a study done in Puerto Rico where they fed infants soy formula, and the girls had breasts by age TWO. I would be more inclined to believe that the soy-as-a-miracle food fad has been created by companies out to make a profit (and destory the amazon: most of the deforestation now comes from clearning for soy fields).<BR/><BR/>The blessing of having the internet is that you can research anything. Just know how to see through what's there for profit and what's actually true.<BR/><BR/>I'm 23, by the way, and I just wanted to share that story. Not because I care about the profits or losses of soy companies or meat companies or non-soy companies, but because I care about fellow women and veggies/vegans who may be poisoning their bodies with soy products.<BR/><BR/>Peace<BR/>-michellemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02440287826769479605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-20925662362871900192007-03-15T08:32:00.000-07:002007-03-15T08:32:00.000-07:00I am using this thread as an excuse to say two thi...I am using this thread as an excuse to say two things: First, this is a great blog and I have been following it for some time now (first post, though!) - congratulations on a wonderful job of promoting a great lifestyle! <BR/><BR/>Second, those who are against soy are usually against a lot more than soy - food faddists, picky eaters, hypochondriacs, as well as, of course, 'concerned citizens' who are sure they know best. <BR/><BR/>I'm truly sorry you are hassled - I guess many of us are hassled over soy in this or a similar way - and if I could magically make it go away for you, I would. <BR/><BR/>Hugs from a long-time fan,<BR/><BR/>RiverRiverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04271325047234119151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-36416144676732857642007-03-07T09:52:00.000-08:002007-03-07T09:52:00.000-08:00I must say I find it interesting that complete str...I must say I find it interesting that complete strangers feel it's "okay" to criticize another parent on how they feed their child, simply because they choose to share pics and recipes on a blog (and eventually a cool new book)! <BR/><BR/>As far as the soy controversy goes, I there will always be people who get hysterical about one thing or another, as is their right. However, that doesnt give anyone the right to criticize others because they make a different choice.<BR/><BR/>My oldest daughter had soy formula as an infant sixteen years ago, because she was allergic to milk. She is an omnivore, but still enjoys soy milk, as well as veggie burgers which contain soy with no adverse effects, as do I.<BR/><BR/>As long as there is food, people, and scientific studies sontradicting each other, there will always be "concerns".Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05174940277873300125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1160333351548324802006-10-08T11:49:00.000-07:002006-10-08T11:49:00.000-07:00I wouldn't waste my time addressing negative comme...I wouldn't waste my time addressing negative comments. Do what you do...those who are interested will follow. Those who are not won't. Your time is better spent promoting your belief than defending it.Dinahsoarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03877872564454797447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1159820787112381932006-10-02T13:26:00.000-07:002006-10-02T13:26:00.000-07:00I missed the whole soy contreversy also but I have...I missed the whole soy contreversy also but I have been checking around on it,via internet.I am not a vegan or even a vegetarian but I found an absolutely ridiculous site on the internet that claimed eating soy daily or at all could cause you to have homosexual tendencies or become transgendered,although I new to all of these ideas,I found such claims to be absoulutely ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!K.T. is Mommatudehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05130828845169072102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1157508408693228942006-09-05T19:06:00.000-07:002006-09-05T19:06:00.000-07:00To the person who said that Tofutti cream cheese h...To the person who said that Tofutti cream cheese has animal derivatives in it. In order for Tofutti products to state that they are Kosher and Parve (neutral) means that there has to absolutely be no meat or dairy in it. So Tofutti brand products would be considered vegan.<BR/>I am not vegan but bought a laptop lunch box after looking at your site. I am the envy of all the other teachers at school and they are jealous of my semi-vegetarian lunches ( I do take tuna and other fish for lunch) and I only eat chicken or meat 2x a week now.<BR/>I think that soy helps with menstraul cramps also. I used to have horrible cramps when I drank dairy and now only do soy milk and they have calmed down a bit. I am lactose intolerant and get migraines if I eat a large portion of dairy products.Lorihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00100766984283248277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1150786057032820902006-06-19T23:47:00.000-07:002006-06-19T23:47:00.000-07:00I've been a vegan for 6 years, a vegetarian 10 bef...I've been a vegan for 6 years, a vegetarian 10 before that. <BR/><BR/>I bought into the whole 'high protein' phenomenon a few years back and markedly increased my soy intake. <BR/><BR/>I developed a thyroid problem and multi-nodular goitre. I believe it inhibited my ability to absorb iodine. I increased the iodine and cut out the soy. I don't miss it.InsubordinationFreakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08615271247108506096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1143128597503322452006-03-23T07:43:00.000-08:002006-03-23T07:43:00.000-08:00In all honesty, I think that all the soy controver...In all honesty, I think that all the soy controversyis just a lot of talk over a small issue.<BR/><BR/>There are hundreds of examples of times when certain foods have been deemed to be carcinogenic or whatnot, and I guess that soy is the toxin du jour for many people whoare overlyhealth conscious.<BR/><BR/>The fact that soy foods have often been regarded as being good for health probably brings it into the spotlight even more.<BR/><BR/>So in all honesty, I don't think it's worth worrying about. I never worry about what I'm eating.The only question I ask about my food is "Does it taste good?"Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13768094065309868614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142603360022694752006-03-17T05:49:00.000-08:002006-03-17T05:49:00.000-08:00I am a devoted vegetarian and soy-eater, currently...I am a devoted vegetarian and soy-eater, currently living with an environmental activist. She has highlighted a lot of problems with soya agriculture in the world today, more than soya consumption (but still a good thing to be aware of). Vast tracts of land set aside for massive scale soy farming in South America have left environmental scars on the land and undermined the self-sufficiency of farming (i.e. eating off the land doesn't work so well if you only grow one thing).<BR/><BR/>Most of the soya grown does not find its way into processed or partly processed vegan food products. In fact, most of the soy grown in the US is for animal feed. Nowadays, soy products have found their way into all sorts of mainstream junk foods and fast foods. The irony (of the criticism of your son's soya consumption) being that by not eating all those junk foods your son is only eating more visible soy foods, not necessarily more soy foods. <BR/><BR/>The other big issue to be aware of in soya farming is the Genetically Modified one. Soya is one of the most prevalent GM crops. European countries have refused to import ANY American soybeans because of cross-contamination with GM soybeans (most soybeans grown in the US are GM). GM in soybeans is coupled with high pesticide use, and preliminary studies of popular GM soybeans have shown them to be less healthy than normal soybeans. So whatever you feel about the GM issue, there are other health factors at play here too. <BR/><BR/>So basically, soya today is not just a traditional Asian ingredient or popular vegetarian meat substitute. It has become an industry. Since most of the soya farmed does not make its way into the food supply directly (animal feed, industrial usage), it is easy to not think about it. <BR/><BR/>What is being done to the soybean is tragic. Is something made with partially-hydrogenated soybean oil from pesticide-sprayed GM soybeans farmed on an industrial scale in Venezuela good for you, the farmers, or the environment? Not so much. What about a block of organic tempeh made by one of the many local cooperatives (there is even one in Kansas!) scattered across America? Sounds good to me.<BR/><BR/>In short, I am very much in favour of a soya-rich diet. What I am not in favour of is the state of soya farming, particularly in the western world. Whilst my praise of the deliciousness and versatility of the soybean could go on for pages, I deplore the current state of the soya industry.<BR/><BR/>a note -- I have just noticed that I have been using the terms soya and soy interchangeably (which they are). In Europe the word Soya is used over the word Soy, if you are not familiar with it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142441982680807502006-03-15T08:59:00.000-08:002006-03-15T08:59:00.000-08:00Anti-Quorn, the fungus that just won't quit!Anti-Quorn, the fungus that just won't quit!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142433377457974862006-03-15T06:36:00.000-08:002006-03-15T06:36:00.000-08:00Thanks for the link. I'm a veggie, and do worry ab...Thanks for the link. I'm a veggie, and do worry about what I eat (soy panic, cheese panic, cheese-subsitute panic... heh), so thanks for the links. And so much of these things are fashion - as soon as the anti-soy is over there'll be anti-seitan, and anti-lentils and anti-anything and everything :PAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142380449304787662006-03-14T15:54:00.000-08:002006-03-14T15:54:00.000-08:00Some people do assert that traditional consumption...Some people do assert that traditional consumption of soy in Asian countries has been mainly of fermented foods, but that, on the whole, soy is not a mainstay; and that soymilk and tofu are relatively recent introductions to the Asian diet. <BR/><BR/><BR/>This is untrue. The average Taiwanese eats 64 lbs. of tofu a year! As of 1991, there were thirty-eight-thousand tofu shops in Japan. <BR/><BR/>According to Chinese tradition, soybeans were one of the five sacred crops named by Chinese emperor Sheng-Nung, who reigned five thousand years ago! Sheng-Nung mentioned soybeans in his Ben Tsao Gang Mu, written in 2838 BC! By 300 BC, soybeans and millet were always mentioned in the ancient texts as the two major food crops in Northern China. There is archaeological evidence in the form of a kitchen scene in a Han tomb in Northern China, clearly depicting the preparation of soymilk and tofu. This would be AD 25-100. Tofu is first mentioned in a document in 965 AD: the Ch'ing I Lu by T'ao Ku. The story implies that tofu was widely consumed in China in those days.<BR/><BR/>In Japan, even today, the words tofu, miso and shoyu (soy sauce) are commonly preceded in everyday speech by the honorific prefix o—most people saying “o-tofu”, or “honorable tofu”, showing the reverence for the noble soybean in their culture. <BR/><BR/>According to Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s data from long-running The Oxford-Cornell China Project, the percentage of foods of animal origin in the Chinese diet was found to be 0-20 percent of calories, compared to 60-80% in North America. The Project found that much of the protein eaten in rural China is from soyfoods and that 80-90% of legume intake was from soyfoods. William Shurtleff (world-recognized expert and researcher on TRADITIONAL Asian soyfoods) writes in “History of Soybeans and Soyfoods in China (1949 to 1980s)”: “Prior to 1949 and up until about the mid-1960s, most Chinese, especially peasants, ate meat only three times a year, on their great festivals: New Year's, Autumn Festival, and Dragon Festival…Chinese derived 2.60 kg of protein per person per year from these animal products. By comparison, the average Chinese consumed 8.3 kg of soybeans containing 38% protein. Assuming that 95% were consumed directly with 90% protein recovery, these soyfoods provided the average Chinese with about 2.69 kg of protein per year, slightly more than was derived from animal products.” <BR/><BR/>Excerpt of letter from my friend Susan Marie Yoshihara to The Island Word, Courtenay, BC, April 2005:<BR/><BR/>"My husband Yoshi was born and raised in Japan on a farm in the traditional Japanese peasant way of life. When he was a child his family (and, no doubt everyone else in the village) almost never ate meat. They ate fish occasionally, but tofu was a food they had almost everyday. This was before the era of refrigeration. Early most mornings the tofu vendor from the nearest town would arrive on his bicycle selling a variety of freshly made tofu and other soy products. <BR/><BR/><BR/>Yoshi has now been in Canada for 34 years. All this time we have continued to eat a mainly simple, plant based diet. There hasn't been a time during our 34 year long relationship when we didn't eat tofu. We have raised two healthy sons. Both are intellectually and physically well-endowed. Our elder son is now a scientist and the younger is a university student in Montreal. I got my BA in Pacific and Asian Studies from UVic in 2003. Tofu obviously doesn't rot your brain. And I've got a lot to say about how tofu can help with menopause but I want to keep this letter as short as possible, so I won't. <BR/><BR/><BR/>Over the past 30 years I've taken many trips to Japan and stayed there for extended periods. I've lived with families, studied miso making, Japanese culture and the language. I've shopped in the supermarkets and in corner stores. Even the 7-11 sells tofu. I've eaten in fancy places, temples, bars, and "greasy chopstick" cafes. No matter what the season or location, tofu is extremely common and soyfoods are almost always on the menu in some form.<BR/><BR/>Susan-Marie Yoshihara <BR/>Denman Island, B.C"<BR/><BR/>SOY IN OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES:<BR/><BR/>Tempeh is the fermented soy product that originated in Indonesia. Little is known of how soybeans and soyfoods were introduced to Indonesia, where Buddhism was only of temporary importance, in about the eighth century. The soybeans may have been introduced by Chinese immigrants; in some way tempeh was developed and became the most popular soyfood, followed by tofu, miso (taucho), and soy sauce (kechap). Here is a quote from a website on Indonesian food: "Tofu and Tempeh - Both made from soy beans, tofu and tempeh are common foods in Indonesia. While tofu has a smooth texture, tempeh is rougher because the soy beans remain whole. Tempeh is more of a specialty, but both must be tried to get the authentic Indonesian experience." http://www.goshen.edu/sst/indonesia/cuisine.php<BR/><BR/>Here is some interesting information from this article http://www.pacific.net.id/pakar/myra/myra_37.html<BR/><BR/>"Tofu has a long history in China, where it originated about 3 millennia ago. The technology of soybean processing spread quickly to Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia. While tofu is but one of the soybean products of these countries, it is perhaps the most for general consumption.<BR/><BR/>In Indonesia, tofu is considered an important element in the daily diet. It is found throughout the nation’s archipelago, prepared everywhere in the style of the local cuisine and reflecting its great ethnic diversity. It may be mixed with dog meat, in those regions where dog is considered a delicacy; in other places, tofu may be mixed with salted fish.<BR/> <BR/>Tofu feeds the rich as well as the poor. Five-star hotels and roadside stalls serve a variety of tofu dishes and types, from the soft custard style to the crisply fried. Judging from the processing technology, tofu seems to have been brought to the archipelago by the Chinese, but the exact date is difficult to establish. People in Kediri claim that tofu came to their city first, brought by the troops of Kublai Khan in 1292. The story begins, according to historical records, when Kublai Khan demanded tribute from the Javanese king Kertanegara of Singosari; but the king refused to fulfil the Khan’s request. The Khan’s special envoy, sent to Java in 1289, suffered the injury and indignity of having his face disfigured by the Javanese court. Kublai Khan sent an expedition consisting of 20,000 soldiers to punish the king. Meanwhile, however, Jayakatawang, king of the east Javanese realm of Kediri, had conquered Singosari and killed Kertanegara. Raden Wijaya, Kertanegara’s son-in-law, vowed revenge. Fortuitously for him, the Mongol expedition landed in Surabaya. He directed the ships through the Brantas river to Kediri, and led a heavy battle. Raden Wijaya, the victor, then established the illustrious Majapahit kingdom, whose imperial reign endured into the 15th century. The place where the Chinese junks anchored is now called Jung Biru (“blue junks”). Kublai Khan’s ships had complete cooking galleys, of course; and some were equipped for making tofu. <BR/><BR/>Today many tofu shops can be found in Kediri, offering tofu in a great variety of consistency, from soft custard-like cakes to the more solid takua. The process of making tofu is similar to the production of cheese. First, soybean milk is obtained by grinding the beans mixed with water between two heavy stones. In Kediri, this grinding is done the old-fashioned way, by two men who turn the heavy stones by hand. From this liquid, different products may be produced at successive stages of processing: soy milk and whey in the early stages, and tofu at a secondary stage. Nothing is wasted. The leftover skins are used for cattle feed, but sometimes are also sold to local villagers, who ferment it to make oncom, an orange-colored substance, that smells aomewhat stale, kije bkue cheese, but (like blue cheese) is delicious. <BR/> <BR/> Kediri is so proud of its tofu history that, as part of the celebrations of the 1123rd anniversary of the city, a 500 kilogram tofu was made and submitted to the Indonesian Museum of Records in Semarang. Understandably, this highly perishable half-ton tofu cake is on display only in the form of a replica. The original was donated to the poor. "<BR/><BR/>SOURCES:<BR/><BR/>Hsiang Ju Lin and Tsuifeng Lin, Chinese Gastronomy (Hastings house, NY, 1969)<BR/><BR/>“The Prodigious Soybean” by Fred Hapgood, National Geographic, Vol. 172, No. 1, p. 66.<BR/><BR/>“Soy…The Rest of the Story” http://newcentury.vegsource.com/public_html/webzine/archives/soy.shtml<BR/>and “The Crucial Soy Link”<BR/>http://newcentury.vegsource.com/public_html/webzine/archives/crucialsoy.shtml<BR/>by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, PhD, MD (regarded by many as the greatest nutritionist of our time), (Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Nutritional BiochemistryCornell University, On Leave; Project Director China-Oxford-Cornell Diet and Health Project Division of Nutritional Sciences Cornell University Ithaca, NY )<BR/><BR/>NOTE: The Cornell-Oxford “China Study” is the most comprehensive project on diet and disease ever undertaken. Two major surveys were undertaken, 1983 and 1989-90. These surveys were undertaken in China because cancers and various other diseases exhibit exceptional geographic localization. Thus, it made sense to examine these local regions to determine the responsible dietary and lifestyle factors. There are some “snippets” here:<BR/>http://www.mcspotlight.org/media/reports/campbell_china1.html<BR/><BR/>Dr. Campbell’s website is here and has lots of articles:<BR/>http://newcentury.vegsource.com/index.html<BR/><BR/>There is a 900 page book of data called Diet, Lifestyle and Mortality in China (1990), but the data has now been analyzed and you can get Dr. Campbell’s new book The China Study. Check out http://www.thechinastudy.com/about.html or ask you bookseller or try amazon.ca<BR/><BR/>You can read an interesting excerpt here: http://www.thechinastudy.com/PDFs/ChinaStudy_Excerpt.pdf<BR/><BR/>“Chronology of Soymilk Worldwide; Part I 220 A.D. to 1949 “<BR/> by William Shurtleff ©2001 (co-author of “The Book of Tofu”, “The Book of Miso”, and “The Book of Tempeh”)<BR/>http://www.thesoydailyclub.com/MOSsoymilk/MOSsoymilk1.asp 001 William Shurtleff<BR/><BR/>History of Soybeans and Soyfoods in China (1949 to 1980s): A Special Report on The History of Soybeans and Soyfoods Around the World A Chapter from the Unpublished Manuscript, History of Soybeans and Soyfoods: 1100 B.C. to the 1980s by William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi, authors of “The Book of Tofu”, “The Book of Miso”, and “The Book of Tempeh”<BR/>©Copyright 2004 Soyfoods Center, Lafayette, California<BR/>http://www.thesoydailyclub.com/SFC/historys&s549+.aspAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142367407525192902006-03-14T12:16:00.000-08:002006-03-14T12:16:00.000-08:00but most Asian peoples did not eat soy milk with s...<I>but most Asian peoples did not eat soy milk with soy based ceral for breakfast, a sandwhich with soy meat with soy veganaise and soy salad dressing for lunch, and soy with a side of soy something for dinner... that is what lots of people are doing now and clearly if you eat too much of ANY food, it could be problematic.</I><BR/><BR/>This is what I believe, too, anonymous. I asked a basic, non-inflammatory question about soy as a <I>mainstay</I> in one's diet (since deleted per jennifershmoo's discretion), because Asian diets (the model so often used when discussing soy consumption) are very heavy in fish, seaweed, and various other meat and plant sources. They're definitely not all soy all the time. <BR/><BR/>I enjoy this blog, and to call onself an activist entails being called to task while hopefully educating and illuminating one's stance.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142366620405497442006-03-14T12:03:00.000-08:002006-03-14T12:03:00.000-08:00Thank you so much for this post. I love looking a...Thank you so much for this post. I love looking at the food you prepare and then get a little bit sad because I have a life-threatening allergy to soy and peanuts (also all legumes!). I always thought that a vegetarian lifestyle was out of my reach due to my nutritional needs. I think that I will try to start incorporating soy free vegetarian meals into my life. I don’t think I’m ready to jump right into it, but you have defiantly given me some “Food for thought!”<BR/>Thanks!Mommy Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15461354464910346108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142354786343955292006-03-14T08:46:00.000-08:002006-03-14T08:46:00.000-08:00The problem is, as Bryanna's webpage so clearly do...The problem is, as Bryanna's webpage so clearly documented, that the people behind the soy scare have a fanatical agenda against soy and against vegetarianism. <BR/><BR/>When fanaticism is operating, people are only going to seek and pay attention to confirmatory evidence of their own prejudices. They feel justified in spreading false and misleading information. Fanaticism also makes people cruel in their self-righteousness. <BR/><BR/>Of course, that is just what anti-vegetarians, such as the Weston-Price folks, say about vegetarians. Interesting that so many of them claim to be ex-vegetarians! Coincidence?<BR/><BR/>As for anonymous's comments, I haven't yet come across any vegetarian authority who advocated eating soy in the manner described. If the soy-bashers would confine their advice to simply not over-doing soy, that would be one thing. But they actually compare it to poison. <BR/><BR/>What's more, they have a culture of scorn and bitter cruelty, and make personal attacks left and right. If anyone dares to critique their thinking, that person is up on the chopping block.carrie whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00063173732296884521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142301887102549812006-03-13T18:04:00.000-08:002006-03-13T18:04:00.000-08:00While I'm not a vegan, or even a vegetarian, I do ...While I'm not a vegan, or even a vegetarian, I do like to cook meatless and/or animal-product-less meals frequently. I read your blog because I find it interesting in a general way, but also because I find it very refreshing that you approach your veganism with complete commitment, but without the sort of preachiness that I have experienced from many in the veg*n community. <BR/><BR/>People mistake me for a vegetarian all the time (and I get lots of raised eyebrows for it), and my collection of veg*n cookbooks only adds to the mystery! I hope to add yours to the shelf someday. Keep it up.Meganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10177666257692870735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142204261551387302006-03-12T14:57:00.000-08:002006-03-12T14:57:00.000-08:00It's really frustrating to me, as someone who love...It's really frustrating to me, as someone who loves animals and doesn't eat meat but is not a vegan, that people cannot discuss the soy thing without getting so angry and defensive. Most vegans seem to feel like if you question soy, you are somehow attacking *them.* And maybe that's true for some people. For me I think it is a valid concern. <BR/><BR/>My doctor is a holistic practitioner who believes in kindness to animals, but took me off of soy first thing when I went to see her complaining of perpetual exhaustion and depression. Soy has been eaten for thousands of years, but most Asian peoples did not eat soy milk with soy based ceral for breakfast, a sandwhich with soy meat with soy veganaise and soy salad dressing for lunch, and soy with a side of soy something for dinner... that is what lots of people are doing now and clearly if you eat too much of ANY food, it could be problematic. <BR/><BR/>If I could eat soy day and night, I could easily be vegan; as it is I do the best I can with the body I was given to be as kind to animals as I possibly can, and I'm constantly trying to get better. But to throw stones in either direction is not helping anyone either improve their diet or helping improve the lot of animals in the universe. <BR/><BR/>As a community, I just think it's so important to TALK about these things and not get crazy with each other. <BR/><BR/>And btw, I may not choose to make use of soy the way that you do, but I still think what you are doing here is fabulous. What you choose to feed your son is absolutely your decision, and he sounds healthy and happy and is definitely lucky to have a mom doing so much to make concientious choices for him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142185321451560672006-03-12T09:42:00.000-08:002006-03-12T09:42:00.000-08:00I really can't wait for this whole 'soy backlash' ...I really can't wait for this whole 'soy backlash' trend to blow over already. Which it will in due course naturally (-- only in the meantime it does get pretty tiresome, sigh). Oh well -- keep on keeping on!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142130678872042742006-03-11T18:31:00.000-08:002006-03-11T18:31:00.000-08:00Thank you Bryanna, and I'm so happy to hear sense ...Thank you Bryanna, and I'm so happy to hear sense talked on the subject of soy.carrie whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00063173732296884521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142119145102759402006-03-11T15:19:00.000-08:002006-03-11T15:19:00.000-08:00Thank you, Bryanna!Thank you, Bryanna!Jennifershmoohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08663322884550580226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16132334.post-1142095754199334202006-03-11T08:49:00.000-08:002006-03-11T08:49:00.000-08:00Hi! Since Jennifer mentioned my Soy Concerns FAQs ...Hi! Since Jennifer mentioned my Soy Concerns FAQs on my webpage, I am taking the liberty of mentioning that I have just posted, for clarification, a statement on my "stand" on the soy controversy:<BR/>http://www.bryannaclarkgrogan.com/page/page/593450.htm#59128<BR/><BR/>and a long post on "Who are these people you call "anti-soy" who are spreading the fear of all things soy?" <BR/>http://www.bryannaclarkgrogan.com/page/page/2264686.htm#59130<BR/><BR/>Here is the first statement:<BR/>I stand for common sense. You can eat a perfectly fine vegan diet without soy-- no question about that. If you are soy allergic, you can find non-soy meat and dairy substitutes, or make them yourself. I have files of them that I can send to people who ask about that. <BR/><BR/>It really annoys me that people with an anti-vegetarian agenda are spreading nonsense about a food that has sustained humans for thousands of years, distorting history, distorting scientific studies, and spreading hysteria. If you do a search on the internet, it's hard to find anything BUT this hysteria-- no wonder people are confused! That's why I've researched this subject and posted information about it. I don't really care whether you eat soy or not, just make your decision from an informed place!<BR/><BR/>Soy is a a very versatile food for vegetarians and, if you are not allergic, I see nothing wrong with eating soyfoods daily from organic and non-GMO sources. I have done so for many years, even making my own tofu, even before I was a vegetarian. I am healthy and active as I face my 60's in 2 years time, not sick and "poisoned" as the anti-soy contingent would prefer me to say.<BR/><BR/>I think that the majority of soyfoods, as with all the other foods you eat, should be traditional soyfoods or soyfoods that have not been overly-tampered with. But what does that mean? Some people call tofu, a soy product with thousands of years of history, that you can make in your own kitchen, a "processed food"! Well, butter is a processed food, as well, then. <BR/><BR/>I consider traditional Asian foods, like soymilk (I make my own), tofu, miso, soy sauce, and tempeh, foods that I can eat every day if I want to. Other soyfoods that I have no qualms about eating daily (though I don't necessarily-- I eat a very eclectic and varied diet because I like to experiment with many ethnic cuisines) are soy flour, soy yogurt (homemade), and even plain, unflavored dried textured soy protein, which is made from cooked defatted soy flour extruded through "dies" to make granules or shapes, and then dried. (It is not the same as "hydrolized soy protein" in any way!) A new product that I also like is called Soycurls (butlerfoods.com), which is similar to textured soy protein, but made from the whole soybean.<BR/><BR/>As for all the new processed soyfoods-- soy weiners, sausages, burgers, "hamburger crumbles", soy cheese, etc.-- we eat them a few times a month when we are in a hurry. My husband was a meat lover 15 years ago and became a vegan on his own, but he craves sausages, etc. sometimes. We buy vegan products that contain ingredients we can understand, and made with organic soy. Most of the time, I make my own meat substitutes at home, and we love beans of all kinds. (I don't panic about protein, and we often have soup meals, or vegetable only meals.) These products are far superior to processed meats that many people think nothing of serving to their children.<BR/><BR/>A few times a year we might buy soy "ice cream" (again, organic), and I almost never buy tofu sour cream, tofu creme cheese, or vegan "junk foods". Again, I make my own. I can't afford to buy these vegan processed foods, even if I wanted to, and I think my own recipes taste better, most of the time. I can also control fat and calories and fiber content better that way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com