From cheeses to imitation meats, manufacturers today produce more and more foods from soy. Soy is a legume and a good vegetarian source of protein. Unfermented soy is a type of soy that has not gone through a fermentation process. Although unfermented soy will still have many of the health benefits of fermented soy, several health risks are associated with the consumption of unfermented soy.
What Is It?
Unfermented soy has not been through the fermentation process. Typically, manufacturers of unfermented soy products will boil the soy before packaging it in order to rid the soy of trypsin inhibitors, which are chemicals that can limit the trypsin enzyme in your body. Manufacturers of unfermented soy products claim that because the boiling process removes the trypsin inhibitors, unfermented soy is a safe food product. However, according to "The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food," unfermented soy still contains phytochemicals that protect the soybean plant from predators. However, if these phytochemicals are not removed through the fermentation process, they can cause digestive problems and a breakdown of the immune system.
What Are the Claims?
According to "The Hidden Dangers of Soy," unfermented soy can cause an enlargement of your pancreas. Additionally, unfermented soy can cause damage to your thyroid, especially if you have a preexisting thyroid condition, such as hyperthyroidism or abnormal iodine levels in your body. Further, the phytochemicals found in unfermented soy products can deplete your body of vitamins and minerals required to maintain optimal health. The phytochemicals in unfermented soy function by preventing proper absorption of vitamins and minerals in your body.
Conflicting Information
Proponents of unfermented soy products argue that people in Asian countries such as China and Japan typically have diets rich in unfermented soy products and consume little to no fermented soy. According to "The World of Soy," Asians experience a lower incidence of certain forms of cancers than people in western countries, such as the United States. However, as of June 2011, clinical studies do not support the claim that there is a causal relationship between eating unfermented soy products and lower incidences of certain types of cancers.
Soy Nutrition
According to "The Soy Zone," the fermentation process releases nutrients within the soybean and makes soy a nutritious, healthy food option. Vitamins found in soy include vitamins A and E, thiamine, riboflavin, biotin, folic acid, inositol and niacin. Soy also contains the minerals calcium, sodium, potassium, sulfur, magnesium and phosphorus. In addition to protein, soy has carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Although fermented soy typically contains a higher quantity of vitamins and minerals, unfermented soy products still contain the above-mentioned vitamins and minerals.
References
- "The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food"; Kaayla T. Daniel; 2005
- "The World of Soy"; Christine M. Du Bois, et al.; 2008
- "The Soy Zone"; Barry Sears, Ph.D.; 2000
- "The Hidden Dangers of Soy"; Dianne Gregg; 2008
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