All About Soy

Health Benefits Of Soy

Unlike other legumes, soy is very high in protein and lower in carbohydrates. This makes soy a natural dietary replacement for animal protein.

Soy Protein Suppresses Breast Cancer Hormones

Article from NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Antioxidant compounds found in soy foods have been shown to reduce levels of hormones associated with breast cancer risk in women. Now, the results of a small study suggest that other factors associated with soy may also play a role in lowering cancer risk

Reasons To Add Soy To Your Diet?

• According to Dr. Andrew Weil (graduate of Harvard Medical School and Harvard College) in his book 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, "soy contains isoflavones, unusual compounds that may offer significant protection against cancer". Additionally, women particularly can benefit from lowering intake of hormone residue from animal food sources. These hormones are responsible in part for increase in fibrocystic changes in breasts as well as breast and uterine cancer. In order to make an impact on your health you should have at least 47 to 60 milligrams of isoflavones a day.
• Reduce cholesterol in your diet. There is a strong correlation between high cholesterol and heart disease. Cholesterol only occurs in animal products. Soy therefore contains no cholesterol. Soy does however contain fat so it is important to purchase lower fat soy products to reduce the overall fat intake in your diet.
• Soy is a natural source of dietary fiber which decreases the risk for colon cancer. 
• Soy is a less expensive protein source than animal protein. 

IMPORTANT NOTE

The Other Side Of The Soy Story

There is increasing evidence that too much soy can increase cancer growth in cancer patience and it may increase the incidence of thyroid problems among other health problems.

A Little Is Good, A Lot is NOT Better

Eat Fresh

Once again we have to say "READ LABELS".  The best defense is to simply eat fresh and avoid packaged or prepared foods.  If that does not fit into your lifestyle then you need to really pay attention to the ingredient labels.  Avoid soy fillers, soy oils, and hydrolyzed soy protein.

Basic Soy Milk Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. uncooked soy beans, washed and cleaned of stones
• Fresh water
• Brown or white sugar
• A small piece of fresh ginger or fresh orange peel

Equipment

• 1 large pot
• Muslin cloth (cheese cloth doesn't’ work very well)
• Containers to store the soy milk in
• A food processor 
• Big bowls or containers

1. Soak the beans in a large bowl overnight.
2. The next day, dump out the water that the beans have been soaking in.
3. Place some beans and fresh water in a food processor in a ratio of 1 part bean to 2 parts water, and grind the beans.
4. Spoon out the ground soy beans into another bowl and repeat the previous step until all the soy beans are ground up.
5. Place a handful of the ground beans in the middle of a piece of muslin cloth. Gather the four corners together and squeeze the soy milk into a pot. Repeat this step till all of the beans are squeezed dry.
6. Place the pot of freshly squeezed soy milk on the stove. Wash and cut a small piece of fresh ginger and place that into the pot of milk. You can substitute the ginger with fresh or dried orange peel. The ginger or orange peel will take away the beany smell of the milk.
7. Bring the milk to a rolling boil and add the sugar of your choice. The amount of sugar is up to you. Stirring the milk occasionally will prevent a film from forming.
8. Remove the ginger or peel, cover the pot and let the milk cool down. Then pour into containers and refrigerate the milk immediately.
9. The left over ground soy can be used to make soy burgers or as a filler in your favorite chili.