Soy and red meat are two of the most heavily scrutinized food staples for good reason.
The following sheds light on why they are so controversial, how we can optimize their benefits, and avoid their risks.
SOY
Few foods have exhibited such polarizing research data as soy.
Most of the positive data on soy, especially as a cancer and heart disease preventive, was performed on subjects from the Far East, whose diet is predominately organic fermented soy from sources such as tofu, tempeh, and miso. Soy consumption in the West is predominately nonfermented soymilk, fresh soybeans, concentrated soy meat substitutes, and soybean oil. Most of the processed soy foods you find, even at health food markets, such as soy burgers and soy dogs, contain hidden monosodium glutamate (MSG) labeled as textured soy protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, or autolyzed yeast.
Conventional soy is one of the most heavily sprayed crops (with pesticides). Soy protein concentrate products, such as soy protein and soy protein powder added to shakes and smoothies have been shown in research to be cancer-causing, especially for hormonal cancers of the breast. In large doses, soy also interferes with the drug Tamoxifen.
Soy is also problematic because it is one of the three most allergenic foods (wheat and milk are the other two). What further exacerbates this issue is that soy derived ingredients seem to be in everything.
From a genetic standpoint, soy may not be utilized well as a protein source. This is one of the reasons why some of the new clients we see who are vegetarian/vegan are in very poor health.
Soy may interfere with thyroid function and inhibit the gland's ability to do its job among those who are iodine deficient. Soy may also reduce the absorption of thyroid medication.
Thus, we recommend the following:
Red Meat has a public relations problem and for good reason. In its current state, it is not a healthy food, especially if consumed more than once weekly, and even more so if cooked rare or charred.
With red meat it really boils down to one simple issue: how are the cattle being raised?.
A beef cow's natural diet comes from grass found on vast green pastures. When they eat their natural diet, the beef contains much less saturated fat and produces an ideal balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. Unfortunately, the diet of most cattle in the U.S. is predominately soybeans and corn, which create beef that is much higher in saturated fat and produces an imbalanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Most of you are aware that high levels of omega-6 and low levels of omega-3 can create a chronic inflammatory state. So we should not be surprised that study after study reveals how unhealthy consuming red meat really is. It should be noted that many of these studies focused heavily on processed red meat, laden with excess saturated fat, nitrates, and harmful additives.
The tide is turning, albeit on a minor scale. Many farmers are going back to raising cattle exclusively on pasture. For example, a local celebrity in Chicago, Bill Kurtis, founded Tall Grass Beef. All of his cattle are grass-fed. The cost is very competitive with conventional beef. Even superstores like Costco are carrying it. Grass-fed lamb raised in Australia and New Zealand are exclusively grass-fed, making it another acceptable red meat source. If you consume grass-fed red meat instead of conventional, you could probably eat it several times weekly. Red meat is an excellent protein source. Four ounces of lean meat equals between 30-40 grams of complete protein.
When cooking red meat, leaving it rare or charring creates another set of health issues. Rare meat leaves you more susceptible to contracting virulent intestinal pathogens or bacteria. ALWAYS cook your meat thoroughly, but not to excess. Charring red meat, to the point where parts of it are chalky black, creates cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines. Especially in individuals who genetically have impaired detoxification, charred meat is highly contraindicated in their diets.
To recap:
The following sheds light on why they are so controversial, how we can optimize their benefits, and avoid their risks.
SOY
Few foods have exhibited such polarizing research data as soy.
Most of the positive data on soy, especially as a cancer and heart disease preventive, was performed on subjects from the Far East, whose diet is predominately organic fermented soy from sources such as tofu, tempeh, and miso. Soy consumption in the West is predominately nonfermented soymilk, fresh soybeans, concentrated soy meat substitutes, and soybean oil. Most of the processed soy foods you find, even at health food markets, such as soy burgers and soy dogs, contain hidden monosodium glutamate (MSG) labeled as textured soy protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, or autolyzed yeast.
Conventional soy is one of the most heavily sprayed crops (with pesticides). Soy protein concentrate products, such as soy protein and soy protein powder added to shakes and smoothies have been shown in research to be cancer-causing, especially for hormonal cancers of the breast. In large doses, soy also interferes with the drug Tamoxifen.
Soy is also problematic because it is one of the three most allergenic foods (wheat and milk are the other two). What further exacerbates this issue is that soy derived ingredients seem to be in everything.
From a genetic standpoint, soy may not be utilized well as a protein source. This is one of the reasons why some of the new clients we see who are vegetarian/vegan are in very poor health.
Soy may interfere with thyroid function and inhibit the gland's ability to do its job among those who are iodine deficient. Soy may also reduce the absorption of thyroid medication.
Thus, we recommend the following:
- Consume organic, fermented soy in the form of tofu, tempeh, and miso. Organic enriched soymilk and edamame may be okay in moderation.
- High dose soy isoflavone supplements are not recommended. It may be warranted only as an adjunct therapy in small doses for bone loss or menopausal symptoms.
- Avoid soy protein concentrates, especially if you thyroid or hormonal cancer issues (or in your family history).
Red Meat has a public relations problem and for good reason. In its current state, it is not a healthy food, especially if consumed more than once weekly, and even more so if cooked rare or charred.
With red meat it really boils down to one simple issue: how are the cattle being raised?.
A beef cow's natural diet comes from grass found on vast green pastures. When they eat their natural diet, the beef contains much less saturated fat and produces an ideal balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. Unfortunately, the diet of most cattle in the U.S. is predominately soybeans and corn, which create beef that is much higher in saturated fat and produces an imbalanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Most of you are aware that high levels of omega-6 and low levels of omega-3 can create a chronic inflammatory state. So we should not be surprised that study after study reveals how unhealthy consuming red meat really is. It should be noted that many of these studies focused heavily on processed red meat, laden with excess saturated fat, nitrates, and harmful additives.
The tide is turning, albeit on a minor scale. Many farmers are going back to raising cattle exclusively on pasture. For example, a local celebrity in Chicago, Bill Kurtis, founded Tall Grass Beef. All of his cattle are grass-fed. The cost is very competitive with conventional beef. Even superstores like Costco are carrying it. Grass-fed lamb raised in Australia and New Zealand are exclusively grass-fed, making it another acceptable red meat source. If you consume grass-fed red meat instead of conventional, you could probably eat it several times weekly. Red meat is an excellent protein source. Four ounces of lean meat equals between 30-40 grams of complete protein.
When cooking red meat, leaving it rare or charring creates another set of health issues. Rare meat leaves you more susceptible to contracting virulent intestinal pathogens or bacteria. ALWAYS cook your meat thoroughly, but not to excess. Charring red meat, to the point where parts of it are chalky black, creates cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines. Especially in individuals who genetically have impaired detoxification, charred meat is highly contraindicated in their diets.
To recap:
- Eat grass-fed red meat exclusively.
- Avoid processed meats.
- Do not eat rare or charred red meat.
1 comment:
Cutting back on meat is one of the simplest things Americans can do to improve their health. Did you know that meat consumption has been linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer? These illnesses are four of the largest killers in the United States and they're all preventable.
You don't have to become a full vegetarian to help your well-being; even a small change in what you eat makes a huge impact. I work on a non-profit health campaign called Meatless Monday, which encourages Americans to forgo meat once a week to improve their health. Skipping meat one day a week reduces your saturated fat intake by 15%, which is an easy way to decrease your risk of illness.
For tips, recipes, and more information about the campaign you can visit our website, www.MeatlessMonday.com
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