Soy Protein Isolates, Textured Soy Proteins and Soy Lecithin
There is a lot of talk and much controversy surrounding soy and soy products. One thing is certain however, soy protein isolates (SPI) are EVERYWHERE and their use seems to be on the rise. If you or your children are consuming foods that contain soybeans you should do your research. You can make your own decision. As for me, soy products are WAY too processed for my taste. If I was going to eat tofu or drink soy milk I would make it myself. I posted a 3 part video below on how to. I will order tofu meals when we eat out (hardly ever) because I refuse to ever eat factory farmed meat. At home I stick to traditionally fermented soy sauce, tempeh and miso (all from organic sources).
As for soy portein isolates, soy lecithin and textured soy proteins, they are HIGHLY processed foods. In addition, there are just too many questionable health implications in my opinion. I avoid it all together and stick to protein sources that we are absolutely certain to have nurished humans for the last 2 million years or so; pastured animals and WILD (NOT FARMED) marine foods. In doubt about that?
Watch NOVA, Becoming Human Part 2
Soy protein isolate (SPI) is the key ingredient in most soy foods that imitate meat and dairy products, including baby formulas and some brands of soy milk. SPI is not something you can make in your own kitchen. Production takes place in industrial factories where a slurry of soy beans is first mixed with an alkaline solution to remove fiber, then precipitated and separated using an acid wash and finally neutralized in an alkaline solution. Acid washing in aluminum tanks leaches high levels of aluminum into the final product. The resultant curds are spray dried at high temperatures to produce a high protein powder. A final indignity to the original soy bean is high-temperature, high-pressure extrusion processing of SPI to produce textured vegetable protein (TVP). ¹
Soy lecithin is another highly processed “food” item that is extracted from a WASTE product, the sludge left after crude soy oil goes through a “degumming” process. ¹ It is a waste product containing solvents and pesticides and has a consistency ranging from a gummy fluid to a plastic solid. It is bleached (yes bleached!) to a more appealing light yellow. Hexane, a toxic man-made chemical is also used in the extraction process. ¹
The following video reveals the astonishing findings of hexane chemical contamination of soy products (soy protein, soy meal, soy used in food bars, etc.). Tests were conducted in conjunction with the Cornucopia Institute using FDA-approved laboratories. Get the full details on NaturalNews.com
In summary, fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature commercial processing to make SPI and TVP. High heat commercial processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines. Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during commercial soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods.” ¹
Like I said earlier, if you want to include tofu and soy milk in your diet you should consider processing them at home from certified organic sources. Check it out!
