Dr. Earl Mindell's Soy Miracle Book
How adding soy foods to your diet may protect you against diseases such as prostate and breast cancer, osteoporosis, and coronary artery disease.
Featuring 70 tasty recipes!
By Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
Learn firsthand how adding soy foods to your diet may protect you against diseases. The many medicinal properties of soy are detailed and explanations as to how to incorporate soy into your daily diet are given.
Excerpts from the Book
Explaining the Miracle
In February 1994, some 250 scientists, nutritionists, and health-care professionals gathered in Mesa, Arizona, to hear the latest findings on the prevention and treatment of cancer and heart disease. The group included researchers from the Hirosaki University School of Medicine in Japan, the University of Helsinki in Finland, and the University of Milan in Italy. They were joined by colleagues from major US research organizations, including the National Cancer Institute and hte Harvard School of Public Health. Heart specialists reported on a groundbreaking treatment for lowering cholesterol that is as effective as medication but without any unpleasant or dangerous side effects. Cancer researchers talked about special compunds that can inhibit enzymes that stimulate tumor growth, deactivate potent hormones that can promote cancer, and normalize cancer cells. what made this conference unique is that these scientists were not talking about some fantastic frug of the future or some rare chemical. They were talking about a foodstuff that is harvested in vast amounts in the United States and that is inexpensive and readily available at supermarkets and natural food stores. They were talking about soybeans and soybean products.
In recent years, scientists have isolated compounds in plant foods - phytochemicals - that may protect against disease in a variety of ways. Some can lower cholesterol levels, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. Others are antioxidants that protect cells from free radicals - unstable oxygen molecules that can damage normal cells. Still others can deactivate carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) or boost the immune system, enhancing the body's ability to ward off infection. Scientists have dubbed these plant chemicals nutriceuticals because of their potential health benefits.
It's not surprising that plants would be such a rich source of healthful compounds. Centuries before teh age of antibiotics, natural healers and herbalists used plants to treat a wide variety of illnesses. In fact, nearly 1/2 of all the thousands of drugs that are commonly used and prescribed today are either derived from a plant source or are a chemical imitations of a plant compound.
Soybeans in particular are abundant in many different types of phytochemicals, some of which are unique to this food.
The include:
Isoflavones - Compounds that are similar to natural estrogen but with one important difference: these plant estrogens may help prevent hormone-dependent cancers. (Some scientists believe that they may even prevent hot flashes in menopausal women!)
There may even be otehr beneficial compounds in soy that have yet to be identified. Your best bet is to ear the real food.
Many of the soy products sold in my local natural foods store are labeled "organically grown". Are organically grown soybeans better?
"Organic" means that a food is grown and shipped without the use of chemical pesticides, fungicides, synthetic fertilizers, waxes, or other chemical additives. Food that is labeled "organically grown" must comply with the National Organic Standards Law, which took effect in 1993. Under the act, organic farms must be monitored by state inspectors to make sure that the farming or processing procedures comply with guidelines. Many people prefer using organically grown produce because they do not want to ingest chemicals. They may also feel that organic farming practices are better for the environment. I personally opt for organic produce whenever I can get it. However, in the case of soybeans, even if the crop is sprayed, there is limited consumer exposure to any chemicals, since the beans are encased in a pod. Therefore, I think that most soy products on the market are reasonably safe, whether or not they have the organic label.
More Soy Miracles
The soyplant has been dubbed the "miracle crop" because of the numerous products that are spawned from its simple bean. Not only is soy a dietary staple for hundreds of millions of people worldwide but soy-based products are being used by industry as an environmentally friendly solution to some serious problems. Here are some examples of how soybeans help make the earth a healthier place.
Soy Ink - Chances are, your local newspaper is printed with soy ink, which is similar to regular ink except that soy oil replaces petroleum oil as a carrier for the pigment. Some of the largest printing plants in the country have made the switch from petroleum-based ink to soy ink, including the federal government, for several reasons. First, soy oil is better for the environment: during the manufacturing process it emits far less harmful fumes than petroleum, it's easier to remove from paper for recycling, and it helps conserve fossil fuel. Second, soy ink pleases readers because it looks good, but it doesn't rub off onto your fingers as easily as does petroleum ink.
Soy diesel - In 1990, Congress passed the Clean Air Act, which mandated the use of cleaner-burning alternative fuels. Soy-based biodiesel fits the bill: it is a nontoxic, biodegradable, nonpolluting energy alternative. Soy-diesel blends reduce the amount of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons produced when burned and lowers sulfur dioxide emissions from diesel engines. The fuel is manufactured in Kansas and Missouri, and is being used to run over a hundred diesel maintenance vehicles at St Louis's Lambert Airport. Although soy diesel is currently too expensive to use on a widespread basis, researchers are investigating ways to make it more economically viable.
Soy plastics - Researchers are exploring the use of soybean protein for a plastic that is easily biodegradable for short-term use, such as commercial food containers or plastic "throwaway" cutlery. The United States uses about 65 million pounds of plastic annually, and most is not recycled, which means it can linger in landfills for hundreds of years. Even if the plastic is recycled, 2nd hand plastics are not considered food-grade quality for use in packaging. Scientists hope to develop a soy plastic that is safe to use for food but that is also kind to the environment. Potentially, a soy protein container might even be ground up and used as animal feed!
Soy silk - Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta are looking to put silkworms out of business. they are exploring the potential use of a soy-based silk like fabric that is both washable and relatively inexpensive.
Soy-based wood adhesives - Researchers are investigating the possibility of a soy-based, nontoxic wood adhesive that could eliminate or substantially cut the emissions problems associated with formaldehyde-based adhesives. That's better for the environment and better for our lungs!
Soy's Top Ten Benefits
1. Antioxidant
Soy food contains antioxidants, compounds which protect cells from damage caused by unstable oxygen molecules called "free radicals." Free radicals are believed to be responsible for initiating many forms of cancer as well as premature aging.
2. Breast Cancer
A major study in Singapore revealed that women who eat soy foods are at lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who don't. Asian women, who typically eat a soy-based diet, have much lower levels of breast cancer than Western women. Test tube studies and those involving laboratory animals have shown that compounds in soy can inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells.
3. Cholesterol Lowering
Scores of studies from around the world attest to soy's cholesterol-lowering properties, especially for people with high cholesterol levels.
4. Colon Cancer
A recent US study showed that American soy eaters who make soybeans and tofu a regular part of their diet had significantly lower rates of colon cancer than those who didn't eat soy.
5. Hip Fractures
Hip fractures owing to osteoporosis are a major problem among elderly women in the United States. Japanese women have half the rate of hip fractures as US women preliminary studies suggest that soy may help retain bone mass.
6. Hot Flashes
Half of all menopausal women in the United States complain of hot flashes, a problem that is so rare in Japan that there's not even a word for it. Some researchers believe that special compounds in soy called phytoestrogens may help Japanese women stay cooler.
7. Immunity
Studies show that soybean peptides can boost the immune systems, helping the body fight disease.
8. Kidney Disease
Soy protein is easier on the kidneys, the main filtering organ of the body, than is animal protein and may slow down or prevent kidney damage in people with impaired kidney function.
9. Lung Cancer
Several studies have linked soy consumption to lower rates of lung cancer.
10. Prostate Cancer
A major study of Japanese men in Hawaii found a direct correlation between consumption of tofu and lower rates of prostate cancer. Studies of soy compounds have shown that they can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in laboratory cultures.
From Publishers Weekly
Add soy to the ever-growing list of nutriceuticals-foods that purportedly offer health benefits. Thanks to research conducted in numerous countries, especially Asia (and sometimes funded by soy producers), Mindell (Earl Mindell's Herb Bible) is able to document the range of health problems reportedly helped by soy: decreased risk of breast, lung, prostate and colon cancers; retention of bone mass and prevention of osteoporosis; the quelling of menopausal hot flashes; and many more. The compounds in soy that contribute to good health include isoflavones, such as genistein and phytoestrogens (which may help reduce hormone-dependent cancers), various antioxidants, protease inhibitors and phytic acid. Mindell descibes the dozens of soy products available, and reprints recipes from companies that make the food products, as well as from nutritionists who cook with tofu, tempeh and the like. Typical recipes feature tofu scrambled with egg whites and scallions for an Eastern omelet; stir-fry rice or quinoa with vegetables and soy sauce; and a mock hollandaise made with soy milk, cornstarch and lemon juice. Health food devotees will find plenty of information on soy products and how to prepare them, but should exercise caution: soy foods may taste like a miracle, but are not always effective as healing agents.
Product Details
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Fireside; Reprint edition (January 21, 1998)
Language: English
ISBN: 0684849089
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.8 ounces.
