Soy. It looks harmless.

And, it tastes like a vanilla milkshake! What's not to love?!?

I have avoided soy for quite a few years now, after reading articles like this. But recently, I have let it creep back into my life. Probably because it tastes REALLY good, and it cooks better than rice milk. It seems that every vegetarian/vegan food blog or cookbook uses it liberally. Have they not done their research? From what I have read:

*fermented soy is ok (miso, tofu, tempeh)

*unfermented soy is bad (soy milk, soy flour)

*soy is in everything, and it is likely GMO.

Here is a great article with about 50 sources listed is called Tragedy & Hype: The Third International Soy Symposium. It is written by Sally Fallon.

Reasons I avoid soy products:

* Even though I nurse my babies, I cannot ignore the warnings about soy infant formula "... estimated that an infant exclusively fed soy formula receives the oestrogenic equivalent (based on body weight) of at least five birth control pills per day" Can you imagine the effect this has on a growing baby girl or boy? Ugh!

*"Hundreds of epidemiological, clinical and laboratory studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders, cognitive, immune system breakdown, and even heart disease and cancer. Contrary to popular belief that soy is a health food, evidence reveals that soy consumption has been linked to numerous disorders, including infertility, increased cancer and infantile leukemia, Type1 diabetes, and precocious puberty in children have been fed soy formula. (early maturation, such as breast development and menstruation as early as 6 years of age). Scientists have known for years that the isoflavones in soy products can depress thyroid function and cause goiters in otherwise healthy children and adults." Read the full article here, this page has many sources.