The Truth About Non Fermented vs. Fermented Soy Protein
Fermented soy protein is beneficial for the body, and soy protein is obtained from soybeans. It refers to the protein used to replace animal proteins in our diet. Soybeans are cholesterol free and contain less saturated fat. Fermented soy protein has a number of benefits over non-fermented protein. Non-fermented soy protein can be harmful to the body. As dangerous as unfermented soy is, fermented soy from organic soybeans is a different story altogether and can be a beneficial part of your diet. Fermented soy is a great source of vitamin K2, and K2 (combined with vitamin D) is essential in preventing osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and various types of cancer.
Dangers of Unfermented Soy Protein and Its Ill-Effects
One of the primary reasons it would be wise for you to avoid soy is that more than 90 percent of soybeans grown in the United States are genetically modified. Since the introduction of genetically engineered foods in 1996, we've had an upsurge in low birth weight babies, infertility, and other problems in the U.S., and animal studies have shown devastating effects from genetically engineered soy including allergies, sterility, birth defects, and offspring death rates up to five times higher than normal.Soybean crops are also heavily sprayed with chemical herbicides, such glyphosate, which a French team of researchers have found to be carcinogenic.
Unfermented Soy proteins, although usually promoted as beneficial to the body, have negative effects. They contain goitrogen, a compound that slows down the function of the thyroid in the body leading to thyroid cancer. Non-fermented soy contains phytic acid that obstructs the absorption of minerals like copper, iron, calcium and zinc in the intestinal tract.
Unfermented Soy has the following 10 adverse effects on your body:
1. High Phytic Acid (Phytates): Reduces assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking, but only with long fermentation. High-phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
2. Trypsin inhibitors: Interferes with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals, trypsin inhibitors in soy caused stunted growth.
3. Goitrogens: Potent agents that block your synthesis of thyroid hormones and can cause hypothyroidism and thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked with autoimmune thyroid disease. Goitrogens interfere with iodine metabolism.
4. Phytoestrogens/Isoflavones: Plant compounds resembling human estrogen can block your normal estrogen and disrupt endocrine function, cause infertility, and increase your risk for breast cancer.
5. Hemagglutinin: A clot-promoting substance that causes your red blood cells to clump, making them unable to properly absorb and distribute oxygen to your tissues.
6. Synthetic Vitamin D: Soy foods increase your body's vitamin D requirement, which is why companies add synthetic vitamin D2 to soymilk (a toxic form of vitamin D).
7. Vitamin B12: Soy contains a compound resembling vitamin B12 that cannot be used by your body, so soy foods can actually contribute to B12 deficiency, especially among vegans.
8. Protein Denaturing: Fragile proteins are denatured during
high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein (TVP). Chemical processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
9. MSG: Free glutamic acid, or MSG, is a potent neurotoxin. MSG is formed during soy food processing, plus additional MSG is often added to mask soy's unpleasant taste.
10. Aluminum and Manganese: Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum, which is toxic to your nervous system and kidneys, and manganese, which wreaks havoc on your baby's immature metabolic system.
Benefits of Fermented Soy Protein
Fermented soy protein helps in enhancing a person’s well being and prevents diseases. Fermented soy is good because the fermentation process removes the trypsin inhibitors, which hinder the absorption of nutritive compounds found on the coating of soy. Over the years, it has been observed that fermented soy products like natto, tempeh, miso, fermented soy milk and soy sauces have helped in reducing the hazards of cancer and improving nutritive bioavailability. Fermented soy protein also helps in promoting bone and heart health and reduces menopausal symptoms.
Do not confuse fermented soy protein with non-fermented soy like soymilk, tofu, soy nuts and soy protein isolates. These have anti-nutritive value due to their high phytic and oxalic acid levels. They can obstruct the absorption of crucial nutrients like calcium.
Fermented Soy Foods
Fermented soy like tempeh can be added to pasta. It can be grilled too. Misso is a thick fermented soy protein used in soup stalks, pasta and vegetables. Natto fermented soy contains nattokinase, which is a good blood thinner. These fermented proteins are highly digestible and beneficial for the body, providing various nutritional benefits unlike the non fermented soybean.
Soy Isoflavones
Fermented Soy Isoflavones are also necessary for the body. They are plyphenolic compounds that exert estrogen-like effects. Soybeans are the richest sources of isoflavones in our daily diet. They are present as glycosides in soybeans. Fermented Soy isoflavone glycosides are also known as genistein, glycitin and daidzein.
Contrary to popular belief, Asians don't consume
large amounts of soy. They use small amounts as a condiment (about two teaspoons daily), but not as a primary protein source. And the type of soy they consume is traditionally fermented soy.
Organic soybeans should really only be consumed in the fermented form!
Writing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles say animal tests have shown that genistein, found in fermented soy-based products, stops cells from making stress proteins produced by cancer cells. Those stress proteins help cancer cells survive attacks by the body's immune system and anti-cancer therapies, researchers say. "Genistein is a natural component of the diet of Chinese and Japanese who are at low risk for breast colon, and prostate cancers," researchers say. To read more about the various studies on fermented soy and cancer.
Haelan 951 is an international award-winning, super nutritious, fermented soybean protein beverage. In addition to its soybean protein concentration, Haelan 951 contains large quantities of single cell proteins and their metabolites produced by the Haelan 951 patented fermentation process.
Haelan's fermentation process hydrolyzes many of the soybean proteins into amino acids and compounds that are rich in nitrogen and fermentation metabolites of the naturally occurring isoflavones such as genistein, protease inhibitors, saponins, phytosterols, and inositol hexaphosphate compounds in soybeans.
This amounts to the ideal Adjuvant Nutrition (Treatment given after primary therapy to increase the chance of long-term survival) to help boost the immune system for those who would benefit from a product that eliminates calories from fats and carbohydrates but includes quality soybean proteins and their inherent nutrients, micronutrients, and amino acids, as well as, a good source of dietary nitrogen.
Haelan 951 is an internationally recognized health product that provides a full spectrum of nutritional components that are not contained in the normal food supply.The goal of nutrition is to support skeletal muscle and the incorporation of nitrogen into proteins. Haelan's nitrogenated soybean beverages do this better than any foods or supplements on the market today. In addition, Haelan is an excellent source of concentrated bio-available isoflavones (genistein, diadzein, etc.) and other soybean phytochemicals that are food micronutrients required for optimal health.
