Soy
Soy. What is it good for?
1. Which nutrient group does soy
belong too?
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Protein
2. What % of soy is made of this
nutrient?
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Protein - 37- 40%
Carbs – 30%
Lipids – 20%
H2O – 8%
Trace amount of vitamins & minerals
3. Which foods does soy serve as a
replacement for?
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Animal products (meat & dairy group)
4. List at least 5 foods that contain
soy.
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Tofu
Tacos
Baby formula
Burgers
Milk
Also, used extensively in school lunch programs,
commercial baked goods, fast food products and
diet beverages.
5. List some possible negatives
effects of soy consumption.
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Increase the risk of breast cancer
Affect brain function in men
Lead to hidden developmental ab-normalities in
infants
Raise estrogen levels
Alter sexual development (in animals)
Change the timing of a woman’s menstrual cycle
6. Which hormone is affected by soy?

Estrogen
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
7. Soy beans are “good” because they are high in
phytochemicals/isoflavones. What are their function
in the body?
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Relieve certain menopausal
symptoms
cancer prevention
slowing or reversing
osteoporosis
reduce the risk of heart
disease
8. Soybeans are “bad” because they contain phytic
acid. What does phytic acid do to the body?
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Phytic acid is also called an
anti-nutrient
Soybeans have higher levels
of phytic acid than any
other legume
It must also be noted that
this may be of particular
concern with regard to
babies who are using soybased infant formulas.
9. What is crop rotation?

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Crop rotation or Crop sequencing is the practice
of growing a series of dissimilar types of crops
in the same area in sequential seasons for
various benefits such as to avoid the build up of
pathogens and pests that often occurs when one
species is continuously cropped.
Crop rotation also seeks to balance the fertility
demands of various crops to avoid excessive
depletion of soil nutrients.
10. What is the relationship between
crop rotation, soy and corn?
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Soy replaces nitrogen in the soil so it is usually
paired up with corn and/or wheat
11. How are crop rotation, HFCS use
and the use of soy all related?
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A farmer can rotate corn for HFCS and soy for
use as a “protein substitute” in other foods
Economically driven
12. In Part 1, # 5, you listed some negative effects of soy
consumption. Other countries that consume soy don’t have
these problems. Why is the consumption of soy so high in this
country?

Soy is used in other products too.
13. Are soy beans digestible by humans in
their natural, unprocessed state?
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No
14. What deficiencies can soy actually cause?
(HINT: minerals, enzymes, growth..)
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Deficiencies of magnesium, calcium, iron and
zinc.
Enzyme-inhibitors block uptake of trypsin and
other enzymes which the body needs for protein
digestion.
Harmful antinutrients which can cause serious
gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and
can lead to chronic deficiencies in amino acid
uptake.
Hemagglutinin and trypsin inhibitors are both
"growth depressant" substances.
15. What is being done in the lab to
fix these deficiency issues?