cogito

UPDATE: I do not think that soy is linked to homosexuality. It seems I may not have been clear enough on that fact. That said, I’m in the process of writing a clearer, better researched piece about soy and its effects on hormones and development. Check back soon.

You’re probably thinking what I first thought: “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

I just came across a post at Right Wing Watch that criticizes WorldNetDaily.com for publishing this article about soy being linked to femininity and - in men - homosexuality. They quote Jim Rutz as follows:

There’s a slow poison out there that’s severely damaging our children and threatening to tear apart our culture….

The dangerous food I’m speaking of is soy. Soybean products are feminizing, and they’re all over the place. You can hardly escape them anymore.

…

Soy is feminizing, and commonly leads to a decrease in the size of the penis, sexual confusion and homosexuality. That’s why most of the medical (not socio-spiritual) blame for today’s rise in homosexuality must fall upon the rise in soy formula and other soy products. (Most babies are bottle-fed during some part of their infancy, and one-fourth of them are getting soy milk!) Homosexuals often argue that their homosexuality is inborn because “I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t homosexual.” No, homosexuality is always deviant. But now many of them can truthfully say that they can’t remember a time when excess estrogen wasn’t influencing them.

My first reaction was as I said above, utter disbelief. It sounds like a complete farce and frankly I was totally embarassed for Rutz for his use of the term “Devil food” in the title. Come on, Jim - that sounds like a joke. Upon reading the article, however, my curiosity was piqued regarding the veracity of an estrogen-soy link. I looked it up and soy really is closely related to estrogen and falls into a category of food that can exacerbate hormone-related problems. According to this nutrition website:

Phytoestrogens (phyto meaning plant) are naturally occurring estrogenic compounds that are found in a variety of plant foods such as beans, seeds, and grains. Their chemical structure resembles estrogen. Phytoestrogens acting as estrogen mimics may affect the production and/or the breakdown of estrogen by the body, as well as the levels of estrogen carried in the bloodstream. These mimics can either have the same effects as estrogen or block estrogen’s effects. These compounds are generally weak estrogens, in comparison to real estrogen, synthetic estrogen (HRT), and xenoestrogens.

Anyone who is experiencing estrogen dominance problems will likely want to avoid phytoestrogens where possible as they will only contribute to the problem.

…

Isoflavonoids - Isoflavonoid phytoestrogens are found in beans from the legume family; soybeans and soy products are the major dietary source of this type of phytoestrogens. The isoflavonoid extracts from soy are known as genistin, diadzein, and glycitin.

Several other websites reference this fact, many of which indicate that these effects can actually be positive in treating certain imbalances (for example, those associated with menopause). I wonder what role, if any, the modern diet could play in the feminization of men?

Also, the same nutrition website lists a few other dietary sources of these phytoestrogens, including caffeine, though, it doesn’t say to what extent. We’ll avoid the conclusion that Starbucks has created a new generation of homosexuals. DEVIL COFFEE!!!

It’s an interesting finding, but Rutz did a horrible job of approaching the issue. It’s almost like the Hollywood portrait of Christian ignorance for someone to use “Devil” as a prefix for anything and everything they find questionable. I’m reminded of Bobby Buchet’s mother in The Water Boy.

Anyway, check into it for yourself. I’ll post more links as I find them.

UPDATE: (Perhaps in response to large amounts of traffic), the phrase “Devil food” has been removed from the title (12:45 am Wednesday).

Further Reading:

» The Dark Side of America’s Favorite Health Food, By Kaayla T. Daniel

[M]any respected scientists have issued warnings stating that the possible benefits of eating soy should be weighed against the proven risks. Indeed, thousands of studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility-even cancer and heart disease.

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