The Soy Connection for Health Professionals

By Mark Messina, PhD, MS, Despite being high phytate and oxalate, two compounds that inhibit mineral absorption—the absorption of calcium (and likely also iron) from soyfoods is only modestly inhibited as a result. Incorporating soyfoods into a healthy diet does not impair mineral status. Read More

By Aline Andres, PhD, Soy formula has been in use since the 1960s and estimates are that 20 million Americans consumed this food at some point in their development. Currently, approximately 13% of formula-fed infants use soy formula. After an extensive review in 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that soy formula produces normal growth and development. Similarly, in 2010, the U.S. National Toxicology Program (USNTP) concluded that there is minimal concern about the safety of soy formula. Nevertheless, soy formula has become controversial because infants are exposed to high levels of isoflavones. To help address this controversy and to answer a call by the USNTP for more data, investigators at the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC) undertook the “Beginnings Study” in 2002. Read More

By Mark Messina, PhD, MS, The U.S. Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) mandates labeling of all ingredients derived from commonly allergenic foods. In the United States, eight foods have been identified as the most frequent human food allergens, accounting for 90 percent of food allergies. These foods are milk, eggs, fish, crustacea, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts and soy. However, these foods are not equally allergenic—in fact, soy protein allergies are relatively uncommon. Being allergic to soy protein is much less common than being allergic to milk or peanuts. Read More