Well, well, well. I was most amused to see the recent JAMA report that the much-touted benefits of soy isoflavones were…hmmmmm, how shall we put it gently…overblown. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that meat eaters should eat meat, for crying out loud. We wrote about the potential health dangers of soy in The Protein Power LifePlan
Now, what to do with all that soy? I think ADM needs to convert all those rippling green fields of soybeans they’ve been marketing to us as healthy into Earth-friendly, carbon-neutral, All-American biodiesel to help free us from dependence on Arab oil. Now THAT would be a worthy use for a soybean.
I definitely agree. Seemed there for a while that every other thing made was out of soy, and about 90% of all the low carb products that busted onto the shelves in 2004 were of that, too. It began to become overdone and turned me off to it.
On a slight side note, I know what you discussed in PPLP WAS confirmed here, but I did notice that on your cooking show you mentioned that Canola Oil is now bad for you (is safflower based mayo okay?). Obviously there have been some changes since you wrote the book, and I was just wondering, if there are several of them, would it be possible for you or your husband to kind of devote an entry to any changes you’ve made in food/vitamin etc. recommendations since then?
I JUST finished reading the book yesterday and literally could not put it down! But I’d definitely like to get off to a good start by making sure I’m eliminating any other foods that have been found to be less healthy than thought. Thanks a bunch and I can’t WAIT to start. I’m already getting ready to make those Almond Waffles…who knew they could be so good for you!!
PS. I believe you mentioned in the book that you have 3 sons? If so, my mother wanted me to tell you congratulations as she has the same (I’m the youngest!).
Hey! The president tonight was talking about creating more ethanol….not just from corn, but other things too….he mentioned wood amoung other things. But I think this would be a great thing to do with all the soy! To me, it’s about all it’s good for!
Cindy
I read Protein Power about 3 years ago and just ordered Protein Power Life Plan. Since I’m in Canada, I’m paying $9.95US for the book plus $6.95US shipping and handling (which is almost as much as what I’m paying for the book) which is hilarious. But I digress.
When I read Protein Power I couldn’t understand the “eat tofu” advice, so I’m looking forward to reading what you have to say about “soy” now. Personally, I don’t touch the stuff unless it’s the real, fermented oriental stuff and only in small quantities every now and then. I married into an asian family and they did not stuff themselves with soy as many north americans seem to think.
Keep up the good work in the low-carb cause. I just can’t understand why it’s taking so long for the world to recognize the benefits of whole, unprocessed, low carb eating. I am fighting a losing battle here at work as every day someone brings in muffins, rice crispie squares, strudels, cakes, donuts, cookies, ad nauseum yet all I keep hearing is “it’s only got 2 grams of fat.” God help me. So thanks for your website (and Dr. Michael’s). I visit every day for sanity’s sake.
Thanks for the kind words about our book. The problems with canola oil derive from the fact the rapeseeds have a quite disagreeable odor and taste in their natural state. The pressed oil has to be deodorized and treated to mask/remove the nasty taste. It is our understanding from the literature that this process results in some percentage (by some estimates, quite a large one)of the oil being turned to the trans configuration. We make our mayo from light olive oil (light in taste, I mean), avocado oil, or nut oils, such as walnut, if that mild nutty taste would work for the recipe or purpose. If not chemically extracted, sunflower oil might be a good choice. I’ll have to search out any info on possible detriments of safflower to be sure. And I’ll also try to get up a blog or even a permanent page on our soon to be back up website at http://www.mreades.wpengine.com on all the changes and addenda to the previous books. Thanks for the suggestion.
In Protein Power (which you must remember was written in 1995 and published in January 1996, so now is over 10 years old) the comments on using soy protein, TVP, and tofu were made for those people who subscribe to a vegetarian lifestyle and refuse to eat meat. There was little doubt then (and no doubt now) that this choice is not the healthiest one; it’s just the only one available to folks whose ideology or religion forbids their eating meat/fish/poultry, etc. The naturally fermented tofu products, mainly what’s eaten in Asian countries, isn’t as harmful. Again, as with canola oil, the pungent taste and odor of the natural stuff is rendered more acceptable to Western sensibilities through means that damage the fats. I wholeheartedly agree that if you’re going to eat soy, eat the traditional stuff or eat the whole beans. But mainly, if you’re willing, eat meat, fish, poultry, game, and eggs.
Hi Mary,
I really appreciate your blog (and Mike’s!) and I agree with you about soy, but I wanted to ask your views on another product – “Coconut Flour”
Have you experimented with this? And do you have a view as to whether the processing might have detrimental effects (in a similar way to ‘processed’ (ie refined, deodorised, hydrogenated etc) coconut oil.
Here are a few links;
http://www.simplycoconut.com/coconut_flour.htm
http://www.simplycoconut.com/coconut_flour_recipes.htm
http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/coconut_flour.htm
http://www.virgincoconutoil.ca/coconut_flour.htm
Kind regards,
Malcolm Scott
The information on coconut flour looks very intriguing, but I admit I haven’t tried it yet. There’s no reason, from a healthy eating standpoint, that it wouldn’t be useful and from what I’ve been able to read, can replace a percentage or even all of the flour in some recipes. The only drawback I can envision is that you’d have to want that slightly coconutty taste in the finished product, which might not always be the perfect one. I will say I’m going to look more closely and give it a try and let all know what I think.
I am a diabetic,type 2 through your diet and exercise I keep weight & blood sugar controlled.
Given the new studies would you please give your latest vitamin and mineral requirements (my age is 72) Your diet works for me, I have been on it now for about 5 years. Thank you, Bill.
COMMENT from MD EADES: Congratulations on your great success. Not a lot has changed on that front since we wrote the Protein Power LifePlan in 2000. The Micronutrient Roundup in that book offers pretty much what we’d recommend now in a chart with specific tweaks for people with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other specific problems. New information suggests that perhaps those on low carb can get by on less vitamin A (since they get a lot from the foods they eat) and that adding some good quality vitamin D3 (which we’re going to offer on the website store soon) can be a good substitute for natural vitamin D produced via sunlight action on the cholesterol in the skin.