New website reassures on the safety of soya
LEADING health charity the Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation (VVF) is launching a new website The Safety of Soya this week. It is essential reading for vegetarians, vegans and meat-eaters alike – reviewing the latest science on soya, busting apart the myths and providing delicious recipes. VVF senior health campaigner Dr Justine Butler says: “We get more nutritional enquiries about soya than any other subject. Nearly everyday someone emails or telephones the VVF to ask if soya is safe, can it harm children? Will it feminise boys? Does it contain hormones? There is a huge amount of misinformation and downright daftness about soya which is why we have launched this website dedicated to informing and myth-busting.” Soya is an excellent source of nutrients and can protect against heart disease, certain cancers and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis and menopausal symptoms; it might even help boost brain power. However, not all the reports on soya are favourable; the health benefits have been questioned by some while others have gone even further, launching a vigorous anti-soya crusade. The result is confusion – people do not know who to believe. The VVF has looked at the research in its entirety and sets the record straight in this timely website. Dr Butler warns: “Much of the concern is based on the presence of natural substances found in soya called phytoestrogens (plant hormones that act like oestrogen but are much weaker). VVF is far more concerned about the actual oestrogen content of cow’s milk and dairy products. Cow’s milk contains over 35 different hormones and 11 growth factors, several of which have been linked to cancer. Considering the main complaint about soya is that it contains phytoestrogens, many thousand times weaker than animal oestrogens, it begs the question: what is the real motivation behind the anti-soya crusade?” If you want to read our fully-referenced fact sheet on the safety of soya, find out more about soya-based infant formulas, read some of the most frequently asked questions and access some delicious recipes go to www.safetyofsoya.com. For more information contact Dr Justine Butler at the Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation, 8 York Court, Wilder Street, Bristol, BS2 8QH. Tel: 0117 970 5190 9am- 6pm. Email info@vegetarian.org.uk or visit our website at www.vegetarian.org.uk. ENDS
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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