Re: More on soy and food preservation methods

May 10, 2004

Re this: " Even in the orient fermented soy products seem to be positively

associated with increased prostate cancer risk. Perhaps, again, it is the fat

component that is the problem, as it was in the Physicians Health Study, not the

soy protein. "

Asian fermented soy products are cultured with various microbes, the one most

commonly used being a species of Aspergillus mold ('though NOT the

highly-carcinogenic species Aspergillus flavus [unsure of exact spelling]).

I know that there have been studies done to see whether there was a correlation

betwen consumption of mold-cultured soy products and cancer (particularly

stomach cancer, which is VERY common in the Orient), and I believe that these

studies did show a positive correlation. (This info is from a conversation that

I had in the 1980s with a guest speaker at a " Biology of Cancer " course at San

State University, not from my own reading or research.)

Soy sauce is the most commonly-eaten mold-cultured soy product. Tempeh is

another. Sake (rice wine) MAY be cultured with Aspergillus mold, as well, but

I'm not 100% certain of that. I rarely use soy sauce or drink sake, and I

haven't tried tempeh. But I think that the risk would come from consuming those

products REGULARLY, not occasionally.

Natto is cultured with a bacterium, and it is reputed to have excellent

blood-thinning and fibrinolytic/thrombolytic properties. However, I find the

very SIGHT of natto to be revolting, and I doubt that I'd like it any better " in

person " . I know that the beneficial enzyme in natto can be consumed in pill

form.

If anyone has tried nattokinase capsules (or natto straight-up) and has had good

results with it, then I'd love to hear fro myou.

Cyn

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