Re: Tofu linked to mental deficiency

[Guest guest]

Hi Katrina:

I see that that www.soyaonlineservice.co.nz link does contain some

pretty serious references when I scroll down the page a bit.

In any event, my attitude to soy is that the polarization on the

issue, including among apparently serious sources, is so great that I

am more than happy to let others be the ginea-pigs in the great soy

experiment. When the results of the experiment are a lot more clear

than they are now I may change my mind and eat more soy products.

For now I am not only curious about whether the negative stuff might

really be true, but also about the apparent link between alpha-

linolenic acid and prostate cancer. Both soybean and canola oils

contain sizeable amounts of ALA.

What clinches the issue for me is that I find it difficult to imagine

that avoiding this one food could be a material risk. We don't know

if there are net risks/benefits from consuming it.

Rodney.

--- In , " katrinacrader " <katnap@f...>

wrote:

> http://www.medicalpost.com/mpcontent/article.jsp?

> content=/content/EXTRACT/RAWART/3617/28b.html

>

> Tofu linked to mental deficiency

>

> A study of Japanese-Americans has shown that those who ate the most

> tofu during their mid-40s to mid-60s showed the most signs of mental

> deterioration in the mid-70s to early 90s. The study was part of the

> Honolulu Heart Program which began tracking the health of 8,000 men

> in 1965.

>

> Tests of cognitive function were administered to 3,734 men; brain

> images were obtained from 574 and autopsy results were available for

> 290 to evaluate brain atrophy (test scores of 502 wives of

> participants were also analysed). Researchers found both men and

> women who had consumed tofu two or more times per week were twice

as

> likely to show some signs of impaired mental function later in life

> as those who rarely ate tofu.

>

> The lead author was Dr. Lon White of the Hawaii Centre for Health

> Research and appeared in the April issue of the Journal of the

> American College of Nutrition.

>

> Katrina.

>

> P.S., Those of you on this group who consume soy might also want to

> check out http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz

[Guest guest]

Hi :

Yes, I know. But according to the people at the Physicians Health

Study (by email) " there are several studies which show that the men

who eat the most ALA, or have high levels of it in their blood, have

an appreciably higher incidence of prostate cancer. "

They also say they are unsure that they understand what the

connections are in this. Again, I take the approach of avoiding too

much of it as a *possible* risk. It may turn out to be several

flukes in the data. Or the answer could be that there is something

else in the asian diet that is very highly protective against

prostate cancer. (I hope that doesn't turn out to be coconut oil!)

Rodney.

> Ya'd think that if soy caused prostate cancer, you'd be see a high

incidence

> in Asia and a lower one here, whereas just the opposite has been

the case.

>

>

> >From: " Rodney " <perspect1111@y...>

> >Reply-

> >

> >Subject: [ ] Re: Tofu linked to mental deficiency

> >Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 22:29:19 -0000

> >

> >Hi Katrina:

> >

> >I see that that www.soyaonlineservice.co.nz link does contain some

> >pretty serious references when I scroll down the page a bit.

> >

> >In any event, my attitude to soy is that the polarization on the

> >issue, including among apparently serious sources, is so great

that I

> >am more than happy to let others be the ginea-pigs in the great soy

> >experiment. When the results of the experiment are a lot more

clear

> >than they are now I may change my mind and eat more soy products.

> >

> >For now I am not only curious about whether the negative stuff

might

> >really be true, but also about the apparent link between alpha-

> >linolenic acid and prostate cancer. Both soybean and canola oils

> >contain sizeable amounts of ALA.

> >

> >What clinches the issue for me is that I find it difficult to

imagine

> >that avoiding this one food could be a material risk. We don't

know

> >if there are net risks/benefits from consuming it.

> >

> >Rodney.

> >

> >--- In , " katrinacrader "

<katnap@f...>

> >wrote:

> > > http://www.medicalpost.com/mpcontent/article.jsp?

> > > content=/content/EXTRACT/RAWART/3617/28b.html

> > >

> > > Tofu linked to mental deficiency

> > >

> > > A study of Japanese-Americans has shown that those who ate the

most

> > > tofu during their mid-40s to mid-60s showed the most signs of

mental

> > > deterioration in the mid-70s to early 90s. The study was part

of the

> > > Honolulu Heart Program which began tracking the health of 8,000

men

> > > in 1965.

> > >

> > > Tests of cognitive function were administered to 3,734 men;

brain

> > > images were obtained from 574 and autopsy results were

available for

> > > 290 to evaluate brain atrophy (test scores of 502 wives of

> > > participants were also analysed). Researchers found both men and

> > > women who had consumed tofu two or more times per week were

twice

> >as

> > > likely to show some signs of impaired mental function later in

life

> > > as those who rarely ate tofu.

> > >

> > > The lead author was Dr. Lon White of the Hawaii Centre for

Health

> > > Research and appeared in the April issue of the Journal of the

> > > American College of Nutrition.

> > >

> > > Katrina.

> > >

> > > P.S., Those of you on this group who consume soy might also

want to

> > > check out http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz

> >