At one point in the not-too-distant past, soy was lauded as the answer to our health food prayers. For thousands of years, it’s been a staple in Asian diets, and lower rates of heart disease, breast and prostate cancer in these populations seemed to be painting a pretty picture of the benefits of soy on our long term health.
But all health fads must inevitable come to an end. While a little bit of soy isn’t necessarily a bad thing (it’s high in protein and dietary fiber, after all), the unsustainable farming practices, not to mention some troubling health issues related to soy have been the source of some unrest in the global market.
So while the Global Soy Food Market is still growing, it’s only projecting a CAGR of 6.26 percent from 2013-2018, indicating that soy might no longer be the health food heavy hitter that it once was.
TechNavio analysts have taken a look at some of the pros and cons in the global soy market.
Aging Population
According to TechNavio analysis, in 2013 a significant portion of the global population was aged above 55 years, primarily in North America, Western Europe, and China. As a result, products that prevent age-related diseases, such as foods that maintain blood sugar levels as well as low-cholesterol and low-fat foods, are in high demand among this group. The perceived health benefits of soy are leading to increased consumption of soy foods among these populations.
Threat of Cross-Contamination
Some soy foods such as tofu, miso, soy milk, and yogurt are lightly processed, so they face a lower contamination threat. However, highly processed soy proteins found in vegetarian sausages or vegan cheese are extracted by washing soy flour in aluminum tanks and, as a result, aluminum can be leached into the final food products.
Another potential threat comes in the form of the chemical solvent hexane—typically found in glue and cement—which is used in the extraction of soybean oil.
Though manufacturers claim that only traces of these neurologically damaging substances remain in finished soy products, repeated and consistent consumption of these products might lead to neurological disorders, which is more than enough to give most consumers pause when considering soy products for consumption.
Versatility of Soy
Soy is widely considered to be among the most versatile crops, besides rice, wheat, barley, and millet. Soy can be consumed as whole beans, soy milk, soy flour, soy sauce, and soy oil. Soy flour is widely used in the production of breads, cakes, processed foods, and infant foods, while soy milk is the most popular dairy alternative in the world.
Soy is used in food as texturizers, emulsifiers, and protein fillers, and it is also becoming popular as an important ingredient in non-food products such as candle wax and biodiesel.
Hazardous Environmental Impact
Intensive methods used in the production of soy crops globally have led to large areas of soybean monoculture. This has resulted in the heavy use of chemicals, which leads to soil degradation and water contamination. With a rise in the demand for soy food products in countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Cambodia, large portions of the Amazon rainforest are being destroyed to make room for soy crops.
In Brazil, though a soybean plantation provides many economic opportunities, the destruction of the rainforest may affect agro-fuel and livestock feed, cause changes in climatic conditions, and disturb ecological balance. Agro-fuel-based biofuels satisfy only a small percentage of global energy demand and are a major threat to the Earth’s other natural ecosystems.
Several studies have shown that land clearing for biofuels directly or indirectly releases a huge amount of carbon dioxide. Deforestation releases 86 times more carbon than the annual agro-fuel benefit, making is pretty hard to justify the environmental impact of soy crops.
Associated Health Benefits
Soy, in small amounts, is still quite healthy. Soy food products have been linked to improved bone health, relieving menopausal symptoms, lowering the risk of heart diseases, and preventing certain cancers. Several studies linked decreased rates of heart disease in countries where people regularly consume soy also make a pretty strong case for the health benefits.
Negative Image of GM Soy Food Products
Genetically modified (GM) food products have been linked to a raft of health issues, including cancer, allergic reactions, liver problems, sterility, and even unnatural genetic modification. In the US, most of the soy crops grown are GM in nature, and customers looking to avoid genetically modified food are starting to steer clear of soy.
