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Soy is everywhere. In today's culture, vegetarianism has become the "popular" healthy lifestyle. With the choice to become vegetarian often comes the choice to abstain from milk products. When these choices are made, the new vegetarian is left without the main staples of a regular diet; therefore, they search for a replacement. Soy has become this replacement; it is used to create fake meat, milk, cheese, butter, and many other food items.

Soybeans are a legume that is native to Eastern Asia. The beans are found in groups of 3-5 inside of small, hairy pods that grow on the stalk of the plant, which can reach up to 7 feet in height. In China's Chou Dynasty (1134-246 BC) the soybean was designated one of the five sacred grains, along with barley, wheat, millet and rice. The Chinese, however, did not originally use the soybean for food. It was at first used to put nitrogen back into soil that had been used for crops the previous year. It was not until they discovered how to ferment the beans that they began to eat them.
The convenient uses for replacing meat and dairy products are not the only draw to soy. Soy is used in an extremely large array of products, both as the main ingredient and as an additive. These products include soy meal, soy flour, soy milk, tofu, textured vegetable protein (imitation meat), tempeh, soy lecithin, soybean oil, soy sauce, oils, soap, cosmetics, resins, plastics, inks, crayons, solvents, clothing, and biodiesel. According to scientists and lawyers connected to the soy industry, soy is also a powerful anti-carcinogen, estrogen blocker, and heart disease fighter. In supposedly lowers the chances of kidney disease and osteoporosis and lowers cholesterol levels considerably. The soy industry uses these effects to promote it, calling it the "Miracle Bean." Almost all of these claims, however, are incorrect; almost all of the claims are either made from false information or the industry leaves out vital information that would discredit the small amount of positive effects the bean can have on one's body.
Unfortunately, the soy industry does a fantastic job of advertising while keeping all the negative effects of soy under wraps.
"Just imagine you could grow the perfect food. This food not only would provide affordable nutrition, but also would be delicious and easy to prepare in a variety of ways. It would be a healthful food, with no saturated fat. In fact, you would be growing a virtual fountain of youth on your back forty."
"This ideal

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