Not Too Much Soy, if You Please

The only one gettin' sugar around here

We've learned some things about our relationship with soy.

That's another one of those statements I could never have predicted I'd ever make, but I want to share my feelings about this stereotypical element of the vegan diet. There are several different types of soy grown in the US. Some have higher oil content but wouldn't make good edamame (fresh green soy beans in the pod.) Much of the "vegetable oil" sold on grocery shelves is the made from that kind. Other types are better for eating, making tofu, soy milk, etc. But the vast majority of soy produced in the US is used as feed for food animals - beef, pork, etc. Monsanto, the chemical giant, has been allowed to patent a genetically modified Round-Up resistant soy seed that has become almost the only seed currently available for soy farmers. Monsanto controls the use of the harvest to the point that any farmer who tries to keep part of his own harvest for replanting will be sued by Monsanto - many have been - for patent infringement. Monsanto employs dozens of investigators to seek out these heinous offenders and then employs its nearly endless resources to bring them to their knees. To top it off, if an organic, non-GMO soy producer's field becomes contaminated from an adjacent Monsanto seed user, Monsanto may genetically test his crop and place the burden of proof upon the organic farmer to prove he didn't "steal" Monsanto's patented product. All this is immensely expensive for small farmers who generally have no choice but to step back into line and keep their heads down. We can thank a close and loving relationship between politicians and Monsanto lobbyists for creating this cozy bed for Monsanto. Yup...we watched the movie Food, Inc last night.

While the organic, non-GMO soy products tend to be free of Monsanto's "Frankenseeds", any grain-fed animal flesh you eat is probably marbled with fat from corn and/or soy meal produced from GMO seeds. To top it off, non-Monsanto seeds are becoming more and more rare and difficult for farmers to procure. Many, many products in the marketplace contain GMO soy derivatives, so it's almost impossible to buy national brand prepared foods without paying part of your purchase price to Monsanto.

I guess it's just as well LG and I don't find ourselves consuming very much soy...on purpose anyway. What we have been consuming is our left-over spaghetti and various veggie snacks. LG was on a tear yesterday, intent on creating a more satisfying feng shui in our living room (she succeeded beautifully.) Our Sunday-shopping-trip-togetherness outing is now replaced with a Mac-solo trip to food shop. Not nearly as fun, but it'll put fresh, wholesome vegan food on the shelves and in the fridge.

Some of the food items we buy are pretty expensive (e.g. $5+ for a quart of delicious almond/cashew "cream") but for the most part, our grocery bill has gone down, while the average weight of our reusable grocery bags has gone up. On a per-pound basis, we're making out like bandits. Here's an aside about reusable shopping bags: I'm not very good at remembering to get them from behind the seat of my truck. When I get to the door or just inside the store, I see similar bags available for sale. Too often, I opt to just forget it and carry my goods out in plastic pouches. So - if stores really want lazy, lame-brained guys like me to help the environment, why don't they put reminder signs in the parking lot where they'll do some good? I'm getting better about this as I develop a healthier and more conscientious perspective on the food I'm about to buy...I'm just saying though...

Just one of my favorite cartoons of all times...hope not to offend.

One item we're consuming more of is tea. We made a trip to the Tacoma Mall a while back after receiving a gift of a couple teas from our youngest, Becca and her guy Jon in Denver. It was Teavana brand jasmine green and what Teavana calls Earl Grey Creme. We were delighted and headed to the closest Teavana store at the mall. I never expected sticker shock from a tea purchase, but I stood gape-mouth at the register as the sweet young tea guide handed me a small bag, a cute smile and a demure request for freaking $130! On the other hand, that was a couple months ago and we've only used a small percentage of the teas we purchased, and we drink tea several time a day. It's a lovely and healthy addition to our diets.

While this post wasn't all that entertaining, I hope it was edifying in one way or another. Even if you're not interested in trying this vegan stuff, make a point of asking for/demanding healthier options wherever you shop. Tell them if you would have purchased additional items if they'd had an organic option, or at least that you'd prefer more organic options. be happy, eat healthy...life is good!