I read a fascinating story in the London Telegraph today about soya growers in Brazil.
The story doesn't suggest anything that the average consumer can do about violence against activists in South America, but I suggest eating less meat and prepared foods and more fruits and vegetables for a start. I wonder what the per-capita consumption of soy products in western countries is nowadays. It's in everything, from meat to prepared foods to fried foods to meat and dairy substitutes to soap and cosmetics. Statistics offered on various websites seem to vary widely.
There are abundant websites claiming soy is great for you and that soy is bad for you, and I'm not sure which to believe, but anything consumed in excess should be a concern, especially of the demand for it is causing rainforest to be cut down and environmental activists to be murdered. I did find a website about the science of soy that seems to offer really good information without taking sides.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Soy: The Blood Crop
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Very interesting articles. The situation in Brazil sounds so familiar in the larger context of globalization. Essentially it's the same story over and over: indigenous/local peoples lose out while multinational corporations increase profits. Even soy production, which in light of other industrial/agriculture activities seems like it should be relatively benign, is a bloody business on a local level.
Although some of the science in the soy article went a bit technical on me, I feel like I grasped the general points. Halfway through, I started to think I was going to wind up feeling rather badly about my favorite brand of veg burger; but in the end I'm somewhat ambivalent. I guess the bottom line is simply that any processed foods are going to have less nutritional or positive benefits than the raw source. Still, that cup of TVP in my chili is better for me than a half-pound of ground cow...
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