a conservative, homophobic, soy-hating, vegan. Don't see one of those everyday.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

Soy has long been the focus of rampent criticism, especially by those at places like the Westin Price Foundation who promote a Western diet around milk, butter and meat and question whether cholesterol is a problem in heart disease.

Soy is traditionally part of an Eastern diet - it goes back thousands of years in China - with fermented foods such as soy sauce, tempe, black beans, and cooked soy foods, such as soy milk, and tofu (soy curds gathered from soy milk by adding a coagulent).

There are thousands of studies on soy, and critics usually cite the same ones. Supporters point to others. Epidemiologists studying people on traditional Asian diets point to the benefits of soy, it goes on and on.

What we do know is that soy is high in protein, may moderately lower cholesterol and is very low saturated fat (unlike meat). If you cook it or buy fermented soy foods, it can be a good source of protein among many other foods. But it also has substances that act like estogens. These may be protective against or may promote certain breast cancers (conclusions differ in various studies).

The simple answer: eat soy in moderation. I find it hard to view, like just about any food, as either a health wonder or a toxin. As for infants and children, it is often given in cases of dairy allergies. I have not heard of anyone giving soy to kids to promote the growth of  homosexual tendencies.

Samuel Fromartz Author Organic Inc: Natural Foods and How They Grew (Harcourt, 2006)

J.S. teaches environmental economics and blogs at http://www.voicesofreason.info.

Okay, these guys are nuts.

However, don't lose sight of the fact that soy is not necessarily health food:

http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/index.htm