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Buddhist monks did not eat soy because it was nutritious. They ate it because it suppressed sexual desire. Soy is rich in compounds called isoflavones, particularly genistein and daidzein, which are phytoestrogens. They bind to oestrogen receptors in the human body and produce a measurable feminising effect: lowered testosterone, reduced libido, decreased aggression, suppressed morning erections. The monks were aware of this. The historical Chinese and Japanese medical texts describe soy as a cooling food, suitable for people pursuing celibacy, contraindicated for warriors and labourers and anyone whose work required strength or aggression. Soy was a monk's food. Specifically. Deliberately. Functionally. It was added to monastic diets in East Asia precisely because it made the practice of celibacy easier. It was, in modern terms, a chemical assistance to the vow. It is now in your bread, your protein bar, your meat substitute, your infant formula and your salad dressing. If you have wondered why young men in the developed world have testosterone levels half of what their grandfathers had at the same age, you can stop wondering. We are feeding the entire population a diet specifically formulated, in the 13th century, to prevent monks from having erections. It is working.