Benefits of Soy in Heart Disease: cholesterol lowering

Mix well in blender until soy protein powder is completely dissolved. Serve immediately

Recipe courtesy of soybean.org

Soy milk Key Message: One glass of soy milk provides ~8g of soy protein!!! In addition, soy milk is rich in Isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogens that have structure similar to that of human estrogen. Numerous studies indicated that populations that consume soy products (as in Japan and China) have lower incidences of breast, colon and prostate cancers. More and more researchers now investigate the benefits of soy milk in cancer risk.

Soy products Available:

• Calcium-fortified soy milk
• Tofu
• Soy nuts
• Edamame
• Tempeh
• Miso
• Other products such as soy patties, soy cheese, soy yogurt and breakfast cereal

Recent Studies

U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality analyzed various studies in 2005 and found that soy only had a modest effect on cholesterol levels. They found that eating a high amount of soy only caused a 3% reduction in LDL cholesterol levels.

Based on these recent studies, the American Heart Association Nutrition Committee no longer recommends eating soy to lower cholesterol. However, the AHA does consider soy products a healthy replacement for meats or other foods high in saturated fat and total fat. On the other hand, FDA is reviewing its policy on soy health claim.

So what should you do? Enjoy your soy foods like before. It may not lower cholesterol to an extent we originally thought, but it certainly does not harm our health!