What Makes Soy So Good For You?

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What Makes Soy So Good For You?

 

 

Think about it: Its protein is complete, like the best

animal sources -- but it has almost no saturated fat.

Soybeans have numerous minerals, including iron and,

if the processing method is right, calcium.

 

Soy foods are also rich in isoflavones - unique plant

compounds that fit particular human hormone receptors

like keys in a lock, and may open the door to special

health benefits. The combination of soy protein and

isoflavones reliably lowers high blood cholesterol.

Isoflavones also improve overall cardiovascular

health, provide some protection against cancers of the

prostate and uterus, help build bone and may ease

menopausal hot flashes.

 

A fine bean, to be sure. But it's no panacea - no one

food is. What really improves health is a balanced

dietary pattern that relies mostly on whole foods,

including fruits, vegetables and grains. Enjoy a

tempeh burger instead of a beef patty, and you double

your benefit - first by eating soy, and second by

taking some red meat off your plate. Soy foods have

amazing culinary versatility: From faux fajitas to

authentic Asian feasts, they cook up as a tasty

alternative to red meat.

 

Protecting Your Heart

 

The FDA has approved this health claim for soy on food

packaging: " 25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of

a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may

reduce the risk of heart disease. " Left unsaid is

research that's shown the combination of soy protein

and isoflavones to be more effective at lowering blood

cholesterol than soy protein alone. Isoflavones have

other cardiovascular benefits: They act as

antioxidants, inhibit blood clotting and improve the

elasticity of blood vessels, which benefits blood flow

and lowers blood pressure.

 

A Weapon Against Cancer

 

Soy's isoflavones are believed to play a role in

inhibiting cancer. In the lab, isoflavones introduced

to a cell culture medium where tumor cells were

attempting to grow have blocked the cancer cells'

progress. If a tiny tumor does form, one isoflavone in

particular - genistein - helps prevent it from

developing a blood supply and subsequently getting

bigger.

 

The most direct cancer protection you receive from soy

foods, however, relates to the way isoflavones

interfere with hormone-related cancers, particularly

of the prostate and uterus. For example, isoflavones

inhibit testosterone from turning into a form that

promotes prostate cell growth, and thus, cancer.

 

The breast cancer story is more complex. Although

there's some evidence that soy foods rich in

isoflavones may help protect against endometrial,

breast and other hormone-related cancers, there is

conflicting data. While many experts believe that soy

foods are health-protective for all women, several

raise concerns about isoflavone supplements.

 

A Special Benefit During Menopause

 

By fitting into estrogen receptors, soy's isoflavones

may play a special role in helping women undergoing

menopause do so comfortably and healthfully. Some, but

not all, studies find that eating soy may reduce hot

flashes. Soy foods rich in isoflavones also help

prevent the bone loss that often accelerates after

menopause, which can progress to osteoporosis. Like

estrogen itself, soy builds bone. By lowering

cholesterol and protecting the heart, soy foods help

reduce the risk of heart disease, which can become

greater as natural heart-protective estrogen levels

fall.

 

 

 

 

 

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Language is an expression of thought. Everytime you speak, your mind is on

Parade Exodus 20:8-11 & Hebrews 4:9

 

 

 

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