When you hear the word “soy,” the first thing that comes to mind is all the health claims you remember from years ago. Wasn’t there talk of soy causing “man boobs?” And what about those potential links to breast cancer, thyroid disease and dementia? But those claims have not been clinically proven, according to experts at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
“Soy is probably the most controversial nutrition topic,” says Kathryn Piper, RD, RHPregistered dietitian and founder of The dietitian who defies age. “The different research results are likely related to variations in the way soy is studied.”
Soy can be safely consumed several times a week, especially when eaten as an alternative to red and processed meats, say dietitians we spoke with.
“Numerous studies support the safety of 25 grams of soy protein per day,” says Piper. “Soy is nutrient-dense, providing protein, fiber, calcium and B vitamins, and appears to have a positive impact on people with heart disease and diabetes and women going through menopause.”
Let’s consider the potential benefits of eating more soy. Keep reading, and for more, do not miss 4 surprising effects of cottage cheese.
Soy is a rich source of protein, which is essential for repairing and building muscle. And as we have reported many times, muscle is metabolically active. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn and the less fat you will have on your body.
Protein is also satiating, keeping you feeling full longer and fighting cravings for sugary carbohydrates. “Soy may play a positive role in insulin resistance, fatty acid metabolism, and other hormonal, cellular, or molecular changes associated with weight gain,” says a member of the medical review board. Lauren Manaker, MS, RDNregistered dietitian nutritionist and founder of Nutrition Counseling Now.
A study in International Journal of Medical Sciences that looked at the impact of soy in obese people found that consuming soy protein in the diet regularly reduced body weight, fat mass, and cholesterol levels.
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While a diet rich in soy protein can help you lose weight and take some of the strain off your heart, there are other circulatory benefits to be gained from eating soy and soy products. “Soy may help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease,” says Eatthis.com Medical Review Board Member Toby Amidor, MS, RDauthor of Diabetes Create Your Plate Meal Prep Cookbook. She cites a 2019 meta-analysis published in the Nutrition Magazinewho found that soy protein lowered low-density lipoprotein, the so-called “bad” cholesterol, by 3-4% in adults.
Two other conditions play a key role in heart disease, heart attacks and strokes that consuming more soy can alleviate: high blood pressure and inflammation, Amidor says.
Low-grade chronic inflammation It is a condition in which cells of the immune system constantly overwhelm the body due to poor diet, smoking, alcohol abuse, and other lifestyle factors. This covert assault can damage tissues, like the lining of your arteries, which can trigger another silent killer: high blood pressure.
Both inflammation and high blood pressure can cause plaque to develop in the arteries that can rupture and trigger blood clots that start heart attacks and strokes. Two recent studies suggest that supplementing the diet with soy protein can reduce blood pressure Y Chronic inflamation.
As you age, your risk of osteoporosis increases. Half of all adults over the age of 50, some 54 million Americans (including men), are at risk of breaking a bone due to low bone density, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Eating more soy can help protect you from fractures.
“Isoflavones in soy foods are linked to better bone mineral density and prevention of osteoporosis-related bone loss, regardless of your weight,” says Manaker. Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, a plant-derived compound found in greater abundance in soy and soy products than in any other food.
High levels of estrogen have been associated with breast cancer. For that reason, women with breast cancer on hormone therapy were once told to avoid eating soy products. However, moderate soy consumption (up to two servings of tofu, soy milk, or edamame per day) does not increase the risk of breast cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic. And eating soy products may actually have a protective effect, according to a large study published in the journal Cancerwhich found that isoflavone, the main phytoestrogen in soy, was associated with reduced mortality not only from breast cancer but from all causes.
Other investigations published in 2022 by the American Association for Cancer Research found that soy could protect young girls from developing breast cancer later in life, Amidor says. The study looked at the diets of 329 girls from puberty to 2 years after the first menstruation and found an inverse association between soy consumption and absolute fibroglandular volume, indicating a lower risk of breast cancer.
jeff csatari
Jeff Csatari, a contributing writer for Eat This, Not That!, is responsible for editing books and magazines for Galvanized Media and advising journalism students through the Zinczenko Center for New Media at Moravian University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. read more
