At the same time, other studies were still showing that soy consumption could cure high cholesterol and help women cope with the symptoms of menopause. And Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN , a Chicago-based dietitian, says that while whole soy does contain natural plant estrogens, they're much weaker than actual human hormones, and shouldn't case you worry.
Add it all up, and you can see how this little green bean became a source of mass dietary confusion. How did soy even get linked to cancer risk in the first place? Soy protein isolates, a highly processed form of soy used in cereals, protein bars, and snacks among other foods , may contain more soy isoflavones, which are organic compounds that can also be considered endocrine disruptors in high amounts.
Elevated levels of this kind of soy may lead to unbalanced hormone levels, which can play a factor in cancer risk. Eating soy could help protect against other types of cancer, too. Findings show that soy consumption may slightly lower the risk for gastrointestinal cancers and have a protective effect in prostate cancer survivors. Eating a high-fiber diet is also tied to lower colon cancer rates, and soy foods like edamame and tempeh both have plenty of roughage.
The only instance in which you may wish to limit soy consumption? If you've previously been diagnosed with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, Clarke says. Your doctor may advise that it's best to skip soy altogether if estrogen is at play in this case. Women undergoing in vitro fertilization who have environmental exposure to BPA are more likely to get pregnant if they also ate soy. Consuming over mg of soy isoflavones the equivalent of 6-ounces uncooked tempeh or 16 cups soy milk daily was linked to reduced ovarian function, found a Journal of Nutrition review.
As for soy solving those annoying and disruptive hot flashes that accompany menopause? It might help, but not for everyone. Among women whose bodies produce the soy metabolite equol, those who ate the most soy experienced significantly fewer hot flashes and night sweats compared to those who ate the least, found one Menopause study.
If it helps, you produce equol. Early research suggested that soy could help lower levels of bad cholesterol. Soybeans are the most common source of isoflavones in food. However, the amount of isoflavones varies with the type of soy food, preparation method and brand. Some of the richest sources of isoflavones are soy flour and soy nuts. Having a diet rich in soy foods is linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease , including stroke and coronary heart disease.
Oestrogen may protect women against heart disease during their reproductive years, but rates of heart disease increase after menopause. Soybeans have been shown to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, both known risk factors of heart disease. An analysis of clinical trials suggests 14g to 50g of soy protein can significantly reduce total blood cholesterol levels, LDL bad cholesterol levels and triglycerides, while moderately increasing HDL good cholesterol levels.
Whole soy products such as soymilk, soybeans and soy nuts have a greater effect on improving cholesterol levels than processed soy products. It is not known how this happens — it could be phytoestrogens or soy proteins working alone or together.
Another reason could be, the amount of animal protein in the diet including saturated fat and cholesterol within the animal protein may be reduced and indirectly improve our blood cholesterol levels.
However, studies also show that eating soy protein without isoflavones results in only small cholesterol reductions, and isoflavone supplements alone have minimal cholesterol lowering effects. Due to their phytoestrogen content, it is thought soy can reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes. This is based on observations of women in some parts of Asia, who tend to have soy-rich diets and typically fewer hot flushes during menopause than women on meat-rich diets.
The phytoestrogens in soy appear to act like a mild form of hormone replacement therapy HRT. However, compared with traditional HRT, it would take almost a year of regular soy consumption to have similar health benefits.
More research is needed, but soybeans may help some women to manage menopausal hot flushes, even if only modestly. Do not take highly processed soy supplements if you have a high risk of breast cancer, or are a breast cancer survivor.
Eating moderate amounts of whole soy foods appears to be healthy. Generally, around 30 to 50mg of isoflavones is enough to offer health benefits. Examples of the average isoflavone content of some foods include:. Although there has been concern that high consumption of soy for some men and people with thyroid conditions may be risky, research suggests this is not the case. Studies have also shown the use of soy infant formula in healthy, full-term babies does not appear to be harmful.
However, infant soy formula may be harmful to premature babies and is best avoided. Check with your maternal and child health nurse or doctor. Some people do not wish to eat genetically modified GM foods. Soy products imported from the United States are the main source of GM ingredients in food sold in Australia. Some soybean crops have been genetically modified to be resistant to herbicide, but they are otherwise identical to non-GM soybeans.
Genetically modified soy is found in primary soy products such as tofu or soy flour , but it can also be found in a wide range of other foods such as chocolates, potato chips, margarine, mayonnaise, biscuits and bread. Soy allergy can occur in some people due to a reaction to soy protein causing the immune system to react abnormally. Soy allergies are common in babies and children. Symptoms include:. Soybeans are widely used in many food products. What are some healthy sweets I can eat?
Mehmet Oz, MD. In this video, Dr. Oz discus Should I avoid eating red meat? Ximena Jimenez. For a well balanced diet, we must consume variety of foods in moderation.
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