Soybean

Soybeans are the United States fourth leading agricultural product covering millions of acres of American farmland. It is grown primarily for cattle feed and export to Asia, where soybean use is high. Despite its prevalence in America, Americans are only now beginning to embrace the health benefits of soybeans.

Soybean Uses

The key substances in soybeans are isoflavones, and they contribute to the numerous health benefits found in soy. Many studies show that soy helps lower cholesterol. Many recommend substituting soy protein for animal protein to significantly reduce cholesterol. There was so much research to back this finding that the FDA now allows food with certain levels of soy protein to state on the labels that they reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

Hot flashes are another ailment experienced by menopausal women that is improved with soybeans. Doctors usually prescribe estrogen-rich hormone replacement therapy to relieve hot flashes. But, this therapy also increases the risk of breast cancer, which is why many women don’t use it. Soy isoflavones are plant estrogens, which means they are strong enough to prevent and relieve hot flashes but not so strong that they stimulate the growth of breast tumors. In fact, studies are beginning to demonstrate that soy actually prevents breast cancer.

Asian women have had far less incidence of breast cancer than American women. It used to be thought that this was a result of American women’s higher fat diet, but after several studies, researchers found that less fat and more soy are the reasons for Asian women’s health. Soy can reduce the growth of already present breast cancer cells.

Osteoporosis can also be helped and even reversed by soy estrogens. Estrogen replacement therapy is used to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Studies show that soy increases bone density. This is good news for our aging community who has dealt with osteoporosis for years. There are even some new claims and supporting evidence that soy foods help prevent colon and prostate cancers.

Soybean Dosage Recommendations

If you get your soy from foods, most experts recommend consuming about 5 ounces of tofu or approximately 50 to 70 grams of soy protein weekly. But, you can always eat more. Soy isoflavones are also available in supplement form

Soybean Safety

Soy is safe for the vast majority of people, but allergies and other sensitivities are possible. If you develop any unusual symptoms after adding soy foods into your diet, eliminate the foods and see what happens. If your symptoms, improve that’s good indication of soy sensitivity. You can ask your doctor about ways to get soy’s benefits without eating soy foods or taking soy supplements.

There’s no doubt that soybeans are good for you. But most people don’t eat soy because of the taste, or the lack of taste. While many of us have never tasted tofu, its reputation precedes it and prevents us from taking the plunge. These days there are soy snacks that are actually tasty, and remember to look for the FDA approved label stating there is enough soy protein in the food to prevent heart disease.