The Benefits of Soy

There are several benefits of soy, and more and more people are starting to make soy a regular part of their diet.

All soy products are derived from soybeans. Soybeans contain compounds called isoflavones. Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, which is a compound found in plants that has a chemical structure similar to human estrogen. Isoflavones are powerful antioxidants, and many of the benefits of soy can be attributed to isoflavones.

If you're a guy, don't be worried that the isoflavones in soy will increase your estrogen or decrease your testosterone. Several studies have confirmed that consuming soy protein does not increase estrogen or decrease testosterone. Studies have also shown that male weight lifters who took soy protein had similar increases in muscle mass and strength as those who took whey protein.

You do need to be aware that some soy products are genetically modified. If you have any concerns regarding genetically modified foods, purchase non-GMO (no genetically modified organisms) soy products.

Here are the primary benefits of soy:

Contains essential amino acids. Soy is one of the few plant-based foods that contains all nine essential amino acids. There are 20 amino acids that the body needs to function properly, but the body can only produce 11 of them. The other nine, which are called essential amino acids, must come from food or supplements.

Is nutrient rich. Soy is rich in iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin B, potassium, folate and omega-3 fatty acids. Soy is also high in fiber, low in saturated fat, and cholesterol free.

Lowers LDL cholesterol. Although the effect is modest, soy lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol. There's also evidence that soy produces modest increases in HDL (good) cholesterol and modest decreases in triglycerides.

Helps prevent osteoporosis. Studies have shown that soy isoflavones help cut down on bone resorption, help keep calcium from leaching from bones, and increase bone density and bone mineral content.

Helps alleviate menopausal symptoms. A number of recent studies have found that soy helps reduce hot flashes, night sweats and other menopausal symptoms.

May help prevent some types of cancer. Some studies indicate that soy may help prevent breast and prostrate cancer.

Even though there are several benefits of soy, there's still a lot of discussion about the safety of soy. Given the volume of research that's been conducted on soy, it's not surprising that some studies show adverse effects. However, focusing on only these few studies gives a skewed perception of the safety of soy. It's important to keep in mind that the preponderance of the data show soy to be safe.

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