Consuming 25 grams of soy daily may reduce your risk of osteoporosis, menopausal symptoms, Alzheimer's, certain cancers and kidney disease.
By
PT Staff, published on March 01, 2000 - last reviewed on October 17, 2007
Asian cuisine has long relied on soy protein for its taste—and its health benefits. Now the soybean is finally on the verge of becoming an American staple, too. With a growing number of studies pointing to soy as a superfood, it's getting harder to find a reason not to add it to your diet.
In the fall of 1999, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed makers of soy products to claim that eating the protein as part of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol. The FDA recommends eating 25 grams of soy protein a day to achieve that effect (an 8-ounce glass of soy milk contains roughly 7 grams). Consuming soy may also reduce your risk of osteoporosis and menopausal symptoms, Alzheimer's, certain cancers and kidney disease, says James Anderson, M.D., professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.
Soy protein is packed with isoflavones, a type of antioxidant which combats cellular damage. Soy also contains plant hormones, or phytoestrogens, that mimic the human hormone estrogen. A study suggests that eating 20 grams of soy protein daily for six weeks reduces women's hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. These estrogenic properties may also help ward off prostate cancer in men by balancing out the hormone, testosterone, which fuels that cancer.
Good sources of soy protein include soy milk, tofu, soy burgers and protein powders, which can be stirred into shakes and juices.
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