What is Soy Protein Good For?

Bean There, Done That – Soy Four Times a Day

In the construction of a healthy diet, soy products are becoming a

foundation. This little green bean is packed with beneficial substances found nearly nowhere else. Studies have found that soy protein may ease menopausal hot flashes, strengthen bones, and reduce the risks of breast, prostate and maybe even colon cancers. Plus, soy is at the vanguard in the war against heart disease. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed its seal of approval on soy products – literally. The FDA has approved labels, to be placed on soy products, which will read "diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease."

The label approval is great news for Americans. Coronary heart disease kills more people in the United States than any other ailment. Nearly 500,000 Americans will die of CHD this year. Although many factors contribute to CHD (including inheritance, gender, age and cigarette smoking) researchers have found that heart disease is intimately related to diet. Soy products fit very clearly in the building of a healthy diet. There seems to be no limit to the benefit they provide. From supplying healthy protein and lowering cholesterol to providing fiber, the correlation between soy and heart health seems obvious.

People who are concerned about health know that maintaining low cholesterol levels is important. They also know that eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet has positive effects on their cholesterol level. Of course there is more to a healthy diet than fat and fiber. What many people have not heard, until recently, is that the kind of protein eaten determines the likelihood of suffering a heart attack. Now with more readily accessible information, like the new soy protein health claim labels, we understand that soy protein also helps to lower blood cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a part of every cell membrane in the body and, consequently, is necessary. However, too much cholesterol is a health risk. There are two kinds of cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). LDL is believed to promote clogging of the arteries while HDL may actually hinder clogging. It is therefore, important to have higher levels of HDL than LDL. Decreasing LDL is easier than increasing HDL. The body naturally produces all the cholesterol needed. Eating animal protein also provides cholesterol. To a certain extent, the body will compensate for dietary cholesterol by producing less, but the body will never completely stop making cholesterol. High levels of dietary cholesterol will eventually build up in the blood. Plant protein contains no cholesterol at all, which makes it healthier protein to eat. Plus, soy protein actually lowers the level of LDL.

There are a few explanations for how soy protein may help reduce cholesterol. First, soybeans are full of two amino acids, glycine and arginine ethyl ester. Both of these amino acids lower the level of insulin in the blood. When insulin levels are low, the liver makes less cholesterol.

Soy fiber, like oat bran contains soluble fiber which may also help to reduce cholesterol in the blood.

Also for several years now, researchers have hypothesized that LDL cholesterol becomes artery clogging only when it is oxidized. For this reason, antioxidants are believed to be helpful in the fight of CHD. If you think I am about to tell you that soy is rich in antioxidants, you are right.

Lastly, continuing studies show that isoflavones, found in soy, lower blood-cholesterol levels. When isoflavones on their own are added to a diet, cholesterol levels drop as much as 35%. It has even been suggested that isoflavones be used as a drug to lower cholesterol.

So how much soy is needed to produce the beneficial results? Researchers say 25 grams a day is the optimal amount. The new FDA label will be added to any soy product containing 6.25 or more grams of soy protein. This means that four servings of an approved soy protein product (a serving at all 3 meals and a snack) will provide the right amount of soy.

Now you know why you should use soy protein.