Others suggest that, because of the ways soy isoflavones work, they may help protect the body from disease. They call for further investigation. Findings from animal models have also suggested that the level of risk of tumor growth depends on the degree to which an isoflavone-containing product has been processed. It is better to consume tofu and other soy foods that have undergone minimal amounts of processing, like soybeans or edamame, tofu, tempeh, and soymilk.
Products made from tofu, such as tofu sausages, may contain additives such as sodium and flavorings that make them less healthful. It is important to check the nutrition label when buying processed foods. A further concern with a high soy intake is that the phytoestrogen in soy produce may have a mildly feminizing effect, and that this could lead to complications such as gynecomastia breast development in men , or that it could impact fertility.
However, the impact is probably not severe enough to prevent the use of soy in infant and other foods. Soy products originating in the U. Soy products may also be processed with hexane, a solvent that is used to extract oil from soy beans. For anyone who is concerned about genetic modification or hexane processing, organic food may be a good choice.
The key to good health is a healthful lifestyle, with a balanced and varied diet and regular exercise, rather than focusing on one dietary item.
A range of tofu products are available for purchase online. Lentils are legumes that provide essential folate in pregnancy, may support heart health, and improve immune response to infection, among other…. Soy and almond milk are good alternatives for those who wish to avoid dairy milk. Find out about the nutritional content of these and other milk….
People who eat or are considering vegetarian or vegan diets may be concerned about getting enough protein from their food. In this article, we look at…. People become vegan for a variety of reasons, from animal welfare and sustainability to improved heart health or weight loss.
Learn how a vegan diet…. Soy is a legume that many people consume in place of meat. In this article, we examine the benefits and possible risks of eating this popular plant. Everything you need to know about tofu.
Medically reviewed by Natalie Olsen, R. Benefits Nutrition Preparation tips Risks We include products we think are useful for our readers. Share on Pinterest Tofu can be served instead of meat or incorporated into a variety of dishes. Preparation tips. Latest news Could 'cupping' technique boost vaccine delivery? Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes.
Adolescent depression: Could school screening help? Related Coverage. What are the benefits of lentils? Medically reviewed by Natalie Butler, R. Menopause has been linked with changes in mood and memory impairment. Thus, research has raised the possibility that eating soy foods might help prevent age-related memory loss or decline in thinking skills.
Trials have yielded contradictory results, with some showing a benefit with soy isoflavone supplementation [28, 29] and others showing no benefit. However the results overall were mixed, with other studies not demonstrating a benefit.
This may have been due to differing dosages given or the types of cognition tests used. One large study in men found a detrimental effect on cognitive function. In a prospective cohort study of more than 3, Japanese-American men living in Hawaii, the highest intakes of tofu eaten almost daily at midlife ages were significantly associated with greater cognitive impairment and brain atrophy in late life compared with men with the lowest tofu intakes almost never eaten.
Because of this, the researchers stated that the findings were too preliminary to make recommendations. Soy may interfere with thyroid hormone medication used to treat hypothyroidism. In one randomized double-blinded trial, 60 patients with a mild form of hypothyroidism called subclinical hypothyroidism were given low or high-dose phytoestrogen supplements both also contained 30 grams of soy protein , the amount that might be obtained from a vegetarian diet.
The authors suggested that female vegetarian patients with subclinical hypothyroidism may need more careful monitoring of thyroid function. However, the authors also found a benefit on of reduced cardiovascular risk factors in the high phytoestrogen group, with a significant reduction in insulin resistance, inflammatory markers, and blood pressure. The effect of soy on thyroid function needs further examination.
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Harvard T. The Nutrition Source Menu. Search for:. The Takeaway: Soy is a unique food that is widely studied for its estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects on the body. Studies may seem to present conflicting conclusions about soy, but this is largely due to the wide variation in how soy is studied. Results of recent population studies suggest that soy has either a beneficial or neutral effect on various health conditions. Soy is a nutrient-dense source of protein that can safely be consumed several times a week, and is likely to provide health benefits—especially when eaten as an alternative to red and processed meat.
Heart Disease Soy protein took center stage after research showed that it might lower levels of harmful cholesterol. Hot Flashes Hormone replacement therapy has traditionally been used as an effective treatment for hot flashes and other unpleasant symptoms that accompany menopause, but its long-term use carries concerns of an increased risk of some diseases including breast cancer and stroke.
Of all ethnicities, Asian American women tended to have the highest isoflavone intakes at about 6 mg. The authors noted that American women appeared to benefit from eating smaller amounts of soy. The most frequent sources of soy foods were not whole or minimally processed soy foods, but rather soy sauce, breakfast or diet drinks, tofu, diet bars, and soy protein isolate powder. The authors concluded that soy isoflavones eaten at levels comparable to those in Asian populations may reduce the risk of cancer recurrence in women receiving tamoxifen therapy and does not appear to interfere with tamoxifen efficacy.
However, the findings need to be confirmed because they were mainly in subgroups and could be due to chance. Prostate Cancer The incidence of prostate cancer is highest in Western countries and lowest in Asian countries, where soy foods are a regular part of the daily diet. Memory and Cognitive Function Menopause has been linked with changes in mood and memory impairment.
Thyroid Soy may interfere with thyroid hormone medication used to treat hypothyroidism. Meta-analysis of the effects of soy protein intake on serum lipids. New England Journal of Medicine. Code of Federal Regulations. Health claims: Soy protein and risk of coronary heart disease. Soy protein, isoflavones, and cardiovascular health: an American Heart Association Science Advisory for professionals from the Nutrition Committee.
FDA Statement. Statement from Susan Mayne, Ph. October 30, Phytoestrogens for menopausal vasomotor symptoms. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Quantitative efficacy of soy isoflavones on menopausal hot flashes. Objective: As the intakes of soy foods rise in the American diet, the weak estrogenic activity of plant phytoestrogens may reach biologically effective levels.
We determined the content of phytoestrogens plant compounds with weak estrogenic activity in human beings in tofu, a commercially produced soy drink, and three soy-based formulas. Design: A modified isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was used to analyze samples obtained from supermarkets or manufacturers.
Samples: Two or three lots of duplicate samples of four brands of tofu, one commercially produced soy drink, and three soy-based specialty formulas were analyzed.
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