Know the Health Benefits of Soy?There are great benefits of soy that people sometimes take for granted. Soy is considered one of the healthiest foods you can eat because it has great protein, great fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
It has been found to decrease the symptoms of menopause, especially hot flashes. After menopause, women who eat soy have been found to have lower risks for osteoporosis. The isoflavones have been found to increase bone mineral content, which lowers the risk for osteoporosis.
The lowered risk for breast cancer has been tied to the isoflavones in soy products. Soy may also decrease the risk for colon and prostate cancer. The isoflavones prevent cells from multiplying and reduce the growth rate of cancer cells that are already present. Soybeans have the highest protein of all beans, with 38% of the bean coming from protein. They also have all the amino acids that humans need to create a complete protein, just like meat and eggs. Soybeans have no saturated fat or cholesterol (since cholesterol comes only from animal products.) Also, the consumption of soy lowers blood cholesterol levels. Soybeans are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which is important for vegans. Since we don't eat high-quality fish, our ratio of omega fatty acids can be off. The FDA recommends 25 grams of soy protein each day to help reduce the risk of heart disease. In early 2008, this claim was challenged and there remains some vagueness about the accuracy of that recommendation.
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