Soy Not Lowering Cholesterol in Studies
Soy has long been a somewhat controversial topic in the world of food and diet and natural health. Some swear by its health benefits for women, especially as they age, while others say it either makes no difference in vital health readings or actually does more harm than good.
One thing is for sure – refined soy definitely is not as good for you as pure soy, such as soy from tofu (unrefined tofu, or unprocessed) or from edamame or the soy bean itself. Processed soy products abound on the market, and those, although quite tasty, are not as good for you, or may even contribute to weight gain if they are consumed too much.
Modest portions are recommended when it comes to processed soy foods such as soy burgers, fake chicken patties, soy cheese and the linke. However, other more pure types of soy are good.
Research has recent indicated that there is no clear benefit in postmenopausal women who have soy in their diet and their blood pressure and cholesterol readings. The problem is, most data on soy and health is contradictory and appears to never be the same for each person.
It’s not all that surprising though, considering that every woman has their own natural body chemistry that will interact with foods and nutrients different, and all women have other different lifestyle and diet habits (not to mention genetics) that may be the unknown factor behind the differences in these studies.
I do find another possible flaw with the study that said there is no clear benefit between soy consumption and lower cholesterol. They delivered the soy to the women in the group who ate soy in powdered isoflavone (the active natural chemical that is thought to be the benefit of soy) form. This is a processed version of soy. What if they would he delivered it in its pure form – the bean?
It’s hard to tell, because there are also so many other variables at work. One thing is for sure, there is no substitute for a healthy, balanced diet that is rich in antioxidant-giving foods such as fruits and vegetables. If you go by that rule, you can’t go wrong.