Seldom does one type of food show as many health benefits as the one presented in a new study in the journal Nutrients.
In various forms, it can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25% and the risk of clogged arteries by 21%.
It can be used in anything from a delicious drink to baking a cake or making a steak.
Soy is a complete protein containing all the amino acids that appear in animal proteins. Because meat also contains fat and cholesterol, which are absent from soy, researchers wanted to find out whether people who consumed a lot of the latter had healthier heart profiles.
They searched through medical databases to find studies on the health effects of soy and found 29 that met their requirements and quality standards. Of these, 20 dealt with cardiovascular disease, and nine addressed diabetes.
These 29 studies together involved almost 1.7 million participants, 54,213 cardiovascular events, and 16,521 cases of diabetes and covered time periods from 2.5 to 24 years.
The researchers found the following about the participants who consumed the highest amounts of soy, compared to those who consumed the lowest amounts:
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1. They were 17% less likely to have diabetes.
2. Their cardiovascular disease risk was 13% lower.
3. Their risk of clogged arteries was 21% lower.
4. They were 12% less likely to suffer strokes.
When they analyzed specific soy products and amounts, they observed the following.
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1. A daily intake of 26.7 grams of tofu (about one ounce) reduced cardiovascular disease risk by 18%. Tofu is coagulated soy milk.
2. A daily intake of 11.1 grams of natto lowered cardiovascular disease risk by 17%. Natto is fermented soybeans.
3. Tofu intake above 63 grams (2.2 ounces) per day and natto intake above 32 grams (1.1 ounces) per day had no protective effect against heart disease.
4. Soy milk and miso soup were not associated with cardiovascular disease at all.
5. Dried soy foods lowered the participants’ diabetes risk by 25%, including dried soybeans, soy flour, soy milk powder, and textured soy protein.
6. Only tofu reduced clogged artery risk, and only natto lowered stroke risk.
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