Today we are going to bust all the myths and focus on the benefits of soya based on scientific evidence.

A common argument (in the age when everyone knows about nutrition), is to call some food "...".harmful"and call another "superfood". So it is with soya. It doesn't seem to matter that certain populations have been eating it and benefiting from it for thousands of years. Nor that the studies that are coming out show how little evidence there is for us to be afraid of such a nutrient-rich food.

Arguments based on scientific evidence:

HORMONAL PLANTS

Soy contains compounds called phytoestrogenswhich are plant-based oestrogens which occur naturally in plants. These are slightly different from the oestrogen hormones that humans produce, but similar enough that they may have some biological effects.

However, not to panic, this may actually turn out to be one of the benefits of soya. For example, menopausal women often experience hot flushes, and consuming soya products can help to reduce these symptoms (see study)

HEART DISEASE

Soy products may help to reduce the risk of heart disease because they lowers blood cholesterol levels (see study)

It reduces the production of cholesterol in the liver and, secondly, soy products such as tofu are often consumed as a substitute for animal proteins, which are higher in saturated fat. By replacing meat with tofu, you can reduce the saturated fat content of the meal, which reduces the risk of heart disease.

CANCER

Another of the benefits of soy is that it has a protective effect (or in the worst case neutral) on breast cancer riskThere is a misconception that women should avoid soya because it increases the risk of breast cancer. However, the latest available evidence suggests that, in most cases, consuming soya products can actually be protective against breast cancer.

• In this study (see study) found that soy intake was protective against breast cancer in Asian countries, but this effect was not found in Western countries.
• According to him (see study) its consumption may be associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer occurrence and mortality. Therefore, soya has no oestrogenic effects in humans.
• And in the latter (see study) found that soy intake may be associated with a small reduction in breast cancer risk.

In addition to the research cited above on breast cancer, other research on soy intake and its relationship to other cancers in women has been noted. In fact, one review has shown that women who eat more soy tend to have a lower risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer. Additional evidence also suggests that women who consume more soy may be protected from both colorectal and gastrointestinal disease (see below).see study1study2) 

The studies I have linked here are among the best available we have on the benefits of soy and human health. They are mainly based on aggregate data from numerous studies. One can almost always find one-off studies in particular contexts that may show soy to be harmful to health, but it is important to understand that critical health decisions are rarely made on the basis of individual studies.

Conclusion

In short, soya is safe to consume. Fears about the harmful effects come from laboratory and rodent studies using particularly high levels of phytoestrogens. Rodents metabolise these compounds differently from humans.. It is clear that soya is not the panacea of the 21st century, but putting it on the list of enemies to people's health is not true either.

Like all foods, don't overdo it, but if you are a healthy person, you can enjoy 1- 3 servings a day.

I hope you liked it!

If you want to know more about plant proteins, click here. here.