Soy Genistein: Your Smart Choice For A Healthy Heart

Darrell Miller

By adding soy to your diet, you can simply and effectively protect your heart. Soy foods, which are low in saturated fat, provide protein, and are completely cholesterol-free. About 3 million Americans take prescription drugs to lower cholesterol. Although these drugs can be effective, they come along with many significant side effects. Additionally, many of us are unaware that we have high cholesterol levels. Recent studies suggest that over thirty-five million Americans have a cholesterol level which puts them at risk for heart disease. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1995 stated that the consumption of soy protein rather than animal protein significantly decreased LDL (bad) cholesterol levels without affecting HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It is important to remember that when cholesterol is artificially lowered, not only do the bad cholesterol levels drop, but so do the good cholesterol levels. However, soy protein only lowers LDL cholesterol and does not affect HDL levels. Also, when adding soy to your diet, you can also reduce the amount of bad cholesterol that is oxidized, which is what causes damage to the artery walls.

It is very important to read labels on soy foods because soy products without isoflavones will not give the cardiovascular benefits proven in clinical studies. Scientists have recently determined that the cholesterol-lowering effect depends on the amount of isoflavones that are present. The higher the amount, the more beneficial the effect will be. But keep in find that isolated isoflavones will not have the same effect, as resent research has shown that those isoflavones extracted from soy do not have cholesterol-lowering effects. Although most scientific studies have been on genistein, a study in progress at Wake Forest University is looking into daidzein, which may have even greater cardiovascular value. This new study explores the role of genistein and daidzein, rather than just genistein.

Studies have shown that soy protein, when it is consumed at a level of twenty-five grams and combined with diet and exercise, significantly lowers bad cholesterol. It is the protein component found in soy that contains isoflavones which are thought to be responsible for this effect. By getting more knowledgeable about soy and looking for the protein content of soy foods, you can lower your overall fat and animal protein intake along with lowering your bad cholesterol levels. Health experts recommend adding two servings of soy-based foods to your daily diet.

Since the FDA has recently finalized the Soy Protein Health Claim, which states that soy protein is associated with reducing coronary heart disease, any company producing food or food substances under the FDA's jurisdiction can make a legitimate health claim that the product follows this rule. In order to meet the stipulations, the food must contain 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving, 3 grams or less of fat, 1 gram or less of saturated fat, and 20 milligrams or less of cholesterol. The food must also meet specific restrictions on the amount of sodium included. The only exceptions to this rule include products that consist or are derived from whole soybeans and contain no fat in addition to what is naturally found in soybeans.