SOY- This Is One Of the Most Controversial Foods On the Market

Soy has a bad reputation, as soybeans contain a substance that can supposedly mimic human female hormones. Simultaneously, soy products are the most widespread and affordable replacements for meat and dairy produce, and people following a vegan and other dairy-free diets can really benefit from this nutrient-rich source of protein. Furthermore, soybeans might be even beneficial to people suffering from high cholesterol, infertility and even menopause. 

 

This disparity created quite a lot of controversy surrounding soy, a significant part of which is ungrounded. This article provides a full review of both the nutritional value and the health effects of soy and soy products, which will help you make up your mind on whether or not consuming soy is right for you.

What is soy exactly?

Soybeans are a type of legumes native to East Asia, being a crucial domestic crop throughout Asia for millennia. The first mentions of the soya bean, an alternative name of the crop, are between 7000 and 6600 BC in China, but it is very likely that they have been in widespread use even before that.

Today, soybeans are a staple food throughout Asia, where they are used to prepare a wide variety of products, starting from soy milk and soy sauce, to tofu and tempeh, which are meat alternatives, and even consumed raw in the form of edamame beans, which are immature soybeans commonly used as healthy snacks (pictured below).

Soy is also a key ingredient in many protein supplements, vitamins and processed foods. And finally, soybean meal is widely used to feed livestock. This means that soy products are more than simply widespread, they are quite challenging to avoid.

Nutritional Value

It is important to start from mentioning that soy products are some of the most cost-effective alternatives for both meat and dairy products. Soy products come in a variety of textures and flavors, such as milks, yogurts, cheeses, and meat substitutes, and they are usually widely available on the market.

But this is not the only reason why soy products are a great replacement for animal-derived produce, as they are also extremely nutrient-dense and provide a lot of protein, which is often lacking in meat- and dairy-free diets. Soy is a complete protein source, meaning that it contains all the essential amino acids the human body doesn’t produce.

Apart from that, soy is a good source for healthy fats, especially omega-3 fats. Finally, it contains a type of phytoestrogens called isoflavones that can also be beneficial to health. For your reference, the table above illustrates the nutritional content of one type of soy, edamame beans, but the overall nutritional value of other soy products will be similar.

Apart from being a great source of nutrients, however, soy can also be beneficial for those suffering from certain conditions, but it can also be possibly worse for others. 

1. Decreasing cholesterol levels

 

 

 

There is an extensive body of research suggesting that soy foods (but not soy supplements) may help lower the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the levels of the good (HDL) cholesterol, especially among individuals who have higher than normal cholesterol levels.

A review study suggested that consuming only 47 grams of soy daily was associated with a 13% decrease in LDL cholesterol. This means that eating soy products can help stop the progression of atherosclerosis, as bad cholesterol is responsible for creating plaques in blood vessels, whereas HDL cholesterol helps clear those up.

2. Helps relieve Menopause Symptoms

During menopause, women experience a range of uncomfortable symptoms (hot flashes, sleep problems, urinary symptoms, etc.) brought about by the shortage of female hormones called estrogens in the blood. Soy contains a type of phytoestrogens called isoflavones that can mimic the effect of human estrogens.

However, soy foods contain quite low levels of isoflavones, so in order to see a difference in symptoms, studies gave soy supplements to women and found that they, in fact, can be converted into estradiol (a type of estrogen) and partly compensate for the lack of estrogens observed in menopausal women.

A review article found that taking 54 mg of soy isoflavone supplements during a period of 3 months decreased hot flashes by over 20% and weakened all the symptoms by over 25%.

3. Improves fertility in women

 

Women who have difficulty conceiving or are currently undergoing a fertility treatment may benefit from soy. In a study, women who took 6g of soybean powder daily for a period of 6 months experienced more ovulations and an overall normalization of their menstrual cycles. On top of that, other studies suggest that soy supplements help women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) get pregnant.

4. The influence of male sex hormones

 

Since soy contains phytoestrogens, men are sometimes afraid to include soy in their diet, claiming it may lower their testosterone levels. This is a crucial issue, as many protein powders and supplements advertised to promote muscle growth are soy-based, and if soy can affect the hormone balance in men, it may render these supplements worthless or harmful.

However, a review of 15 studies showed that it is completely safe for men to consume soy foods, protein powders up to 70g per day, and even isoflavone supplements up to 240 mg daily. In addition, there is even scientific evidence suggesting that soy can potentially lower the risk of developing prostate cancer, so not only is soy safe to eat in moderation, but it may even be beneficial for men.

5. Decreases the likelihood of developing Breast Cancer

 

 

The evidence about soy and breast cancer is very conflicting, as there is a large and growing body of evidence from Asian studies suggesting that a higher soy intake may decrease the likelihood of developing breast cancer, whereas the Western studies did not find any link between breast cancer and foods containing soy.

Scientists believe that this might be due to the fact than in Asian countries, people usually consume more fermented soy products compared to Western countries, and it may be the case that fermented soy foods has more cancer-fighting properties than regular ones.

6. The effect on Thyroid Function

 

 

 

One of the most controversial findings regarding soy is that a test-tube study reported that goitrogens, compounds found in soy, may have a negative effect on the thyroid. Human studies did not confirm this finding and suggested that individuals with an enlarged thyroid do not have to avoid soy products as long as they’re meeting their daily nutritional needs in iodine.

In summary, consuming soy products in moderation is not only safe, but also very beneficial to everyone, and especially for those who follow a meat- and dairy-free diet. What’s more, consuming soy products may even be beneficial at decreasing cholesterol levels, improving fertility, relieving menopausal symptoms and lowering the risk of developing certain cancers.

 

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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What is Osteoporosis? Know about its symptoms, causes and treatment

Do you know that frequent joint pain or bone pain can be a sign of Osteoporosis? Do you wonder what is Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which the bones become weak and brittle because of the loss of mineral density. In this condition, even bending over or coughing can cause a fracture!

Known as 'Silent disease', this condition often develops without any symptoms or pain, and it is usually not discovered until the weakened bones cause painful fractures. Osteoporosis-related fractures most commonly occur in the hip, wrist, or spine. However, people across the globe are less aware of this silent disease and it is very important that the right information reaches the general public so that they can take up all the necessary precautions to avoid it.

In this episode of Jagran Dialogues, Subhasish Dutta, Deputy Editor, Jagran New Media, spoke to Dr. Vineesh Mathur, Director - Division of Spine, Institute Of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Orthopaedics, and discussed osteoporosis, its symptoms, and treatment.

Here's an excerpt from the interview:

Q- What is osteoporosis and how does this disease develop?

Dr. Vineesh Mathur- Osteoporosis is a very common disorder and awareness about this disorder has grown gradually in the past 2-3 decades. There was time weakening of bones was considered a sign of aging and this was considered natural and not classified as a disease. But, now after thorough consideration, this disorder is considered a disease because in people of the same age group there is a vast difference in their quality of bones. Osteoporosis is the degradation of bone and its quantity. Bones get brittle due to the loss of minerals and calcium. This disorder is linked with age, sex. When bone mass gets lower than normal then it is considered Osteoporosis. It is a silent disease and there are no symptoms of this disorder.

Q- What are causes of Osteoporosis? Are women more affected by Osteoporosis if compared to men?

Dr. Vineesh Mathur- There is a very common myth in your question that this disorder affects only women. But, no men also suffer from this disease. Almost one-third of males can be suffering from this disorder. Its causes are multiple, it is linked with lifestyle and genes. If a person does not have an active lifestyle or do weight-bearing chores then this disorder might be common in them. It is also linked with hormonal problems such as Thyroid, diabetes, and metabolic disorders. Bone mass is not a static thing, if mass on it becomes less then people might suffer from Osteoporosis. Females are more prone to suffer from this disease because of menopause which happens around the age of 50. the process of menopause in females causes dramatic hormonal changes and these changes might affect bone health too. However, males also suffer from this disorder but the process is more gradual and they might see the disorder affecting them at age of 60 or 65.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Covid can cause atypical thyroid inflammation

The study, presented virtually at ENDO 2021, indicated that one-third of the participants still had signs of thyroid inflammation after three months, even though their thyroid function had normalised.

In spring 2020, 15 per cent of the Covid-19 patients hospitalised in acute medicine units in Italy had thyroid hormone alterations due to multi-factorial causes, including thyroid inflammation. In comparison, only 1 per cent of hospitalised patients during the same period in 2019 had thyroid hormone alterations.

"People with thyroiditis, or inflammation of the thyroid gland, triggered by other viruses usually recover thyroid function in the short term," said lead researcher Ilaria Muller from the University of Milan in Italy.

"However, there is a long-term increased risk of permanently reduced thyroid function, caused by late-onset effects of viral infection, or by the immune system attacking the thyroid gland," Muller added.

For the study, the team wanted to find out whether the thyroiditis associated with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease, follows the same pattern as thyroid inflammation caused by other viruses.

The researchers started a surveillance programme to monitor the thyroid function of patients every three months after being hospitalised for moderate to severe Covid-19 disease. The patients undergo a routine blood and ultrasound testing to monitor their thyroid function and signs of inflammation.

They found the thyroiditis in people with moderate to severe Covid-19 disease differs from typical thyroiditis in several ways, the researchers said.

These include the absence of neck pain, the presence of mild thyroid dysfunction, higher frequency among men and the association with severe Covid-19 disease, they added.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement