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Wonder bean?
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Though newer studies no longer recommend soy, it’s still a good idea to introduce it in your diet
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NUGGETS OF GOODNESS Soy
Soy was the wonder food of the last two decades. The only plant food to match meat, soy gained nods from the health profession for its apparent role in promoting heart health.
Flashback: In 1999-2000, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Heart Association (AHA) said, “It is prudent to recommend including soy protein foods in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.” These organisations based their statement on a few studies that showed eating at least 25 grams of soy protein daily lowered total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Reel Forward: The A.H.A no longer recommends the use of soy protein or soy isoflavone supplements for the prevention of heart disease. Ouch!
What happened?
Good nutritional science happened. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, 22 randomised trials compared soy protein with milk protein, wheat protein and animal protein. They studied the effects of a soy-rich diet on cholesterol and heart health. The results showed that soy protein decreased L.D.L levels (bad cholesterol) only minimally, and had no effect on H.D.L levels (good cholesterol). Soy isoflavones had no effect whatsoever on cholesterol.
So why is this new data better? The 22 trials were all randomised trials - the gold standard of modern medicine. Until bigger trials come along, there is no better evidence out there on the effect of soy on blood cholesterol.
So is soy now unsafe? Far from it. Soy remains a great food. It is still the best source of protein because it contains more minerals, polyunsaturated fats and vitamins than meat, milk or eggs. These trials did not evaluate the benefits soy might have on bone health or cancer risk. Studies are awaited on this matter.
Yes, we can trust Nutritional Science again because updating and refining knowledge and re-examining accepted wisdom is the hallmark of good science. Organisations like the US F.D.A and the A.H.A make their judgments based on the best available evidence. When better evidence comes along, the judgments follow suit.
Although the A.H.A reversed its view on soy in 2006, Indian soy flour and soy nuggets still carry the decade-old misleading label. If you come across such a packet of soy, go ahead and buy it anyway. Just remember that soy is neither a friend nor a foe of cholesterol.
RAJIV.M
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