Although research shows that eating foods high in soy protein does NOT significantly lower LDL cholesterol, soy still has a place in a heart-healthy diet.
Soy is another food component to consider in your efforts to prevent a heart attack. Even though research now shows that eating foods high in soy protein helps lower LDL cholesterol levels by a mere 3%, choosing soy-containing foods (such as soymilk and tofu) can still be beneficial for your heart. That’s because people who eat soy products tend to consume them instead of foods like meat and full-fat dairy products that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol.
Experts once thought that estrogen-like compounds known as isoflavones might be responsible for soy’s beneficial effects. But a recent review of research found that isoflavone supplements had no effect on LDL cholesterol levels.
Indeed, a large research review suggests that a soy burger or glass of soymilk may not be doing much for your cholesterol levels after all. Neither soy protein nor supplements containing soy compounds (isoflavones) are very effective at lowering levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, according to the review, which was conducted by the nutrition committee of the American Heart Association and reported in the journal Circulation (Volume 113, page 1034).
Across the 22 trials the committee examined, adults who consumed even large amounts of soy protein saw their LDL levels dip by only 3%, on average. Isoflavone supplements did not reduce LDL cholesterol at all. In addition, soy products showed no benefits on blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, or triglycerides, another type of blood fat that contributes to coronary heart disease.
Still, it’s not time to take soy off your menu. In fact, the committee says that replacing hamburgers with soy burgers or whole milk with soymilk, for example, is likely to be a heart-healthy move, because soy products have no saturated fat but do have more healthy fats, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. So continue to eat soy as part of a healthy diet. However, there’s no need to spend your money on isoflavone supplements.
