Soy is the name for food made from soybeans. It is one of the few plant foods that contains the proper balance of the eight essential amino acids, making it a valuable protein source. Studies have shown that the most effective cancer blocker in soybeans are the isoflavones. The isoflavone called genistein is the antioxidant power that makes this food fight and inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
To mention a few of the studies that showed results of genistein and it's prevention and protection properties : A Finnish study compared the levels of isoflavones in Japanese and Finnish men. The levels of isoflavones in Japanese men were found to be one hundred times higher. It was observed that the cancer seems to grow so slowly that many Japanese men die without developing clinical disease. The study's conclusion, published in the Lancet, was that maintaining a lifelong concentration of isoflavones in the blood could be the reason Japanese prostate cancers remain latent. Another study by scientists at the University of Alabama (1990) showed that genistein reduced the number of mammary tumors in breast cancer experiments in animals.
Soy also reduces unpleasant menopausal symptoms, can lower the need for insulin in diabetics, and has been shown to aid in osteoporosis prevention.
Published by Teresita C. Tayanes on January 15, 2007 10:05 PM
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