Soy Protein and Cancer Prevention

Almost every diet and food chart recommends soy-based foods as a healthy option, and there are hundreds of products available on the market that substitute soy for other ingredients.

The protein in soybeans is extremely beneficial for health. It helps us to lose weight and lower our cholesterol, bolsters our heart and even potentially prevents diseases like cancer. Soybeans are a very healthy source of many vitamins, minerals and proteins. The soybean has been an integral part of Chinese and Japanese cooking for hundreds of years, but the rest of the world has only recently begun to understand its benefits.

Soybeans are not only an effective substitute available to people who are trying to eat healthy, but many studies have also proved that they help prevent cancer. According to data from many epidemiological studies, soy protein helps reduce the risk of the disease, especially breast and prostate cancer. Soybeans are low in fat but high in fiber, and are also rich in phytochemicals, which have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer.

The soybean's usefulness in this regard has been demonstrated by the low rate of breast cancer among Japanese women who consumer large amounts of soy protein. Soy foods contain isoflavones, which are compounds that occur naturally in plants and have been found to lower the risk of colon cancer as well.

Soy proteins also prevent cancer by taking the place of harmful food items like red meat in our diet. Instead of a hamburger, we can eat a soy burger to cut down on harmful trans fats and increase our levels of protein. Trans fats have been found to be among the causes of cancer and heart disease.

The best thing about soy protein is the sheer number of foods we can make from it. We can replace fattening cheese and dairy creamers with soy cheese. We can drink soy milk instead of cow's milk, use soy flour to make breads and even create imitation meat from soy. It is also a great addition to soups and salads.