As reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, when the Food and Drug Administration allowed food labels to state soy protein may reduce the risk of heart disease, the interest in consuming soy increased. The soybean is noted to be high in protein and soy milk is a good alternative to cow's milk for those who are lactose intolerant. There is now great debate over the power of soy, whether it has benefits or dangers.
Soy
According to the Soy Connection website, "Soybeans derive about 35 to 38 percent of their calories from protein compared to approximately 20 to 30 percent in other legumes." The Food and Drug Administration rates it as a high quality source of protein. The soybean is made up of mostly polyunsaturated fat, but makers of soy milk may have the fat removed for a nonfat option. Whole soybeans are high in fiber, but when the bean is processed to make other derivatives such as soy milk, the fiber content decreases considerably. Soy milk is also a good source of calcium.
Unfortified Soy Milk
One cup of unfortified original or vanilla soy milk has 131 calories and 4.3 grams of fat, 2.3 grams of which are polyunsaturated fat. Other nutrients such as zinc and iron, while high in the soybean, are fairly low in unfortified soy milk and are not easily absorbed by the body. Unfortified soy milk is a good source of magnesium and has 7.9 grams of protein, but is low in vitamins A and D and hosts only 6 percent of the daily value for calcium.
Enhanced Soy Milk
One cup of enhanced soy milk has 109 calories and 4.8 grams of fat, 2.9 grams of which are polyunsaturated fat. Since it is enhanced, or fortified, one cup is a good source of calcium and vitamins A and D--having 34 percent, 19 percent, and 29 percent of the daily value respectively. There are 7.1 grams of protein. Nonfat enhanced soy milk has fewer calories--66 per one cup--and zero fat. It is still a good source of calcium and vitamins A and D and has 6 grams of protein.
Cardiovascular
An evidence report put out by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality shows that the majority of 68 random studies reported small to moderate effects on lipids with an average intake of 36 grams of soy protein. An analysis of 52 studies on LDL levels showed a significant decrease, with a suggestion that higher levels of soy protein intake help with lowering LDL even more.
Women
From 21 trial studies, the effects of soy on hot flashes and night sweats in women were inconclusive. There was a decrease in hot flashes for both the study and control group. A few random studies showed a reduction in hot flash frequency but many trials had high drop out rates and therefore could not reach a conclusion. Studies on the estradiol levels in women were inconsistent and no study showed a change in the menstrual cycle length.
Considerations
Negative effects were reported by some of the subjects in most of the studies. While minor, most reported effects were focused on the gastrointestinal tract. Subjects in 15 studies reported menstrual complaints. Other complaints included headache, dizziness and rashes. As stated by the evidence report, "there was no clear dose relationship between the amount consumed and subsequent adverse events."
References
- Soy Connection: Soy Nutritional Composition
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Effects of Soy on Health Outcomes
- Self Nutrition Data: Nutrition Facts: Soymilk, Original and Vanilla Unfortified
- Self Nutrition Data: Nutrition Facts: Soymilk (All Flavors) Enhanced
- Self Nutrition Data: Nutrition Facts: Soymilk (All Flavors) Nonfat with Added Calcium, Vitamins A and D
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