Diabetes means your circulating glucose levels are abnormally high. Glucose is the body's major source of energy. However, chronically high blood sugar levels do damage to your blood vessels throughout the body, resulting in devastating symptoms of diabetes, such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney damage, blindness and amputations. Soy yogurt is an effective food supplement for blood sugar problems. It gives your body adequate amounts of soy protein that helps improve blood sugar regulation. Consult with your doctor, however, before you decide to eat soy yogurt.
Lipid Peroxidation
Most health promoting activities associated with soy food consumption is attributed to the presence of isoflavones, chemicals with strong free radical scavenging activities. Soy isoflavones, especially genistein and daidzen, disrupt a complex free-radical, branching-chain reaction called lipid peroxidation that contributes to the potentiation and progression of diabetes and its complications, such as heart disease. You can get isoflavones from natural soy products like soy yogurt.
Low Glycemic Index
The glycemic index measures how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food triggers a rise in your blood sugar. Soy yogurt has a low glycemic index value, releasing its glucose into the bloodstream slowly and thus keeping your blood sugar level in control. Soy protein diet may also reduce insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes because the insulin is disposed of more efficiently with less insulin secretion.
Dietary Fiber
Soluble fiber, such as found in soy, can help normalize your blood sugar levels by delaying gastric emptying and increasing satiety. This decreases the release of carbohydrate into the bloodstream and therefore blunts the insulin response to a given amount of carbohydrate in foods. The recommended intake for total fiber for adults is 18 to 36g. This can be achieved by adding more soy foods to your diet.
Effects on Cholesterol
In general, people with diabetes are at risk for high cholesterol. You body needs some cholesterol to function properly; however, too much cholesterol is a problem. High levels of cholesterol are linked with artery and heart disease. Choosing foods wisely can influence your sugar levels, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Diets low in saturated fats and cholesterol that include 25g of soy protein can reduce your cholesterol levels by 10 to 15 percent.
References
- Net Wellness: Diabetes
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition": Isoflavone Phytoestrogens Consumed in Soy Decrease F2-Isoprostane Concentrations and Increase Resistance of Low-Density Lipoprotein to Oxidation in Humans; Helen Wisema et al; 2000
- "Diabetes Care Journal": Beneficial Effects of a Soy-Based Dietary Supplement on Lipid Levels and Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Type 2 Diabetic Subject; Kjeld Hermansen; Fenruary. 2001
- Oregon Health & Science University: Lipid Clinic News
- "American Journal of Epidemiology": Association of Soy and Fiber Consumption with the Risk of Endometrial Cance; Marc T. Goodman; 1997
- Seventh-day Adventist Dietetic Association: The Joy of Soy: Ramona Le
