SOYBEAN (Glycine Max)

Supplement: soy isoflavones Potency: 750mg Quantity: 120 capsules Other ingredients: gelatin, cellulose, magnesium stearate, silica. Price: £7.95 Click here for the order page Contraindications: soy isoflavones are not recommended for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Further information on Soy

Habitat:The soybean is native to eastern Asia and is believed to have been first cultivated in north eastern China around the 11th century BC, with the earliest archeological evidence of soybean cultivation being from Korea and dating to the 10th century BC. From about the 1st century AD, the soybean spread rapidly to other parts of Asia and became established in Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and India. In the 17th century soy sauce became commonly traded from east to west and the soybean itself reached Europe early in the 18th century and America soon after, although not until the 20th century did the soybean become widely grown outside of Asia. Today Asia remains an important source of soy, especially the big growers of China and India, but 55% of the world's soybean production is now in the USA, with Brazil and Argentina also becoming significant producers.

Characteristics and properties: The soybean is renowned all over the world as a nutritional powerhouse and for the fact that it contains the full range of essential amino acids, making it quite unique in the vegetable world and a very important protein food for vegetarians. Remarkably the soybean is as much as 44% protein. Of all the other nutritional substances it contains, the most well known is lecithin, a natural emulsifier which keeps cholesterol in the blood in suspension and therefore prevents it from sticking to the arteries. Since cholesterol deposits in the arteries are the main cause of cardiovascular illnesses, soy lecithin is indeed a precious substance for promoting a healthy heart and a good circulation and for lowering cholesterol levels.

Other substances in soy have also become renowned for their health giving properties, notably its isoflavones, which are a group of phytoestrogens. Many potential health benefits have been attributed to isoflavones, although some researchers dispute the various claims made for them, which has led to a great deal of debate in recent years, as the opposing groups argue over exactly what effects they have on the body. There are now almost 2000 scientific publications on the subject of isoflavones and most of these are favourable to the view that isoflavones are beneficial to health. One of the most discussed ideas is that isoflavones promote bone health in that they help in the preservation of the bone material and fight against osteoporosis. Consumption of isoflavones is said to be the reason why people in China and Japan very rarely have osteoporosis, despite their low consumption of dairy products.

Another great area of study on isoflavones is their impact on the symptoms of the menopause, and it is argued not only that isoflavones may mitigate menopausal symptoms, but that many menopausal and post-menopausal health problems may occur in the first place because of a lack of isoflavones in the typical Western diet. Isoflavones may be beneficial for men's health too because they are believed to protect against enlargement of the male prostate gland. In addition several studies have indicated that isoflavones slow prostate cancer growth and cause prostate cancer cells to die. In fact isoflavones appear to act against prostate cancer cells in a way similar to many common cancer-treating drugs.

Other cancers are also said to be prevented by isoflavones, although this is an area of some controversy to put it mildly. Most significantly, population-based studies have shown a strong association between consumption of isoflavones and a reduced risk of breast cancer and of endometrial cancer. In one study, women who consumed the most soy products and other foods rich in isoflavones appeared to have reduced their risk of endometrial cancer by 54%. In another study women who consumed soy products 4 times a week or more during adolescence and adulthood were nearly 50% less likely to develop breast cancer than women who ate soy less than once a month. This is a very active and much debated area of research and more studies are likely to be carried out in the next few years and may shed further light on how reliable the claims are that soy is a cancer preventative.

Isoflavones also appear to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease through two significant actions. Firstly, they inhibit the growth of the cells which help form the plaque that can clog the arteries. When the arteries are clogged there is the inevitable risk of blood clots which can lead to a heart attack. Secondly, they help to improve levels of cholesterol, which also reduces the risk of the arteries becoming clogged. A review of 38 controlled studies on soy and heart disease concluded that soy is definitely effective for improving cholesterol profile, although some researchers say that the degree of improvement shown in these studies is not that significant and that soy's ability to prevent heart disease tends to be overestimated.

Because isoflavones are phytoestrogens and soy is particularly rich in them, many soy products and supplements have become popular in recent times for use in natural breast enhancement. Infant formulas based on soy are another growth area and are used for lactose intolerant babies and those who are allergic to milk proteins.

Culinary uses: Although soy has the appearance of a simple bean, this is deceiving as it's actually the most versatile foodstuff on Earth and many different foods can be made from it, from sauces to sausages. Tofu is probably the best known soy food and itself comes in many different forms, such as tofu cheese, various tofu meats, soy dogs, sausages, bacon and ice cream. Tofu comes in firm, extra-firm, soft, and low-fat varieties, the extra-firm being probably the most popular as it is excellent cubed in stir fry, crumbled in salads or in chili, marinaded in sandwiches, and in general highly useful in many recipes as an alternative to meat. The soft or silken tofu makes an excellent creamy base for soups, sauces, salad dressings, mock cheesecake, and mock egg dishes such as scrambled tofu or egg salad.

The remarkable tofu is made from soy milk by adding a coagulating agent to separate the curds and whey, similar to making cheese. The soy milk required is made by grinding and pressing soaked, cooked soybeans and is a useful and popular soy product itself. Whilst valuable as a milk product to people who are allergic to dairy products, soy milk is also perhaps the most convenient way to include soy in your diet. It can be substituted for dairy milk in cereals, shakes, soups, sauces, puddings and souffles, and is available in plain, whole, low and non-fat kinds as well as in various flavours. Recently soy milk has developed a cachet in premium coffee blends from Western restaurant chains such as Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts.

Another common soy product is tempeh, a meat alternative with a chewy texture and a hardy taste, qualities which make it popular as a meat substitute. Originating in Indonesia almost 2000 years ago, tempeh is made from whole cooked soybeans which are fermented, a