There is new evidence claiming that taking part in a soy-rich diet before menopause could benefit heart health. Over the past few years, soybeans have become a popular food item and are now being seen added onto salads and soups, while the derivative soy protein is a major components in some well-known weight-loss products such as such as soymilk, meat substitutes, and tofu.
Although there have been previous research studies dedicated to the health benefits of soy and soy products, a recently conducted study by researchers from the Wake Forest School of Medicine in North Carolina are looking into the benefits that a soy-rich diet can offer against protecting subjects from atherosclerosis. This condition is characterized mainly by the buildup of fat deposits on the walls of the arteries, thereby blocking these passages and restricting the patient's normal blood flow. Atherosclerosis is one of the leading risk factors for the development of heart disease for both men and women.
During the study, the researchers worked with two subject groups that were given high-protein diets. One group was given animal protein, while the other Group received proteins from isoflavone soybeans. After inducing menopause on test subjects, the researchers were able to establish that those receiving the soy rich diet had healthy cholesterol levels, while those placed on the animal protein diet had higher levels of cholesterol. The percentage of fat build up on the arteries were also significantly less on the subjects receiving the soy-based diet compared to their animal protein counterparts. These results have led researchers to believe that taking part in a soy-rich diet prior to menopause, or during the earliest stages of menopause, can benefit the heart health of women.
This study that has now been published on the journal "Menopause" comes in the heels of a statistical study claiming that heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in women and that it is, in fact, accountable for the death of one out of four females in 2009.