The relationship between soy foods and long-term health benefits has been the topic of many discussions among physicians and health organizations for several years now. Studies have been conducted that prove the link between high soy diets and lower heart disease, strong bone mass and cancer prevention. Now studies are being conducted regarding the relationship between a soy diet and blood glucose or sugar levels. Believe it or not, it seems soy may aid the body in this fight as well.
Soy and Diabetes Study
Recently, Iranian researchers reported to the Journal of Diabetes Care that their findings coincided with previous work. They found that soy protein had a significant impact on risk factors associated with Type-2 diabetic patients with kidney disease.
The study followed forty-one patients for a total of four years. All of the patients were Type-2 diabetics and suffered from some type of kidney disease. Twenty of the patients were given a diet of animal, plant, and soy protein, while the remainders were given a diet of just animal and plant proteins.
Results concluded that the patients who added the soy to their diets showed a lowering of blood sugar levels. Patients saw a dramatic drop in cholesterol levels and triglycerides, the number one cause of cardiovascular disease. This is great news for the 18 million Americans suffering from diabetes, because they are three times more vulnerable to heart problems.
Another study involving diabetics and a soy diet was focused on those patients with severe kidney disease. Results concluded that soy protein seemed to improve kidney function, perhaps even better than completely avoiding all protein, which is the typical treatment.
Soy May Help in Prevention
As for those of you who are not diabetic and don’t ever want to be, soy is great for you as well. One study conducted on Chinese women found that eating a diet with large amounts of tofu, a soy product, protected them from Type-2 diabetes. Women who consumed the most soy in the study had 50% less sugar detected in their urine than the control group.
Researchers contribute the great benefit of soy to the proteins and isoflavones present in soybeans. The isoflavones stop fat tissue buildup and enhance the body’s ability to break down the fat. As a result, the blood glucose levels are lowered and the body doesn’t have to work as hard to produce insulin.
There is currently no data that suggests how much soy is needed in order to eliminate risk factors for diabetes. However, the Food and Drug Administration suggests that Americans eat a healthy 25 grams of soy protein per day in order to aid the body in disease control and in lowering risk factors, in particular, lowering cholesterol. Further studies are being conducted regarding diabetes patients and soy diets as well as soy used to lower the risk factors associated with Type-2 diabetes.
Dee Overly is a mother and artist who discovered the health benefits of soy milk and now sells a Soymilk Maker at www.SoymilkCrossroads.com. Stop by and pick up your free Vegan recipe book and check out the blog.
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