You may have heard of
“Portfolio Diet” wherein it has been clinically accepted that increasing intake of soy based foods can reduce levels of LDL cholesterol as much as some statin drugs. Well, now it seems that soybeans have another health-giving quality: they also reduce blood pressure.
This latest finding is making quite a bit of noise in medical circles and not without reason. Can you imagine how hard two largest drug markets (cholesterol and blood pressure) would be hit if American Heart Association or American College of Cardiology released a statement saying that soybeans can reduce bad cholesterol and control blood pressure? Just think about it. But that’s where it will stop; in your thoughts. With all lobbying power of giant pharmaceutical industry, I seriously doubt that such a statement from an internationally recognized source will ever be released.
However, to date more than 40 clinical trials have clearly shown that soya protein can reduce cholesterol in men and women. The effective dose of soy protein per day appears to range between 25 and 50 grams. Now initial studies show that it is also useful in fighting high blood pressure.
Soybean protein lowers blood pressure
In a report from Annals of Internal Medicine (July 2005), it seems that use of soybean protein dietary supplements may help reduce high blood pressure.
Soybean products have been commonplace in Asian diets for centuries, and soybeans, as well as its derivative products have long been available in our local health stores and supermarkets. Research has shown that food items like tofu and soymilk can reduce cholesterol levels and lower risks for cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. If we add ability to fight high blood pressure to list of illness and diseases that soy foods are able to combat, then we might just have a super disease killer on our hands.
