Soy CAN Help Lower Cholesterol Levels

The benefits of eating soy have been propounded by many and denied by a few experts. But a review of 41 published randomized controlled trials shows that the evidence is pretty clear: soy protein supplementation decreases total and low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and increases high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels.

The average reduction in total cholesterol was 5.6 mg/dL, that for LDL cholesterol was 4.25 mg/dL, and for triglycerides 6.26 mg/dL. HDL cholesterol rose by an average of 0.77 mg/dL. The effects of soy showed a dose-dependant response, i.e. the more soy eaten, the greater the beneficial lipid changes. And the changes induced by soy occurred in both normal people and those with high cholesterol levels.

Clearly, replacing foods high in saturated fat, trans-fats, and cholesterol with soy protein should have a major effect on cardiovascular risk factors.