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Health benefits

of soya bean consumption

By Prof Anna Arnoldi, School of Pharmacy, University of Milan

oya bean has a high protein yellow. The flowers are small and in clusters as well as in humans with cholesterol
content and is rich in lipids, in and the fruits are pods about 50cm long elevations of genetic or non-genetic origin.
particular polyunsaturated fatty with seeds used to produce oil and flour. In the earliest studies in the 1970s,
acids, a-linolenic acid included. It In respect of other legumes, soya bean a soya protein preparation, given to
S also contains vitamins, minerals is more digestible and richer in protein, as hospitalised highly hypercholesterolemic
and phospholipids such as lecithin, which well as associated with fewer problems of patients, was found to be highly effective
facilitate the metabolism of cholesterol. flatulence. It has a high protein content for cholesterol lowering and well
Being almost devoid of starch and (about 35-40%) and is rich in lipids tolerated. In this six-week controlled
purines, it is particularly suitable for (15-20%), in particular polyunsaturated crossover investigation, there was a 20
diabetics. The cholesterol-reducing effect fatty acids, a-linolenic acid included. It to 22% reduction in total cholesterol
of soya proteins became the basis for the also contains vitamins (A, B, B2, D and E), (TC) level and a 22 to 25% reduction
US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) minerals (calcium, iron and potassium) in LDL-C, without significant changes
approval of the health claim for the role and phospholipids such as lecithin, of triglyceridemia. The cholesterol
of soya protein consumption in coronary which have emulsifying properties and reduction was inversely related to baseline
disease risk. In addition, ancillary benefits facilitate the metabolism of cholesterol. cholesterolemia and not modified by
of soya, i.e. blood pressure reduction Being almost devoid of starch and the addition of dietary cholesterol.
and possibly reduced body weight, are purines (metabolised in the body to uric The numerous ensuing clinical
of considerable therapeutic interest. acid), it is particularly suitable for diabetics. studies were summarised in a meta-
analysis of 38 studies up to 1995,
Introduction Anti-cholesterol activity in both hypercholesterolemic and
Soya bean (glycine max) is a herbaceous In many countries soya foods are appreciated normolipidemic individuals. This meta-
plant belonging to the family of for their potential role in atherosclerosis analysis confirmed that serum LDL-C
Leguminosae. It is native of Eastern Asia and prevention. In fact, soya protein has concentrations are modified, depending
cultivated for food purposes. The leaves of been shown to successfully reduce on the baseline cholesterolemia, from
the plant vary in colour between green and cholesterolemia in experimental animals, a minimum of -7,7% in subjects with
total cholesterol in the normal range
(<200mg/dl), up to -24% in subjects
with a clear-cut hyper cholesterolemia.
The cholesterol-reducing effect of soya
proteins, potentially leading to a reduced
cardiovascular risk, became the basis for
the FDA's approval of the health claim
for the role of soya protein consumption
in coronary disease risk reduction.

Role of hyperlipidemics
A meta-analysis published in 2006
criticised these results, since the studies
published in the following years
apparently did not confirm the powerful
cholesterol-reducing effect of soya
proteins. This apparent incongruence
may be explained by the fact that clear-
cut hyperlipidemics are always excluded
Photograph courtesy of www.kjokkenutstyr.net. in recent trials for ethical reasons, since

36 June 2020