SOY is known as a food that can prevent breast cancer.
It is all due to compounds in soy called isoflavones, that act as weak estrogen in the body.
Researchers still don’t know whether isoflavones stop the growth of tumors by acting like estrogen or prevent breast cancer by competing with the breast’s natural estrogen.
2 recent studies which looked at dietary habits, however, helped scientists to better understand this point.
A 2008 review in the British Journal of Cancer found that Asian women who ate about one serving of soy (1/2 cup of tofu, or 1 cup of soy milk) a day had a lower risk of breast cancer compared to those who did not.
Those who stared to eat soy regularly in their adolescent years have the greatest protection.
In the second study, in April 2009 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, study of Chinese women, age 40 to 70 consumed a daily serving of soy had a significant lower risk of developing breast cancer in their premenopausal years than women who ate soy less frequently.
Women who started to eat soy consistently in adolescence had an even lower risk than those who stared later.
In this study, eating soy foods didn’t protect women from breast cancer after menopause.
Studies are conflictig about the benefits of soyfood consumption later in life.
Researchers conclude that in younger women, when the body’s natural estrogen levels are high, isoflavones in soy may compete with the body’s natural estrogen and reduce risk of breast cancer.
After menaupose however, natural estrogen levels are much lower and so its soflavones act like estrogen.
CONCLUSION:
Adding soy to your diet in middle life doesn’t offer much protection against breast cancer But it won’t hurt either!
Soy foods are healthy, rich in protein, low in fat.
It is best to start including soy at Early ages before the menopause age, for maximum protection! 🙂
WhatsApp us