Using soy can be of a good help in lowering a high cholesterol level
- By:groshan fabiola
Until a few years the foods based on soy protein have been considered the foods for hippies and vegans but lately scientists have declared that the soy protein could be useful in lowering the level of cholesterol in blood.
There were made many studies upon the usefulness of soy protein and the results seemed to point towards the fact that the soy protein would lower the triglycerides and the LDL cholesterol also known as 'bad cholesterol' and would maintain the level of HDL cholesterol also known as 'good cholesterol'.
But all this good news was torn apart in January 2006 when the American Heart Association declared that after 22 studies made on soy protein the conclusion was that soy protein has only minimal effect upon the heart risk factors including the cholesterol.
Until the mystery upon the soy protein is resolved people should continue to eat soy food even though it has no spectacular good effects upon the heart system, it has quality protein in its composition and is low in saturated fat which is good for the organism.
Another study was made in 2005 on 34 adults with high cholesterol level and it showed that after eating daily 50 grams of soy protein, and other lowering cholesterol foods the subjects had an ideal cholesterol level in blood as after taking cholesterol lowering pills.
Another study made in 2005 by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality did not bring spectacular news about the soy protein. The conclusions of the study were that the soy protein eaten daily reduced the 'bad' cholesterol level with only 3%.
After considering these studies valuable, the AHA Nutrition Committee decided not to recommend the soy protein as an aliment which needs to be eaten for lowering the cholesterol level, but they still consider the soy food a good replacement for high fat meats.
There are several products which contain soy protein and which can be combined for a tasty meal. For example tofu is an ideal aliment which can be added to stir-fries, curries or stews and bring an excellent taste to the meal. When you need a snack try the soy nuts which are roasted soy beans and bring you an excellent amount of proteins. Also good for our organism are the soymilk, the soy cheese and the soy burgers.
If you enjoy cooking you can use soy flour for baking, miso for preparing soup and tempeh for combining it with spaghetti.
There are so many food varieties containing soy protein on the market that you will never get bored of eating them and you will also eat a healthy food.About the author:
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