Soy : good for cholesterol but in moderation

Soy lowers cholesterol and does not increase the risk of breast cancer, but its use must be tempered by the presentation of Jean- Michel Lecerf , head of the nutrition department at the Pasteur Institute in Lille , Lyonel Rossant , liberal pediatrician and Gwénaële Joubrel , during a roundtable interviews Bichat scientific Director of the French association of traditional soy food manufacturers ( Sojaxa ) at in Paris.
Based on scientific studies , including the report on "Security and benefits of phytoestrogens provided by food - recommendations " of the French Agency for Food Safety ( AFSSA ), the three scientists wished to point on the nutritional benefits of soy foods .

Soy contains isoflavones, polyphenols with low estrogenic activity which gives them the name of " phytoestrogens " . Based on the available toxicity studies , AFSSA recommended limited to 1 mg of isoflavones per kg body weight per day daily intake. "It would consume more than 5 soy products every day to achieve this level of intake ," says the synthesis of roundtable interviews Bichat .

AFSSA has confirmed the interest of consuming soy protein (30 g per day) to lower circulating levels of cholesterol and found that soy isoflavones have a favorable effect on vasotonicité ( from a contribution 45 mg per day) .

" Studies indicate that the incidence of cardiovascular disease is four times lower in Asian countries where the consumption of soy products is higher than in Western countries where it is weak " stress the authors.

Regarding breast cancer , studies show a protective effect of phytoestrogens in Asian women, not transferable to Western women , due to insufficient data . AFSSA concluded , however, that the consumption of soy foods does not increase the risk of developing breast cancer .

In patients with a history of breast cancer , AFSSA recommends not to exceed the daily intake of 1 mg of isoflavones per kg of body weight per day for women who have undergone breast cancer.

Based on childhood soy protein preparations , the three stakeholders indicate that consumption for 40 years in several Western countries demonstrated their equivalence formulas based on cow 's milk proteins . " No adverse effect of soy and / or isoflavones on growth and neuroendocrine development was highlighted in these populations," the report said.

However, the AFSSA report stated that " infants exclusively with preparations of soy protein receive up to 40 times too isoflavones with products currently available on the market ." The agency recommends limiting the intake of phytoestrogens than 1 mg / l of reconstituted " given the current state of knowledge and uncertainty about the long- term" preparation .

The main advantages of soy intake reside in a high amount of essential amino acids , fat (mostly unsaturated fatty acids and no cholesterol). Historically developed for people with lactose intolerance or allergy to proteins of cows , food and drink soy were also recommended for people with high cholesterol.