- While soy was once thought to be a "miracle food" that protects against heart disease and cancer, recent studies have questioned these health benefits and some experts now wonder if soy could increase the risk of certain cancers. - The effects of soy are complex and not fully understood - soy contains plant estrogens that may influence cancer and other health conditions differently depending on individual metabolism and diet. - Experts recommend including soy as part of an overall healthy diet, rather than relying on it as a cure or using isoflavone supplements, and note that responses to soy can vary significantly from person to person.

1. East Valley LifeEAST VALLEY I SCOTTSDALE TRIBUNE
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2. Some doubt health benefits; others remain believers
By .JEFF HAMPL • FOR THE TRIBUNE
T
he American Heart Association recommends eating
,soy. So does the Food and Drug Administration. And
. although many people see soy as a health food, some
experts wonder whether soy is the miracle food it was
thought to.be.
"The public looked at soy as a
magic bullet to protect against heart.
disease and cancer, but it doesn't fix
what's wrong," says Andrea Hutch-
ins, a soy researcher at Arizona
-State University Polytechnic. She
says interest in soy exploded when
scientists thought Asian women,who
eat a lot of soy, had low risks of
breast cancer.
"These Asian women also have
low-fat diets, eat less animal prod-
ucts, drink more.green tea and exer-
cise more,"says Hutchins. .
For quite a while, scientists
thought soy reduced the risk of can-
cer; recent studies, however, have
questioned that finding, In fact, sci-
entists nowwonder whether soy may
increase the risk or' some cancers,
especially in the stomach and
breasts; postmenopausal women
appear to be most affected.Although
soy's influence on cancer isn't fully
understood, one explanation is estro-
. gen. Soy is the richest food source of
plant estrogens, also known as
--. =,"""~==
Soybean facts
The bushy, green soybean plant is a legume
related to clover. peas and alfalfa. Farmers
plant soybeans in the late spring. During the
summer, soybeans flower and produce 60 to
80 pods, each holding three pea-sized
beans. In the early fall, farmers harvest
their crop for these beans, which are high in
protein and oil. A 60-pound 'bushel of
soybeans yields about 48 pounds of
protein-rich meal and 11pounds of oil.
Source: soystats.com
isoflavones;some body cells are sen-
sitive to hormone levels.
"We don't kriowthe role of soy in
estrogen effects and breast cancer,"
says Cyndi Thomson, a dietitian and
cancer researcher at the University
of Arizona. "We know the effects of
fruits and vegetables but not soy.For
American women,there's not enough
exposure (to soy) to make conclu-
sions." .
All the same, Thomson thinks
I JENNIFER GRIMES, TRIBUNE
SOY SUPPORTER: Andrea Hutchins,
a soy researcher at ASU'Polytechnic,
says soy has to be part of a healthful
diet to have health benefits ..
lifelongsoy exposure can protect the
body against cancer.
"Soy exposure during breast
development, before or during
SEE SOY· PAGE 03

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puberty, can protect against
cancer," she says. Women
who eat soy while they're'
pregnant can decrease their
child's risk of cancer as an
adult, she says.
Hutchins still has hope
that soy protects against
cancer.
"I think soybean consump-
tion has promise in the area
of cancer. Eating soy foods is
protective, but it's not a cure.
Adding tofu to a diet that's
high in fat, low in fruits and
vegetables, and low in exer-
cise will compound any bene-
ficial effects."
Although plant estrogens
are available as a supplement
to prevent cancer, Hutchins
and Thomson have their
doubts. "I'm always an advo-
cate for whole foods," says
Thomson.
Hutchins says, "It's best to
include soy foods in the diet
rather than to use over-the-
counter isoflavones. If there's
no risk of breast cancer, 100
milligrams a day is fine.
Women with breast cancer or
a family history 'of brea~t can-
cer should not take isofla-
vones supplements."
Soy may"'have an impact
on other diseases as well:
• Soy seems to protect
against. heart disease.
Although the reasons aren't
fully understood, soy protein,
in particular, lowers choles-
terol in the blood. This could
be due to a substitution
effect, when people eat less
red meat and more soy. Or,
soy may reduce heart disease
risk by limiting weight gain
over time. Hutchins also
thinks plant estrogens com-
pete with human estrogen in
the liver, where cholesterol is
produced.
• Some women swear soy's
plant estrogens help during
menopause. Although some
studies support that notion,
others do not. "Soy doesn't
cure hot flashes," says Hutch-
ins. "It may help some wom-
en, but you carr't-ea -sey-and-
expect them to go away. Soy
doesn't work for all women,
and some women don't;'

4. , PAUL O'NEILL, TRIBUNE
SOY KITeHEN: Lauren Peterson pulls a tray of broiled soy from her oven. The Tempe resident
has been eating soy-based meals for the past three years.
respond to soy.at all."
• Women's bones tend to
get weaker through the years,
especially after menopause.
According to Hutchins,
.research has shown that post-
menopausal women who
drink soy milk for two or
more years don't have bone
loss; in some cases, soy milk
can lead to stronger bones.
Hutchins has an idea why
people respond so differently
to soy products. "People.
.metabolize soy and isofla-
'vones differently," she says.
"Thirty (percent) to 50 per-
cent of the population metab-
olize isoflavoIies down to
equol," a substance produced
in the small intestine. "Equol
producers respond differently
to hot flashes, cancer, heart
disease, bone health." Food
choices determine whether
equol will be made; eating a
high-carbohydrate diet, low in
fat and red meat, leads to
more equol being produced.
"Soy probably needs to be
administered as a whole soy
food, in the original food
matrix," says Hutchins. "Add-'
ing soy foods to the diet is a
lifestyle change, and no one
-8 ou expec lla soy WIll
, have an immediate impact on
, health."
Thomson agrees. "This is a
Getting started on soy
Lauren Peterson, a Tempe resident and soy fan, isn't a vegetarian but
has been eating soy-based meals for three years. Peterson says her soy
choices are virtually unlimited. "They have soy yogurt. soy cheese and
ice cream, soy nut butter," she says, addi'ngthat she uses soy flour
when baking muffins and cakes.
Peterson recommends that people get used to soy in steps. "Drink
soy milk instead of cow's milk," she says. "Soy milk is an easy way to
get started Mix it as a smoothie with fruit."
The next step up from soy milk and.flour is textured sov protein.
Textured soy proteins, such as soy hot dogs and deli "meats," can
substitute for animal products in meals and recipes. "I keep Boca
burgers in the freezer," she says. "They make it really easy to have a
quick meal."
For the more adventurous, there's tofu. "At first I didn't know what.
to do with tofu," says Peterson. "I didn't like the mushy texture." Now
she broils or stir-fries tofu as a meal or to replace ground beef in
lasagna. Tofu also can be used instead of mayonnaise, eggs or .cteam
cheese,
For the truly adventurous, Peterson recommends fermented soy
foods like tempeh and miso. "These are the most healthy, but some'
people don't like fermented products; tempeh looks weird and has a
chewy texture." Peterson uses tempeh to cook sweet-and-sour dishes;
she also stir-fries it and adds spices to eat as a meal. Miso, a fermented
soybean paste, is often found as miso soup in restaurants, but Peterson
uses it as a flavoring because it tastes salty. .
Shealso enjoys edamame, soybeans picked at the peak of ripening.
"I keep a bag in my freezer and use them when I want to add something
green and crunchy to a salad," she says. "They're really high in protein,
besides fiber."
Jeff Hampl for the Tribune
really healthy food. Soy is a
good source of protein, and
fiber. It can replace less
desirable foods in the diet."
''.~stil e.x.cited-abQ·y,t-~
soy," says Hutchins. "If you're
going to include soy, do so as
part of a healthy diet."
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