Soy – Benefits, Uses and Side Effects

Soy Benefits, Uses and Side Effects. Soy contains 26 percent protein . It has the highest protein content among plant products. “ Soy protein ” refers to the protein found in soy. As animal protein contains all the essential amino acids, with no pulse protein, soy is often used to replace animal proteins in an individual’s diet.

Soy is rich in amino acids and proteins, soy has phosphorus , potassium, iron, zinc, calcium and vitamins B and E. In addition, it has isoflavones in its composition, substances that resemble hormones, which can prevent diseases related to heart, osteoporosis, menopausal symptoms, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s.Health Benefits of Soy include the following:

• Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease:
• Reduce bad cholesterol:
• Prevent thrombosis and atheromatous plaques:
• Relieve menopausal symptoms :
• Prevent breast cancer:
• Protects bone health:

Here are the 7 Health Benefits of Soy  .

Benefits of Soy for Weight Management: Soy  has been known to suppress appetite, helping people to eliminate the chances of overeating that leads to obesity and other health related risks. In addition, soy provides considerable amounts of protein , which can lead to weight gain when taken in large amounts. The weight obtained from soy can protect the individual from chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Benefits of Soy to Improve Sleep: Soy hasa high content of magnesium, which is a mineral that is directly linked to improving the quality, duration and tranquility of sleep. Soy also helps regulate metabolism, helping to reduce sleep disturbances and the occurrence of insomnia.

Benefits of Soy To Prevent Type 2 Diabetes: Soyhas the ability to increase insulin receptors in the body. This helps the body deal with the disease effectively or prevents diabetes from forming.

Benefits of Soy To Improve Circulation:  Soyis rich in copper and iron. Both are essential for the formation of red blood cells. Increased production of red blood cells increases oxygen to the cells and improves metabolic activity. This prevents conditions like anemia.

Soy Benefits to Improve Your Digestive Health: Fiber can help prevent constipation and stimulate the smooth muscle contractions that force food through your system. This helps prevent dangerous conditions like colorectal cancer.

Benefits of Soy to Lower the Risk of Congenital Disabilities: Soybeansare rich in vitamin B complex, particularly folic acid. Folic acid helps the body make healthy red blood cells and prevents anemia. It is also important for maintaining rapid cell division and growth during childhood and pregnancy. A deficiency of folic acid in pregnant women can lead to low birth weight children and can also result in neural tube defects in newborns.

Benefits of Soy and Rich in Vitamins and Minerals: Soyis an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, copper, selenium and zinc. These play a role in preventing osteoporosis and helping to speed up the bone healing process.

Other Benefits of Soy: Soy hasmany health benefits, in addition to the above, it has many other benefits for the body.

Tips for using Soy:

• Soy is considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• But make sure the amount consumed is within the normal range.
• Excessive consumption of soy protein during pregnancy can harm the baby.
• Soy is also safe for children when taken in normal amounts.
• Soy milk can cause nutritional deficiencies when taken regularly.
• Children allergic to cow’s milk should not be given soy .
• Soy products increase the chances of kidney stones as it contains oxalates.
• Avoid consuming soy if you have bladder cancer or an underactive thyroid.
• Asthma patients are easily allergic to soy .

Soy Side Effects:

While there are many beneficial aspects to consuming soy and soy products , there are also some potentially negative health effects of consuming soy as part of your diet;

Estrogen Levels: Since there are estrogen-mimicking compounds in soy , men can occasionally develop a hormonal imbalance if they consume large amounts of soy or soy milk. In men, this can lead to infertility, sexual dysfunction, lower sperm counts, and even increased chances of certain cancers.

Goiter: There are certain anti-thyroid compounds in soy that can disrupt the activity of the thyroid gland and result in goiter as well as a disruption of normal hormonal activity in the body.

In addition to these effects, which are seen in a relatively small portion of the population, soy is a healthy and beneficial choice for millions of people around the world.