Eating foods high in fiber and using vegetable-based substitutes, leaner animal products and fish in order to reduce saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in the diet and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Soyfoods fit the profile of foods recommended by the American Heart Association, providing fiber, high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals with low saturated fat and no cholesterol.

Potential benefits of soy protein replacing protein from meat and dairy foods in lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad” cholesterol), especially in people with hypercholesterolemia, who are at high risk for coronary vascular disease (CVD).

 

In a statement released by AHA earlier this year, studies comparing soy proteins to animal sources found that soy proteins resulted in a weighted average decrease of three percent LDL, translating to a 6 percent reduction in a person’s risk for developing heart disease.

A recent study showed that the addition of soy protein to the diet resulted in a 5.3 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol, which translates into a 10 percent heart disease risk reduction.

Intriguing evidence also suggests that soy may have other coronary benefits such as decreasing triglycerides and improving blood vessel elasticity.

Soyfoods can be enjoyed in many forms beyond soy-based burgers and tofu. Try calcium-fortified soy-based substitutes for milk, cheese or yogurt, or squeeze edamame fresh from the pod as a snack or tossed into a salad. 

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