The association, which has for years preached the gospel of healthy diet and exercise, says scientific studies have shown that eating soy can lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. The recommendation adds soy to the growing list of foods, such as orange juice, bananas, leafy green vegetables and oatmeal, that most people should try to eat every day.
Heart disease is the single biggest killer in the United States and many industrialized countries.
He noted many studies have shown that Asians, who have a high intake of soy and a low intake of meat and dairy, have about half the rates of cardiovascular disease as do Europeans and Americans. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that eating 20 grams of soy a day can reduce levels of cholesterol in as little as 9 weeks. The greatest effects are seen in people with high blood cholesterol, and Erdman said there is little risk that people with lower cholesterol can push it too low by eating soy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration now allows makers of food products that are low in fat and that contain at least 6.25 grams of soy to put a health claim on the label. He said complete soy seems to have a variety of ingredients that act together to lower cholesterol.