R.D. f you have read any health and nutrition columns in consumer magazines, newspapers or the internet, you are aware of the terms isoflavone, phytoestrogen and phytochemical. At times it may seem a little confusing.
Phytochemicals are non-nutritive, meaning they are neither vitamins nor minerals.
There are many hundreds of these bioactive plant chemicals found in dietary sources of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. Isoflavones have received a great deal of research, especially for possible cancer and heart disease-preventive properties. To date, most of the research has been done in animals, cell culture and in vitro studies. Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, compounds that have weak estrogenic activity. There are many types of phytoestrogens and not all are in edible plants.