Researchers say adding soy to your diet can improve levels of good cholesterol. Researchers from Tulane University studied 150 men and women between the ages of 35 and 65 with normal cholesterol levels. For 12 weeks, half of the participants received a soy supplement every day while the other half received a carbohydrate placebo. Previous studies show soy has a significant benefit on people who have high cholesterol levels, but this study shows those benefits also expand to people with normal cholesterol levels.
Soy protein contains all the essential amino acids found in animal protein.
However, soybean protein is the only one that has been documented to affect cholesterol levels by clinical trials. The results of the study were presented at the Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention conference held in San Antonio, Texas. Reported by Ivanhoe Health Correspondent Liz Rosenblum.