Why Soy Slows Aging

UPDATE: Here’s why soy is a prime functional longevity food. Soy is packed with beneficial nutrients that support healthy heart, brain, and muscle function and reduce risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Soy contains:

• Fiber
• Protein
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Antioxidants

Eating tofu and other soy-based foods (not soy-based ‘processed’ foods) instead of animal-based proteins will lower your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol. Good sources of soy include: tofu, edamame, miso soup, tempeh, and unsweetened soy milk/yogurt.

Soy may have the following health benefits as well:

• May slow down bone loss which reduces the risk of osteoporosis
• May help ease menopausal symptoms (Studies show that some seem to benefit while others do not. See my personal note at the end of this post.)
• Reduces cancer risk and breast cancer recurrence* 

*In this study, women who ate the most soy food (between 12 to 46 mg isoflavones per day) lowered their risk of breast cancer recurrence by 27%.

Protective Protein and Isoflavone Content in Common Soy Foods

• 3 oz tempeh = 13 gm soy protein / 51.5 mg isoflavones
• 3 oz tempeh, cooked = 13 gm soy protein / 30.3 mg isoflavones
• 1 oz of soy nuts (about 1/4 cup) = 12 gm soy protein / 41.6 isoflavones
• 1/2 cup of cooked edamame = 11 gm soy protein / 16.1 mg isoflavones
• 1/2 cup soy yogurt = 9 gm soy protein / 21.3 mg isoflavones
• 3 oz (1/3 cup) of tofu = 8 gm soy protein / 19.2 mg isoflavones
• 1 cup soy milk = 7 gm soy protein / 6.2 mg isoflavones

Karen’s Fit Tip: By making your own soy nuts, you control the amount of salt and oil. They make a great snack when you crave something ‘crunchy’! Here’s my recipe for making your own soy nuts.

Personal Note: I lost my mom and aunt to ovarian cancer – one of the deadly “silent” cancers. In retrospect, they also think my grandmother may have had metastatic ovarian cancer and not stomach cancer. Due to this family history, I was a participant in the Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Research Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Based on their research and extensive genetic study, the researchers recommended removal of my ovaries due to the high risk of also getting the disease.

In 2008, I underwent a complete hysterectomy. The surgery launched me into immediate menopause. There was no easing into it with a period of peri-menopause. My physicians found it perplexing that I had NO menopausal symptoms. My endocrinologist was especially baffled and asked me about my diet. I told him I ate a lot of tofu and had eaten it my entire life. He could only conclude that my intake of soy (phytoestrogens) may have been the reason I didn’t experience any symptoms of menopause.

xo