Soybeans do not help lower blood cholesterol

American and British doctors often advise people to eat soy protein foods to lower their cholesterol levels. But a recent study by Australian scientists showed that soy has almost no effect.

The University of South Australia Sansom Medical Research Institute conducted a study on the effect of soy protein in 35 men and 58 women with high blood cholesterol levels. Their average age is 52. He asks that all perform three alternate diets, each lasting six weeks. All three diets have soy protein and isoflavones, a group of substances in soybeans that are believed to be able to reduce cholesterol, but at different rates.

A serving contains 24 grams of soy protein and 81 mg of isoflavone. The second serving has 12 g of soy protein and 76 mg of isoflavone. The third serving, acting as a placebo, had 25 g of soy protein and no isoflavones.

The team measured volunteers' blood cholesterol levels at the start of the study and every six weeks (when they finished a diet). They found that the cholesterol levels of the subjects did not change significantly at all times.

Peter RC Howe, the lead researcher, said that although it is not effective for people with high cholesterol, soy protein still reduces 4% of triglyceride levels, a type of fat, in the blood.

Dr. Frank Sacks, professor of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health (USA), thinks that people should eat soy regularly because they have many other benefits.

"They are very healthy because they provide a variety of unsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. The only thing is, they don't reduce cholesterol," he said.