Soy is not only a highly nutritious food , but it can be a great ally for the health of the female heart, especially for women who are approaching the stage of menopause, according to the latest study from the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem (USA) and publishes Menopause magazine.
The researchers conducted an experiment with premenopausal animals that were divided into two groups: the first was fed a diet rich in animal protein and the second a diet rich in soy. After removing the ovaries from the female monkeys to mimic the menopausal situation of human women, they again divided the macaques into three groups: the first, they continued to be given animal protein, the second that had eaten animal protein was given gave a diet rich in soy and the third group continued to be administered a diet high in soy.
After 34 months, clinical tests showed that animals that had eaten soy protein before and after menopause had the healthiest levels of cholesterol in their blood . In the same way, the group that had been fed initially with animal protein and then with soy, registered a quite significant improvement in their data.
According to research, the isoflavones and phytosterols contained in this legume have an antioxidant effect, which helps to reduce the oxidation of fats , thus preventing the formation of atheroma plaques (cholesterol accumulation) in the arterial walls, one of the cardiovascular risk factors.
The amount of soy recommended per day according to the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) is 25 grams per day .
