Eat Away Your Heart Disease Risks

Past research has produced very strong evidence that a diet rich in soy foods offers heart health protection. However, the American Heart Association recently convened a panel that suggested soy ain’t what it used to be. Meanwhile, the organization’s Web site still maintains the heart health benefits of soy. What’s a consumer to do?

Eat a variety of foods from all food groups. Most soy products fall in the meat and meat-substitute group. Soy milk and cheeses fit in the milk and dairy group. Foods like tofu, soy nuts, tempeh and soy flour are rich in antioxidants called isoflavones that have been shown to reduce heart disease risk. Studies have also shown that soy food products can lower bad cholesterol levels. Additionally, substituting these soy-rich foods for their higher-fat animal counterparts can lower total fat intake. In fact, in 1999 the FDA allowed this health claim on food labels: “Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease.” All soy foods are not created equal so to qualify for the claim, items must meet these standards per serving:

• Have 6.25 grams of soy protein
• Be low in fat—less than 3 grams
• Be low in saturated fat—less than 1 gram
• Be low in cholesterol—less than 20 milligrams
• Have a sodium value of less than 480 milligrams for individual foods, less than 720 milligrams if considered a main dish, and less than 960 milligrams if considered a meal

When you see this claim on a product, know that you have made a heart healthy choice. Any food with these levels of fat would be gentle on your ticker.

But what about the American Heart Association panel’s change of heart? Should the conclusion of a panel that reviewed 19 studies make you ignore decades of research on the health benefits of soy foods? Probably not. It is clear that the panel does not believe that soy supplements should be your first line of defense for beating heart disease—this is consistent with past research. However, keep in mind that the panel was focusing on isoflavones and soy protein. The panel’s review did not account for the other benefits of soy foods such their content of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Plus, they are low in saturated fat. Tofu and tempeh offer many other health benefits so don’t abandon them. The bottom line is that a soy burger runs circles around a hamburger in the heart health race.

In a sea of contradictory nutrition information, you can bet that eating a variety of foods will keep you afloat. The best way to protect your health is to take a common sense approach to how you eat, exercise and manage other lifestyle factors that can impact your heart.

Want to know more?

• Phytochemicals and Cardiovascular Disease
• The FDA on Soy
• Soy and Heart Health
• Soy Recipes

Find all articles by Keecha.

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Keecha Harris is President of Harris and Associates, a food systems and public health consulting firm based in Birmingham, Ala. (Read her full bio.)