Soy protein is often found in various foods. Many people prefer to substitute meat with it. Recently, the benefits and harms of this product have been increasingly discussed.
Soy Protein Benefits
If we conditionally consider the ideal protein (the optimal ratio of biological and nutritional value of the product), then wheat protein will score 58 points out of 100, cow's milk - 71, soy - 69. Soy protein can be noted in an excellent combination of amino acids.
Indeed, soybeans are useful not only in nutrients and useful substances, but also medicinal. For example, soy contains phytic acids, genestein, isoflavonoids. It is worth noting that isoflavonoids are special compounds that are structurally similar to estrogens. They effectively prevent the development of hormone-dependent cancers. In turn, genestein is a substance that can prevent the development of many cardiovascular and oncological diseases in the early stages.
Phytic acids reliably inhibit the growth of benign tumors.
Products made on the basis of soy are recommended for the treatment and prevention of many diseases (allergies to animal protein, diabetes mellitus, cholelithiasis, kidney stones, liver diseases and other ailments).
One of the most important and beneficial ingredients in soy protein is soy lecithin.
Choline and lecithin play a very important role in the development and condition of the human body.
These substances are involved in the restoration and repair of nerve tissue and brain cells. They are responsible for such functions as locomotion, sex function, recognition, memory, learning, concentration, planning, thinking, etc. They also regulate blood cholesterol levels and help in the metabolism of fats. With the help of these substances, specialists treat the following diseases: premature aging, memory problems, atherosclerosis, glaucoma, muscular dystrophy, liver and gallbladder diseases, diabetes, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases.
Soy protein harm
Some experts claim that soy protein leads to brain shrinkage. This theory is supported by documented research. This fact is explained by the fact that soy products contain phytoestrogens. Their main component is isoflavones. These are substances that are similar in structure to mammalian sex hormones. So, Dr. White believes that it is these substances that mainly compete with natural estrogens for the necessary receptors in brain cells.
In Honolulu, epidemiological studies have shown that soy phytoestrogens are often associated with vascular dementia. However, the final role of steroids in the central nervous system has not yet been clarified.
