Get Your Cholesterol in Check with Soyfoods

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Soyfoods Association of North America (SANA) is encouraging women to add soyfoods to their plates to protect their hearts during September, National Cholesterol Education Month.  Often, women are too busy worrying about the health of others and do not take the time to care for themselves.  Now that kids are back in school, it's the perfect time for moms to check their blood cholesterol and begin a heart-healthy diet.  

Research has consistently found that individuals consuming about 25 grams of soy protein a day have reduced blood cholesterol by about three to five percent (1, 2).  When combined with a low saturated fat diet, eating soyfoods with foods high in fiber, healthy oils, and plant sterols throughout the day packs more cholesterol lowering power(2).  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in every six adults, 16% of the U.S. adult population, have high total cholesterol levels above 240 mg/dL; and in the U.S. more women than men have these high levels.  Individuals with high total cholesterol have approximately twice the risk of heart disease as people with optimal levels at less than 200 mg/dL(3).    

So what can women do today to invest in their heart health and stay around longer and healthier for those they love?

1) Have their blood cholesterols checked.  As we get older our cholesterol levels rise. After menopause, women especially are at risk of rising low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.  At any age, Americans can set the stage for a healthy heart by eating a nutritious diet that includes soyfoods.

2) Lower the bad and increase the good indicators.  Ever since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a health claim for soy protein and heart disease(4), research has continued to conclude that a diet low in saturated fat combined with about 25 grams of soy protein (four servings of soyfoods) helps reduce LDL "bad" cholesterol(1).  More recent data also suggest that incorporating soyfoods into the diet may slightly increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) "good" cholesterol (2, 5, 6).  There are very few ways to increase HDL cholesterol levels but eating soyfoods is one of them.  So enjoy a veggie burger, sip on a soymilk smoothie, or toss edamame into a salad to boost heart health.

3) Eat a heart-healthy diet.  Soyfoods have a high quality soy protein known to lower cholesterol, and soy is naturally cholesterol-free and very low in saturated fat.  Today's selection of soyfoods makes it easy to add soy yogurt or soymilk over cereal at breakfast, a soybean/fruit bar for lunch, and a tofu stir-fry, grilled soy cheese, or chicken-less chef salad for dinner.  Select and prepare soyfoods as part of your low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet today.  Need ideas how?  Discover a new soy recipe at: http://www.soyfoods.org/consumers/recipes.

Getting educated on how to lower blood cholesterol can begin today in recognition of National Cholesterol Education Month.  Making soyfoods part of a healthy diet is a big step forward.  

For more information on soyfoods and heart disease, please visit http://www.soyfoods.org/nutrition-health/soy-for-heart-disease or for more ideas on how to lower cholesterol, visit: http://www.soyfoods.org/nutrition-health/soy-for-heart-disease/10-ways-to-lower-cholesterol. For more information on blood cholesterol, please visit: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/chol/wyntk.htm  

The Soyfoods Association of North America (SANA) is a non-profit trade association that has been promoting consumption of soyfoods in the diet since 1978. SANA is committed to encouraging sustainability, integrity and growth in the soyfoods industry by promoting the benefits and consumption of soy-based foods and ingredients in diets. More information is available at www.soyfoods.org.

Contact: Nancy Chapman, MPH, RD
Executive Director, Soyfoods Association of North America
1050 17th Street, N.W. Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 659-3520

(1) McDonald, A. Radiant Development. Effects of soy protein on total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol: review of published studies 1998-2008. May 23, 2008. Submitted to FDA, June 18, 2008.
(2) Jenkins D, Jones P, Lamarche B, Kendall C, Faulkner D, Cermakova L, Gigleux I, Ramprasath V, de Souza R, Ireland C, Patel D, Srichaikul K, Abdulnour S, Bashyam B, Collier C, Hoshizaki S, Josse R, Leiter L, Connelly P, Frohlich J. Effect of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods given at 2 levels of intensity of dietary advice on serum lipids in hyperlipidemia .JAMA;2011, 306(8):831-839.
(3) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Cholesterol Facts." http://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/facts.htm. Accessed: Sept 12, 2011.
(4) "Food Labeling: Health Claims; Soy Protein and Coronary Heart Disease (Final Rule)." Federal Register 64 FR 57699 (October 26, 1999) p. 57700. Available from: http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/labelclaims/healthclaimsmeetingsignificantscientificagreementssa/ucm074740.htm; Accessed: Sept 12, 2011.
(5) Matthan NR, Jalbert SM, Ausman LM, Kuvin JT, Karas RH, Lichtenstein AH. Effect of soy protein from differently processed products on cardiovascular disease risk factors and vascular endothelial function in hypercholesterolemic subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;85:960-6.
(6) Greany KA, Nettleton JA, Wangen KE, Thomas W, Kurzer MS. Probiotic consumption does not enhance the cholesterol-lowering effect of soy in postmenopausal women. J Nutr 2004;134:3277-83.

SOURCE Soyfoods Association of North America