What is it About Soy? A Natural High Cholesterol Treatment

As discussed elsewhere (Mitamins' High Cholesterol Forum),there is a large body of evidence that shows soy to be an effective natural remedy for high cholesterol treatment. Daily dosages of 30-40 grams of soy have been seen to reduce cholesterol levels by between 10 and 20%, making it an effective high cholesterol treatment.

High levels of blood cholesterol, also called hypercholesterolemia, is a medical condition responsible for a number of heart related disorders, such as heart attack, heart disease, and stroke. Although, cholesterol is required by our body to keep our bodies functioning properly, when cholesterol levels increase due to environmental factors or inactive lifestyle, the risk for heart attack and heart stroke arises. This is because high cholesterol in the blood creates plaque deposits in the arteries and hinders the flow of blood to heart, also causing high blood pressure. With incidences of hypercholesterolemia on the rise, a high cholesterol treatment is vital to control this rising epidemic.

Properties of Soy in High Cholesterol Treatment

We know about results of a number of studies, yet what is it about soy that makes it so helpful in the treatment of high cholesterol? It is important to remember that soy has a number of constituents that make it beneficial for overall health including: protein, isoflavones, saponins, and phytosterols. Some of these are helpful in high cholesterol treatment, whereas others are beneficial to the body in other ways. For now we will concentrate on the constituents of soy that make it a natural remedy for high cholesterol.

Isoflavones (phytoestrogens):Soy contains isoflavones, plant hormones that mimic the action of estrogen in the body. Estrogen increases HDL (good) cholesterol levels and thereby helps in removing high cholesterol symptoms. Soybeans consist of three major isoflavones that promote estrogenic activity and naturally treat high cholesterol by increasing HDL cholesterol levels in the blood.

The FDA approved these findings in 1999, stating that low fat diets containing 25 grams of soy protein, which contain less than 3 g of fat, and less than 1 g of saturated fat, can lower cholesterol if taken daily.

Polyunsaturated fats: Soybeans are a plant source of cholesterol, and as we already know, cholesterol is not a bad thing (only high levels in the blood causes problems. Soy is rich in polyunsaturated fats, fibers, and vitamins. Just like any other type of protein, soy proteins are also have fat content, but contain far less saturated fat than animal sources. Therefore animal proteins and other calorie rich products that can increase the level of bad cholesterol in the blood can be easily replaced by Soya products to treat high cholesterol naturally. In addition, intake of soy proteins can be a natural remedy for high cholesterol treatment because soy proteins can bring down bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, and promotes good cholesterol (HDL) levels. LDL and HDL are the lipoproteins that carry of cholesterol to cells. LDL is referred to as bad cholesterol because it causes plaque deposits in arteries and HDL is called good cholesterol because it prevents the built up of fat deposits in the arteries.

Soy can be found in soymilk, tofu, roasted soy nuts, and soy flour. All of these can be used in a low cholesterol diet to help in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol). These foods can also prevent atherosclerosis, a disease associated with high cholesterol, and that can lead to increased risk of heart attack, heart disease, and stroke. For those who don't like the taste of tofu, soy supplements can be taken as an effective high cholesterol treatment.