chapter three
• Folate – also known as Vitamin B9, performs various functions within the human body and is especially important during pregnancy
• Copper – a rare mineral in the Western world and deficiency could impact heart health
• Manganese – a trace element found in food and drinking water. It can be difficult to absorb from the soya bean due to high phytic acid levels.
• Phosphorous – this is an essential mineral for the use of carbohydrates and fats. Needed for growth, maintenance, reparation of cells, etc.
• Thiamin – also known as Vitamin B1, plays an important role in metabolic functions
Soy Isoflavones The three soybean isoflavones, genistein, daidzein and glycitein, are the main isoflavones, which are a subclass of flavonoids, present in soybeans. These three isoflavones and their various glycoside forms account for roughly 50, 40 and 10 percent of total isoflavone content respectively.
Soy isoflavones have been identified as dietary components having an important role in combating the occurrence rate of of prostate cancer in Asian countries. Asian soy consumption can serve as one guide for Western vegetarian soy intake recommendations. However, there is confusion among health professionals about the amount of soy consumed in Asia. Popular sources have suggested that among Asians, soyfoods are used primarily only as condiments and consumed almost exclusively in fermented forms. Both of these statements are without merit. Not surprisingly, there is a wide range of soy intake among Asian countries and even among regions within the same country.
In Japan, the average isoflavone intake( by older Japanese men) equates to 40 mg daily and this is provided by 10-12 g of soy protein. A single serving – ½ cup of edamame or tofu or 1 cup of soymilk- is equivalent to 25 mg of isoflavones or 3.5 mg of isoflavones per gram of protein respectively. Soya products that have been processed have lower levels of isoflavone concentrations.
Isoflavones have a chemical structure similar to the female hormone estrogen, and they bind to estrogen receptors. Isoflavones are most commonly referred to as phytoestrogens. It is worth noting that
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