Soy's Top Ten Benefits

1. Antioxidant
Soy food contains antioxidants, compounds which protect cells from damage caused by unstable oxygen molecules called "free radicals." Free radicals are believed to be responsible for initiating many forms of cancer as well as premature aging.

2. Breast Cancer
A major study in Singapore revealed that women who eat soy foods are at lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who don't. Asian women, who typically eat a soy-based diet, have much lower levels of breast cancer than Western women. Test tube studies and those involving laboratory animals have shown that compounds in soy can inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells.

3. Cholesterol Lowering
Scores of studies from around the world attest to soy's cholesterol-lowering properties, especially for people with high cholesterol levels.

4. Colon Cancer
A recent US study showed that American soy eaters who make soybeans and tofu a regular part of their diet had significantly lower rates of colon cancer than those who didn't eat soy.

5. Hip Fractures
Hip fractures owing to osteoporosis are a major problem among elderly women in the United States. Japanese women have half the rate of hip fractures as US women preliminary studies suggest that soy may help retain bone mass.

6. Hot Flashes
Half of all menopausal women in the United States complain of hot flashes, a problem that is so rare in Japan that there's not even a word for it. Some researchers believe that special compounds in soy called phytoestrogens may help Japanese women stay cooler.

7. Immunity
Studies show that soybean peptides can boost the immune systems, helping the body fight disease.

8. Kidney Disease
Soy protein is easier on the kidneys, the main filtering organ of the body, than is animal protein and may slow down or prevent kidney damage in people with impaired kidney function.

9. Lung Cancer
Several studies have linked soy consumption to lower rates of lung cancer.

10. Prostate Cancer
A major study of Japanese men in Hawaii found a direct correlation between consumption of tofu and lower rates of prostate cancer. Studies of soy compounds have shown that they can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in laboratory cultures.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.