Dr. John's Health Matters
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Posts tagged "soy"
Monday, Aug 31st, 2009 ↓Wild lupins’ protein could rival soy, say Spanish researchers →
Aug 31, 2009 (Foodnavigator.com)—Wild varieties of lupin seeds could be tapped for their high quality protein content, report researchers in Spain, and could reduce the need to import soybean to Europe from places such as the US, Brazil and China.
Lupin, or lupinus, is an ancient legume cultivated in the Mediterranean and the South American Andes. Amongst the major cultivated species are Lupin albus (white lupin), L. mutabilis (pearl lupin) and L, angustifolius (blue lupin). One of the major uses of lupin seeds is in animal feed, but they can be eaten by humans if the bitterness is removed.
Lupin seed flours can also be used for making protein isolates; and a lupin seed derived ingredient from German firm Hochdorf is geared to the soy-free and lactose-free markets, as well as fat replacement for meat and bakery products.
While cultivated lupins have been seen to have a nutritional value comparable to soy beans – but suitable for quite different climates and soils – areas under cultivation have decreased in the last century, Javier Vioque of the Instituto de la Grasa in Seville and colleagues report.
They set out to evaluate the nutritional characteristics of seed proteins from six lupin species that grow in Southern Spain: L. angustifolius, L. consentinii, L. gredensis, L. luteus and L. micranthus. The seeds were collected from wild populations.
For full article, see link above.
Romantic, Candle-lit Dinners: An Unrecognized Source Of Indoor Air Pollution →
Aug 19, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Burning candles made from paraffin wax –– the most common kind used to infuse rooms with romantic ambiance, warmth, light, and fragrance –– is an unrecognized source of exposure to indoor air pollution, including the known human carcinogens, scientists report.
Levels can build up in closed rooms, and be reduced by ventilation, they indicated in a study presented at the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
In the study, R. Massoudi Ph.D., and Amid Hamidi , Ph.D., said that that candles made from bee’s wax or soy, although more expensive, apparently are healthier. They do not release potentially harmful amounts of indoor air pollutants while retaining all of the warmth, ambience and fragrance of paraffin candles (which are made from petroleum).
“An occasional paraffin candle and its emissions will not likely affect you,” Hamidi said. “But lighting many paraffin candles every day for years or lighting them frequently in an un-ventilated bathroom around a tub, for example, may cause problems.”
Besides the more serious risks, he also suggested that some people who believe they have an indoor allergy or respiratory irritation may in fact actually be reacting to air pollutants from burning candles.
Adapted from materials provided by American Chemical Society, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Tags: candle enviroment pollution burning paraffin wax fragrance indoor carcinogen ventilation bee's soy petroleum risk allergy respiratory
Snack Size Science: life expectancy and soy sauce →
July 21, 2009 (Foodnavigator.com)—Findings of a 20-year study with rhesus monkeys, published in Science, suggested that cutting the number of calories we consume, almost to the point of malnutrition, may not only keep the Grim Reaper at bay, but also reduce the risk of developing many chronic diseases, like cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that 80 per cent of monkeys in the calorie restricted diet group were still alive after 20 years, but only half of the animals who were allowed to eat whatever they wanted were still swinging.
Whether such results will ever be applicable to humans remains to be seen, given the complexity of their modern lives and diets. But there are people who adhere to very strict dietary limits, and anecdotal evidence suggests they do indeed have lower rates of heart disease, so it does seem that calorie restriction may not be just monkey business.
Next, we move from cutting calories to cutting salt. Dutch researchers report that soy sauce may replace salt in a variety of foodstuffs without affecting the taste of the product.
With the food industry under pressure to cut the salt content of its formulations, scientists from Wageningen University and soy sauce giant Kikkoman report that the condiment could replace half the salt in salad dressings without compromising on flavour.
Not only that, but the salt content of soup and stir-fried pork could be slashed by 17 and 29 per cent, so say results published in the Journal of Food Science.
For full article see link above.
Tags: diet nutrition life span expectancy malnutrition heart disease diabetes salt restriction soy sauce
Simple Tea Creates Nano Gold Particles for Fighting Cancer →
July 16, 2009 (NaturalNews.com)— Scientists have discovered a way to create cancer-fighting nanoparticles using nothing but gold salts and a cup of Darjeeling tea, according to a paper published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry.
Nanoparticles are particles much smaller than those commonly used in chemical or industrial applications, small enough that they can pass through cell membranes designed to keep foreign particles out. Because even widely studied elements and compounds act drastically different on the nano scale, nanotechnology is a burgeoning area of scientific research.
Most nanoparticles are manufactured during intensive industrial processes involving toxic chemicals and byproducts. Recently, however, researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia discovered a process for producing nanoparticles by adding gold salts to a soybean-water mixture. Naturally occurring soy phytochemicals interact with the salts to produce stable gold nanoparticles, with no toxic byproducts.
“Our new process only takes what nature has made available to us and uses that to produce a technology that has already proven to have far-reaching impacts in technology and medicine,” researcher Kattesh Katti said.
For full article see link above.
Meatless Foods Not Always Full of Veggies - Healthy Recipes, Nutrition and Cooking Tips to Improve Health or Lose Weight on MedicineNet.com →
July 8, 2009 (HealthDay News) — Not all vegetarian burgers and hot dogs are alike. It seems that some, in fact, may not offer much at all in the way of vegetables.
“Arguably, if food doesn’t taste good, people are less likely to eat it even if it does wear an impressive nutrition label,” registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, said in a news release from the organization. “While some veggie burgers are meant to look and taste ‘like meat,’ many popular brands have visible chunks of vegetables, such as mushrooms, carrots and peppers, suggesting that satisfying meatless fare may not depend entirely on a successful imitation.”
So before tossing some on the grill this summer, the association advises, read the labels and know the facts:
- Veggie burgers with 10 grams of protein or less tend to contain more vegetables and whole grains than those with more protein, which often are made of mostly soy protein and wheat gluten.
- Nutritionally speaking, veggie hot dogs tend to have many advantages over traditional frankfurters, such as fewer calories, less fat, less sodium and more protein.
- Though veggie burgers contain far less fat and more fiber than beef or turkey burgers, they tend to contain much more sodium — an average of 350 milligrams, or 15% of the recommended daily amount.
- Just because a brand is vegan-friendly (meaning it’s made without such animal products as eggs and cheese), it doesn’t necessarily contain more vegetables.
- Meatless burgers and hot dogs can be bad for people with certain food allergies. Most contain soy and wheat, and many others contain eggs, dairy and nuts.
- Some meatless burgers or hot dogs tend to fall apart on the grill so use cooking spray on them and cook over low-medium heat but not over a direct flame, which could dry them out. Baking or broiling in an oven or toaster oven, microwaving or heating in a skillet might prove better cooking options with some brands of meatless burgers and hot dogs.
— Kevin McKeever
Tags: vegetable vegetarian vegan nutrition diet soy gluten sodium calories burger fat protein carbohydrate fiber
Soy may help men remember anniversaries: Study →
July 9, 2009 (Foodnavigator.com)—Daily supplements of soy isoflavones could help boost a man’s mental function and memory, according to findings of a small study from Australia.
Men receiving daily supplements of the isoflavones performed significantly better in tests of their working memory, report scientists from the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide in the British Journal of Nutrition.
The beneficial effects may be related to the oestrogenic effects of the isoflavones, said the researchers, noting that the improvements were in cognitive processes “which appear dependent on oestrogen activation”.
For full article see link above.
Superfood Soy Linked To Reduction In Smoker's Lung Damage Risk →
June 28, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—People who eat lots of soy products have better lung function and are less likely to develop the smoking-associated lung disease COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). A new study has shown that consumption of a wide variety of soy products can be associated with a reduction in the risk of COPD and other respiratory symptoms.
Dr. Fumi Hirayama and Professor Andy Lee from Curtin University of Technology, Australia, worked with a team of respiratory physicians to poll 300 patients with COPD from six Japanese hospitals and 340 age-matched control subjects from the same areas as the patients about their soy intake. Dr. Hirayama said, “Soy consumption was found to be positively correlated with lung function and inversely associated with the risk of COPD. It has been suggested that flavonoids from soy foods act as an anti-inflammatory agent in the lung, and can protect against tobacco carcinogens for smokers. However, further research is needed to understand the underlying biological mechanism”.
For full article see link above.
Tags: Soy lung function COPD disease respiratory flavonoid anti-inflammatory carcinogen smoker smoking diet
Teen soy intake linked to lower breast cancer risk →
Jun 1 09 (FoodNavigator.com) — High intakes of soy during adolescence may reduce the risk of breast cancer before the menopause by about 40 per cent, according to new data. The risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer were also reduced by 59 per cent for adults with the highest soy protein intake, and by 56 per cent for adults with the highest average isoflavone intakes, according to findings from a study with 73,223 Chinese women participating in the Shanghai Women’s Health Study. Population studies have shown that a diet rich in soy is associated with fewer cases of breast cancer, linked to the presence of soy isoflavones. China has the world’s lowest incidence and mortality from breast cancer - a disease that has over one million new cases every year worldwide. “This large, population-based, prospective cohort study provides strong evidence of a protective effect of soy food intake against pre-menopausal breast cancer,” wrote the researchers, led by Wei Zheng Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. The findings are published in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
For full article, see link above.
Silk, SoyDream, Pacific Natural Foods and Vitasoy all Rebuked in New Soy Scorecard Ratings →
May 19 09 (NaturalNews) The Cornucopia Institute (www.cornucopia.org) has just released a new report about organic soy products that’s sending shockwaves through the soy industry. By compiling information on the sourcing of soybeans, the use of toxic chemicals for soy protein extraction, and the use or avoidance of genetically modified soybeans, the Cornucopia Institute has created an Organic Soy Scorecard that reveals which soy product companies are truly trustworthy vs. those that are not.
(NaturalNews contributed funding to this investigative reporting, specifically on the subject of the laboratory testing for hexane residues in soy products. Thank you to all NaturalNews readers and customers who allow us to earn the funds needed to support these important public safety research initiatives.)
The scorecard (http://www.cornucopia.org/2009/05/s…) takes into account:
• Where the soybeans are sourced from (many companies use “organic” soybeans sourced from China!)
• How the soybeans are processed (some companies bathe soybeans in toxic chemicals, then put the resulting extracts into infant formula!)
• How forthright the companies are in providing information to investigators.
• Whether the company tests for and avoids genetically modified soybeans.
… and other details.
You can read the full report on www.Cornucopia.org
For full article, see link above.
Natto enzyme from fermeted soy may boost heart health in at-risk people →
Apr 16 09 (NutraIngredients-usa.com) — Nattokinase, an enzyme extracted from fermented soy, may reduce levels of compounds linked to blood clotting, and cut the risk of heart disease in people at-risk of the disease, suggests new research from Taiwan.
The enzyme was found to be able to reduce levels of blood clotting (coagulation) factors such as fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII in 45 men and women, according to results of a study published in the Nutrition Research.
For full article, see link above.
Evidence mounts for soy's menopause benefits →
Apr 09 09 (FoodNavigator.com) — Soy isoflavones in the aglycone form may reduce cholesterol, improve antioxidative properties of the liver, and prevent degeneration of the vaginal wall, suggests a new study with rats.
The animal study, published in the online open access journal Nutrition & Metabolism, adds to previous science about the benefits of soy isoflavones for reducing the symptoms of the menopause.
For full article, see link above.
Tags: soy food nutrition isoflavone cholesterol antioxidant reproduction menopause elderly women
Early soy intake may slash breast cancer risk later in life →
Mar 30 09 (NutraIngredients-USA.com) — High intakes of soy during childhood may reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer later in life by 58 per cent, according to a new study.
The study, limited to Asian Americans, found that high soy intakes during adolescence and as adults were associated with a 20 to 25 per cent reduction.
Scientists from the US National Cancer Institute report their findings in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.
For full article, see link above.
Australian cancer organization warns breast cancer patients to avoid soy
by Jessica Fraser
(NewsTarget) Jan 16 07 — The Cancer Council of New South Wales recently announced that it will change its position on consumption of soy products in response to growing public debate over their safety, according to The Age.
Although moderate amounts of soy foods can be beneficial as part of a healthy diet — much like fruits and vegetables — the Cancer Council is set to release a statement urging cancer survivors and patients to use caution when consuming soy supplements or foods.
“In terms of people eating soy foods, people need to remember that it’s come from a plant and eating a variety of fruit and vegetables is part of a healthy diet,” said Cancer Council nutritionist Kathy Chapman. “Definitely, soy foods can be a part of it, but a diet stops being healthy when that’s the only thing you’re consuming, when you start consuming one particular food over another.”
Chapman and the Council warned that women who currently have breast cancer, or who have survived breast cancer, should probably avoid soy products, as it could interfere with treatment or possibly stimulate growth of breast tumors.
Previous research has indicated that phytoestrogens found in soybean products can mimic the hormone estrogen in the body, which could possibly promote growth of hormone-affected cancers with long-term exposure.
“What breast cancer survivors should be concerned about is that they are often the group that are very motivated to change their diets,” Chapman said. “In an extreme case, where somebody might start not having had any [soy] and then start consuming large quantities in their diet, that could be a problem.”
According to consumer health advocate Mike Adams, author of “The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D,” consumers should be cautious when consuming most commercial soy products.
“I am increasingly advising readers to avoid soy products for many reasons,” Adams said. “Soy production farms are devastating the Amazon rainforest, and most soy sold in the United States in genetically modified. Organically raised, fermented soy products can assist in good health, but most of the soy people are consuming is processed, GM soy.”
Soy Intake Linked to Lower Risk for Colorectal Cancer in Some Women →
January 29, 2009 (medscape) — Consumption of soy foods is associated with a lower risk for colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women, according to the results of a prospective study reported in the February issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
“Soy and some of its constituents, such as isoflavones, have been shown to have cancer-inhibitory activities in experimental studies,” write Gong Yang, from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, and colleagues. “Data from epidemiologic studies linking usual soy food intake with colorectal cancer are limited and inconsistent.”
For full medical article, see link above.
Soy Isoflavones Reduce Bone Loss In Perimenopausal Women
A DG Review of :”Isoflavone-rich soy protein isolate attenuates bone loss in the lumbar spine of perimenopausal women”. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
09/01/2000 By Elda Hauschildt
Isoflavone-rich soy helps reduce bone loss from the lumbar spine in women during the transition to menopause. Isoflavones are found predominantly in soy products. US researchers note that these estrogen-like substances are structurally and functionally similar to 17 beta-estradiol.
A total of 69 perimenopausal women participated in a randomised, double-blind study. Researchers wanted to determine the effects of 24 weeks of consuming soy protein isolate with isoflavones on bone loss in women during menopausal transition. Three treatment groups were compared. One group of 24 women consumed 80.4 milligrams per day of isoflavone-rich soy protein in the form of aglycone components. Aglycone components are the unconjugated parent forms of the isoflavones.
Another 24 women took 4.4 mg/d of isoflavone-poor soy protein, and 21 women were given whey protein (controls). Bone measurements were taken at baseline and post-treatment. Both lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Urinary N-telopeptides and serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) were done at baseline, mid- and post-treatment. Lumbar spine bone loss (21.28 per cent) occurred in the control group. But there was no percentage change in lumbar spine BMD and BMC in either soy group.
Regression analysis showed that isoflavone-rich soy had a positive effect on change in BMD of 5.6 per cent and BMC of 10.1 per cent. Baseline body weight and bone-free lean weight contributed positively to percentage change in BMD and BMC.
Serum BAP post-treatment was negatively related to percentage change in BMD and BMC. Investigators report that “isoflavones, not soy protein, exerted the effect.”
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
