soya products
Soya is a protein-rich food, made from soya beans, which is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Soya beans can be soaked, crushed and heated to produce soya milk. This may then be mixed with a thickening agent to produce soya curd and pressed to give tofu, also called soya cheese. Silken tofu is soft and creamy while firmer, denser forms are usually smoked or
marinated.
Research has shown that soya consumed in the diet or as isoflavone-containing supplements can reduce cholesterol levels, though not by the amounts achieved with cholesterol lowering drugs, such as statins. Reductions are closer to those achieved with cholesterol lowering spreads, such as Flora pro-activ and Benecol.
Laboratory studies have also shown isoflavones, such as genistein, make blood vessels relax and get wider, and so they may reduce the risk of blocked arteries, heart attacks and strokes.
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