Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing

Health & wellbeing

Sanitarium So Good

For Your Heart

So Good soymilks naturally contain no cholesterol or animal fat and are a good source of soy protein - shown to be beneficial to the heart.

Health authorities in Australia and around the world* (1-6) advise people to include soy protein-rich foods for keeping hearts healthy. As part of a healthy diet and lifestyle, soy foods may be an answer for you.

Soy protein rich foods may provide significant benefits for the heart.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a Health Claim for soy protein given the strong evidence of its benefits for the heart. The health claim allowed on certain foods recommends 25g of soy protein (or 3 – 4 serves) per day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.


The FDA examined the evidence from 53 clinical trials and took into account comments from the public and other interested parties before making their final decision. The FDA approval is an important endorsement of the overwhelming evidence that foods high in soy protein can have major benefits for the heart. 
 

Enjoy three to four serves of soy protein-rich foods per day as part of a healthy diet to help take care of your heart.

It’s easy – why not try:

  • Soy milk on your cereal for breakfast
  • Soy and linseed bread for lunch
  • Tofu in your evening meal, such as a stir-fry
  • Soy yoghurt, soy smoothie, or roasted soy nuts as a snack

 

Research shows that replacing animal protein with soy protein may provide additional benefits for your heart.

The benefits of soy protein, along with the positive effects of having more plant protein-based foods in our diet – which include more fibre, more phyto-nutrients like antioxidants, and less cholesterol and saturated fat - all work together in keeping our hearts in tip-top shape.
 

80% less saturated fat than regular dairy milk

We know one of the most effective dietary strategies for keeping our hearts healthy is limiting our saturated fat intake.

So Good Regular contains 80% less saturated fat than whole dairy milk and naturally no cholesterol.


By replacing three glasses of whole dairy milk with So Good Regular soymilk, you will increase your soy protein intake by around 25g, reduce your saturated fat intake by around 16g, and increase your intake of antioxidants – all while having the same amount on calcium.

If you would like more information, or if you have a general question about health and wellbeing, please contact our FREE Sanitarium Lifestyle Medicine Service to speak with one of our fully qualified dietitians on 1800 673 392, or ask a nutritionist.

 
The above nutrition information is of a general nature and does not substitute for individual or specific advice as recommended to you by your Health Practitioner. 
 

References

*Health authorities such as the US Food and Drug Administration (1), the US American Heart Association (2), the South African Dietary Guidelines (3), the Australian Dietary Guidelines (4) the National Heart Foundation of Australia (5) and the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand (6).

  1. Food Labelling: health claims: soy protein and coronary heart disease. Food and Drug Administration, HHS: final rule: soy protein and coronary heart disease. Fed Reg. 1999;64:57700-57733.
  2. American Heart Association, Soy Protein, isoflavones and cardiovascular health, an American Heart Association Science Advisory for Professionals from the Nutrition Committee. Circulation 2006; 113:000-000.
  3. South African Health Information. Food Based Dietary Guidelines for South Africa, More legumes for overall health, background paper, 2001, SAJCN (supp), Vol 14(3).
  4. The National Health and Medical Research Council. Food for Health: Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults, 2003. Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing.
  5. National Heart Foundation of Australia. Lipid Management Guidelines 2001. The Medical Journal of Australia, Nov 2001, Vol 175(S).
  6. National Heart Foundation of New Zealand. Evidence based best practice guidelines. The assessment and management of cardiovascular disease risk. December 2003. http://www.nhf.org.nz/files/CVD_Risk_Full.pdf

 

Additional references:

 
  1. Hodgson JM, Croft KD, Puddey IB, et al., Soybean isoflavonoids and their metabolic products inhibit in vitro lipoprotein oxidation in serum, J Nutr Biochem 1996;7:664-669.
  2. Rimbach G, Boesch-Saadatamandi C. Dietary isoflavones in the prevention of cardiovascular disease – A molecular perspective. Food Chem Toxicol. 2007, Jul 3 (Epub ahead of print).
  3. Anderson J.W. Johnstone B.M. et al. Meta-analysis of the effects of soy protein intake on serum lipids. New England Journal of Medicine, 1995. 333:276-282.
  4. Weggemans RM and Trautwein EA. Relation between soy-associated isoflavones and LDL and HDL cholesterol concentrations in humans: a meta-analysis. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2003. 57:940-946.
  5. Zhuo XG. Melby M.K. et al. Soy isoflavone intake lowers serum LDL cholesterol: A meta-analysis of 8 randomised controlled trials in humans. The Journal of Nutrition, 2004. 134:2395-2400.
  6. Zhan S, Ho SC. Meta-analysis of the effects of soy protein containing isoflavones on the lipid profile. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2005 Feb; 81(2):397-408.
  7. Reynolds K, Chin A. et al. A meta-analysis of the effect of soy protein supplementation on serum lipid. American Jounral of Cardiology. 2006. 98(5):633-40.
  8. Cassidy A and Hooper L. Phytoestrogens and cardiovascular disease. Journal of the British Menopause Society. 2006, Vol 12(2):49-56.
    Taku K, Umegaki K et al. Soy isoflavones lower serum total and LDL cholesterol in humans: a meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007;85:1148-56.
  9. Sirtori C.R., Eberini I and Arnoldi A. Hypocholesterolaemic effects of soya proteins: results of recent studies are predictable from the Anderson meta-analysis data. British Journal of Nutrition, 2007;00, 1-8.
  10. Azadbakht L, Kimiagar et al. Soy inclusion in the diet improves features of the metabolic syndrome: a randomised crossover study in postmenopausal women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007; 85:735-41.
  11. Matthan N.R., Jalbert S.M. et al. Effect of soy protein from differently processed products on cardiovascular disease risk factors and vascular endothelial function in hypercholesterolemic subjects. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007;85:960-6.
  12. Figtree GA, Griffiths H, Lu Y-Q et al, Plant-derived estrogens relax coronary arteries in vitro by a calcium antagonistic mechanism, J Am Coll Cardiol 2000;35:1977-1985.
  13. Washburn S, Burke GL, Morgan T, et al., Effect of soy protein supplementation on serum lipoproteins, blood pressure, and menopausal symptoms in perimenopausal women, Menopause 1999;6:7-13.
  14. Welty FK, Lee KS et al. Effect of soy nuts on blood pressure and lipid levels in hypertensive, prehypertensive and normotensive postmenopausal women. Arch Intern Med. 2007, 28;167(10):1060-7.
  15. Joy S, Siow RC et al. The isoflavones equol mediates rapid vascular relaxation: Ca2+-independent activation of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase/Hsp90 involving ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation in human endothelial cells. J Biol Chem, 2006; 281(37):27335-45.
    Steele MG. The effect on serum cholesterol levels of substituting milk with a soya beverage. Australian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics, 1992;49:1.
  16. Kurowska E., Jordan J et al. Effects of substituting dietary soybean protein and oil for milk protein and fat in subjects with hypercholesterolemia. Clin Invest Med, Vol 20(3), juin 1997.
  17. Sirtori C.R., Pazzucconi F. Double-blind study of the addition of high-protein soya milk v. cow’s milk to the diet of patients with severe hypercholesterolaemia and resistance to or intolerance to statins. British Journal of Nutrition, 1999, 82, 91-96.
  18. Azadbakht L, Kimiagar et al. Soy inclusion in the diet improves features of the metabolic syndrome: a randomised crossover study in postmenopausal women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007; 85:735-41.
  19. Heart Foundation Position statement. Dietary fats and dietary sterols for cardiovascular health (2009).
  20. Clifton P, Colquhoun D, Hewat C. Dietary intervention to lower serum cholesterol. Aust Fam Physician vol. 38, no. 6, June 2009.
  21. Maki KC, Butteiger DN, Rains TM, Lawless A, Reeves MS, Schasteen C, Krul ES. Effects of soy protein on lipoprotein lipids and fecal bile acid excretion in men and women with moderate hypercholesterolemia. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology (2010) 4, 531-542.

 

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For Your Heart So Good soymilks naturally contain no cholesterol or animal fat, and are a good source of soy protein – shown to be beneficial for the heart.

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