Scientists Confirm Soy Health Benefits Protect The Heart

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to remove soy from its list of healthy foods that protect the heart. However, scientists questioned the proposal saying soy protein has been consistently helping fight heart disease since 1999. 

"At no time since the original claim for soy as a reducer of serum cholesterol has its ability been in question," David Jenkins, a professor of nutritional sciences and of medicine at the University of Toronto, said in a statement. "It's been consistent since 1999. The data have not changed."

To confirm the health benefits of soy, Jenkins and his team analyzed data from dozens of clinical trials conducted over the past two decades. Results show that soy continues to reduce total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the body. 

The same effect was found in all 46 trials checked by the FDA in 2017. However, the agency reportedly considered recent smaller studies for its plan to revoke the health claim for soy. 

"Sometimes you see a regression to the mean, where analyses with small studies produce big effects that diminish over time as sample sizes increase and results get more precise," John Sievenpiper, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto, said. "We saw that with fish oil, for example. But in this case nothing has changed."

Jenkins said the findings, published their findings in the Journal of the American Heart Association, support the original claim considered by the FDA that soy helps maintain heart health. He added that combining it with other plant-based foods could lead to higher reduction in the risk of having heart disease. 

The researcher also said the agency’s decision comes amid the growing interest of people in plant-based diet. Jenkins described the FDA’s proposal against soy as "disheartening.”

Food manufacturers saw a significant increase in consumption of plant-based food in 2019. Burger King plans to add a soy-based burger to its menu across the U.S. by the end of the year. 

Jenkins and Sievenpiper said their study received support from the government, nonprofit organizations and companies that produce or promote soy and other plant-based foods. 

The FDA is expected to announce its decision on soy’s health benefits this summer.