Soymilk Can Improve Heart Health by Lowering Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels

Scientists conclude that classifying soymilk as "ultra-processed" may mislead consumers about its nutritional qualities.

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The consumption of soymilk can contribute to cardiometabolic health by lowering both blood pressure and blood lipids, elevated levels of which are major risk factors for heart disease. This conclusion comes from a peer-reviewed, statistical analysis conducted by a team of scientists from the University of Toronto, which was published in BMC Medicine and funded by Soy Nutrition Institute Global (SNI Global) with support from the United Soybean Board.

"For this analysis, we sought to understand whether nutrient-dense, plant protein foods like soymilk can be consumed as part of a healthy diet and support cardiometabolic health despite being classified as 'ultra-processed,'" explained Madeline Erlich, Ph.D.(c), RDN and the lead author of the analysis. "One in three Americans is now familiar with the term 'ultra-processed foods,' even though there is no scientific consensus on the definition and many foods classified as ultra-processed are highly rated by other food classification systems used around the world."

The researchers completed a systemic review and meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials and examined 19 outcomes to determine the effects of soymilk on cardiometabolic health. Findings include:

• Improved blood lipids:
  • Moderate reductions in non-HDL-cholesterol, this includes all the "bad" types of cholesterol.
• Lowered blood pressure:
  • Large reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure
• Small reductions in inflammation:
  • Levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), an overall marker of inflammation was modestly reduced
• No other outcomes (including glycemic control, adiposity, NAFLD, and kidney function) differed between soymilk and cow's milk.

Soymilk is the only nutritionally suitable alternative to cow's milk recognized by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Other national guidelines such as Canada's Food Guide and several European food-based dietary guidelines recognize fortified soymilk as nutritionally equivalent to cow's milk. However, most soymilk is classified as "ultra-processed" – the same category that includes candy bars, chips, and soft drinks. Some soymilks are criticized for containing added sugar but the analysis found that soymilk with added sugar exerted health benefits similar to soymilk without added sugar.

While some soymilks contain added sugars that match the sweetness of cow's milk, its total sugar content is typically about 60% less than that of cow's milk because of the higher sweetness intensity of sucrose in comparison with the milk sugar lactose. In addition to observed benefits for cardiometabolic health, fortified soymilk provides protein, calcium, and vitamin D comparable to cow's milk and is lower in saturated fat than cow's milk.

Soymilk provides protein in amounts similar to cow's milk; and soy protein is high quality in that it delivers protein similar to animal protein, which makes it unique among plant proteins. The FDA recognized soy protein with an authorized health claim stating, "25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease."

Along with versatile soy foods like tofu, edamame and tempeh, soymilk can easily be incorporated as part of a healthy diet to provide a variety of vitamins and minerals. For recipe ideas, visit U.S. Soy at: https://ussoy.org/food-lifestyle/featured-soy-recipe-creators/

About Soy Nutrition Institute Global 

Soy Nutrition Institute Global is a global scientific voice of soy for human health and nutrition. SNI Global leads the way in soy and health research, outreach and communications, and government and regulatory affairs. The organization includes members up and down the soy value chain – from farmers to food companies – as well as a scientific advisory board that provides expert guidance in various areas of nutrition science. For more information about the Soy Nutrition Institute Global, visit www.SNIGlobal.org.

About United Soybean Board
United Soybean Board's 77 volunteer farmer-leaders work on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers to achieve maximum value for their soy checkoff investments. These volunteers create value by investing in research, education and promotion with the vision to deliver sustainable soy solutions to every life, every day across the three priority areas of Infrastructure & Connectivity, Health & Nutrition, and Innovation & Technology. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff. For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit unitedsoybean.org.

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SOURCE Soy Nutrition Institute Global