Home
>
Nutrition
>
Combat High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol with Soybeans

Combat High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol with Soybeans

You may have heard of the "Portfolio Diet" wherein it has been clinically accepted that increasing the intake of soy based foods can reduce levels of LDL cholesterol as much as some statin drugs.

Well, now it seems that soybeans have another health-giving quality: they also reduce blood pressure.

This latest finding is making quite a bit of noise in medical circles and not without reason. Can you imagine how hard the two largest drug markets (cholesterol and blood pressure) would be hit if the American Heart Association or the American College of Cardiology released a statement saying that soybeans can reduce bad cholesterol and control blood pressure? Just think about it. But that's where it will stop; in your thoughts. With all the lobbying power of the giant pharmaceutical industry, I seriously doubt that such a statement from an internationally recognized source will ever be released.

However, to date more than 40 clinical trials have clearly shown that soya protein can reduce cholesterol in men and women. The effective dose of soy protein per day appears to range between 25 and 50 grams. Now initial studies show that it is also useful in fighting high blood pressure.

Soybean protein lowers blood pressure

In a report from the Annals of Internal Medicine (July 2005), it seems that use of soybean protein dietary supplements may help reduce high blood pressure.

Soybean products have been commonplace in Asian diets for centuries, and soybeans, as well as its derivative products have long been available in our local health stores and supermarkets. Research has shown that food items like tofu and soymilk can reduce cholesterol levels and lower risks for cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. If we add the ability to fight high blood pressure to the list of illness and diseases that soy foods are able to combat, then we might just have a super disease killer on our hands.

In the study covered by the Annals, a group of American and Chinese researchers focused on 300 Chinese patients suffering from hypertension. One group was and given 40gms of soy protein while the second group was given wheat-based carbohydrates.

The objective of the trial was to examine the effect of soybean protein supplementation on blood pressure in persons with pre-hypertension or Stage 1 hypertension. The results showed that Soybean protein supplementation resulted in a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. As such, increased intake of soybean protein may play an important role in preventing and treating hypertension.

The researchers of Tulane University, New Orleans say it's unclear how soybean products might reduce blood pressure. One theory is that soy proteins widen blood vessels while helping the body do a better job of processing blood sugar.

In a related editorial, Dr. Jeffrey A. Cutler and Dr. Eva Obarzanek of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, state that the new study provides "another important link between blood pressure and dietary macronutrient intake," but add that further studies are needed before soybean supplements can be recommended to patients with high blood pressure.

Soybeans, soymilk, tofu, bean sprouts, meat substitutes, cookies and even soy-based ice cream are all commonly available. Maybe it is better that you don't wait for the big medical institutions to start singing praises about soybeans. If you want an edge, perhaps now is the time to start making some changes to your diet. Throw in 40 minutes exercise four times a week and your high blood pressure will really take a dive.

About the author:
Nicholas Webb, of AllAbout Heart Disease, speaks and writes with a passion telling it is as it is; helping others to live life to the full. This article is extracted from his newsletter "The Web's Heart".

To subscribe, or read other articles visit the web's heart
To learn more about how to beat heart disease and get into shape visit: the web's heart

Western Springs limo rental .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Flip phones are harder to block spam calls from, but it's not impossible. Kurt the "CyberGuy" explains how to stop incoming robocalls on your flip phone.

With so many notifications buzzing our phones these days, it's tough to distinguish between legitimate messages and possible scams. Kurt the CyberGuy helps unravel the mystery.

Scammers have a new trick where they pretend to be job recruiters to plant malicious apps on your devices. It all starts with a deceptive email.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt the CyberGuy breaks down why those emails that warn that "Your Apple ID has been disabled" is most likely a scam. Here's how to protect yourself.

Even small mistakes can negatively impact your credit score; here are some of the most common credit report errors and how you can fix them.

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explores the many different ways you can repurpose that old iPhone of yours rather than trashing it.

A pioneering artificial intelligence and robotics company from China has developed a repository of over 1 million robotic movements to provide robotic training.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals the warning signs and steps to take if you suspect that your personal computer is infected with a virus.

Researchers found in a study that users of a robotic prosthetic hand could successfully grasp and move two objects at once without dropping them.

The James Webb Space Telescope captured photos of one of the earliest supernovas ever seen using infrared technology, and creating a time lapse of the phenomena.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

New Mac malware variant targets browser credentials and personal data, researchers find. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to safeguard your Mac from the latest malware threats.

The Jetson One eVTOL showcases air racing potential, ushering in a new aviation era. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the race for eVTOL supremacy is just beginning.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals that hackers stole data from Gravy Analytics, a major seller of smartphone location data to the U.S.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson: If you just bought a new iPhone, here’s what to do first when you fire it up.

AC Future and Pininfarina unveil AI Transformer homes, merging sustainability and innovation. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says this could change the way we think about home.

Technology expert Kim Komando shares her easy tips on how to declutter your phones, computers and devices from the files you no longer need.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson has the details on a Volkswagen data leak that exposed the personal data of around 800,000 EV owners.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson takes a closer look at Shell's Starship 3.0: A natural gas big rig boosting efficiency 2.5 times, proving greener trucking.

PowerSchool, which serves over 60 million students and teachers globally, has become the latest target of cybercriminals. Millions of records were stolen.

CES 2025 showcased everything from artificial intelligence-powered sleep aids to smart ear-cleaning devices. Kurt the CyberGuy has the details.

A truck powered by hydrogen traveled 1,806 miles on a single tank of hydrogen with zero emissions and set a new Guinness World Record.

A Chinese company has developed a new bipedal humanoid robot that stands over 5 feet tall and can tackle a wide range of tasks in different settings.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Combat High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol with Soybeans

Nutrition