Water Benefits, Risks and Tips

Two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, water is the most abundant substance in the human body, accounting for up to 60% of our body weight. If you are properly hydrated, your urine will be pale, not dark or bright yellow. For the average adult, this may translate to 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. Most of this comes from drinks—plain water, enhanced waters (fortified with vitamins, caffeine, electrolytes, and other additives), coffee, tea, juices, and soft drinks—but surprisingly, there’s a substantial amount in foods as well. Fruits and vegetables, for example, are 70 to 95% water, compared to 75% of an egg; 40 to 60% of meat, poultry, and fish; and 35% of bread.

Our daily needs vary a lot. We need more water in hot weather, during exercise, or when we have a fever, cold, or other illness. Women need more during pregnancy, and nursing mothers need to increase their fluid intake to produce breastmilk, which is 87% water.

Thirst decreases with age, so older people should drink water often even if they don’t feel thirsty. As well, thirst may lag behind the body’s need for water during intense exercise or when it’s extremely hot and humid. By the time you feel thirsty, you may already be dehydrated. If you drink more fluid than you need, the kidneys excrete the excess by increasing the volume of urine. If you drink more water than the kidneys can handle, excess is absorbed by your cells.

Enhanced water is water with added vitamins or minerals, including electrolytes, that help your body retain fluids. Recently, many companies have rolled out versions of enhanced water that contain calories in addition to nutrients. Check the label to be sure the water is, well, close enough to water.  

Provides vital bodily functions.
Water is essential to life. Even though water has no calories or other nutrients, we can go for only a few days without it. In contrast, a healthy person can survive for 6 to 8 weeks without food. A loss of only 5 to 10% of body water results in serious dehydration, while a 15 to 20% loss is usually fatal. Water is vital to virtually every body function, including digestion, absorption, and transport of nutrients; elimination of body waste; and regulation of body temperature, as well as many other chemical processes. It provides a protective cushion for body cells and, in the form of amniotic fluid, protects a developing fetus. Water is needed to build all body tissues and is the base of all blood and fluid secretions such as tears, saliva, and gastric juices, as well as the fluids that lubricate our organs and joints. It also keeps our skin soft and smooth.

Prevents cramps.
Enhanced waters containing electrolytes, sodium chloride, and potassium work with water to replenish your system, prevent dehydration, and keep cramps at bay.

Health Risks

Gastrointestinal illnesses.
North Americans generally enjoy some of the world’s safest and most reliable water supplies. However, especially in recent years, there have been significant episodes of serious waterborne illnesses. In addition, a growing number of public health officials are warning that surface water supplies are becoming increasingly polluted by industrial waters, fertilizer runoff, pesticides, and chemical and nuclear wastes. Some of the most common or serious contaminants that may be affecting water safety are: arsenic, chlorine, lead, turbidity, and parasites, which may cause more than just an upset stomach. When traveling to places that may have unsanitary water, bring water purification tablets or a water purification pump, or simply stick to bottled water or other beverages.

QUICK TIP:

Filter for purer H2O
You can also choose to use a water filter system, or switch to bottled water, but there is no guarantee that these options will totally eliminate contaminants from your drinking water. Different filter systems will remove different contaminants as well as varying levels of these contaminants. You can research the type of filter that’s best for your needs through the NSF International in Ann Arbor, Michigan (www.nsf.org), an independent, nonprofit agency that works closely with the federal government in both the United States and Canada in setting standards in many areas, including water filters.

Weight gain.
Be sure to read the nutrition label and avoid enhanced waters that contain sugars. The sugar will not only raise your blood sugar levels but also contribute empty calories. Unfortunately, sugar can end up offsetting the benefits of additional vitamins and minerals in enhanced water.

Drinking Tips
• For better-tasting coffee or tea, use bottled or filtered water.
• Carry water in a stainless steel container or lined container, and clean between uses.
• To make water more flavorful, add a slice of cucumber, lemon, or lime.
• Swirl a couple of fresh mint sprigs into your water for a fresh, minty taste.
• Throw in a few pieces of frozen fruit, such as pineapple, strawberries, or blueberries. Your water gets cool and flavored.

Buying Tips
• Check with your local water department for a report on the cleanliness of the water coming out of your tap.
• If purchasing bottled water, check the expiration or use-by date.
• Athletes may want to purchase bottled water that contains electrolytes to prevent dehydration and keep cramps at bay.

Storing Tips
• Store unopened bottled water products in a dry place out of direct sunlight for up to 1 year. If you suspect any of your stored bottled water has become contaminated (smells funny, showing algae growth, etc.), discard it.
• Opened containers of bottled water should be refrigerated in case potentially harmful bacteria have been introduced.

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Vinegar Health Benefits, Risks and Tips

For centuries, vinegar was a by-product of wine- and beer-making. The name even comes from the French word vinaigre, which means “sour wine.” Apple cider and wine remain the most popular basic ingredients, but almost any product that produces alcoholic fermentation can be used to make vinegar. In fact, vinegar can be produced from any high-sugar or high-starch food that can be fermented, as evidenced by the dozens of varieties available today.

Although many people have accorded various healing powers to vinegar over the years—rapid weight loss to relief from allergies—It does, however, provide a low-sodium, low-calorie flavoring. All vinegars are 4 to 14% acetic acid. Vinegar can be transformed into a flavored or gourmet vinegar simply by adding various herbs, spices, or fruits—for example, dill, tarragon, lemon balm, mint, or garlic. These and many other varieties are widely available, or you can make your own by adding fresh herbs or fruit to distilled, cider, or wine vinegars.

Health Benefits

Aids in weight loss.
Vinegar is virtually devoid of calories, so it’s an ideal alternative to fatty salad dressings. To reduce its acid bite, the vinegar can be mixed with orange juice or fruit syrup and a little oil.

Health Risks

Allergies reaction.
People who are allergic to molds may react to vinegar as well as to foods preserved with it. Symptoms include a tingling or itching sensation around the mouth and possibly hives.

Eating Tips
• Add a spoonful of apple cider vinegar to a smoothie.
• Sprinkle red wine vinegar on grilled vegetables.
• Make a spritzer with rice wine vinegar, sparkling water, and mint.

Buying Tips
• Consider the intended use before purchasing any vinegar. Inexpensive white vinegar will work best if you’re making pickles. A mellow sherry vinegar would be ideal blended with olive oil as a vinaigrette for mixed green salad. Choose Japanese rice wine for making sushi.
• Seek out a shop that offers samples of different vinegars before buying. • Some shops now sell bulk vinegars, which allows you to buy small amounts of a variety of types.

Storing Tips
• Stored in a cool dark cabinet, unopened vinegar will keep indefinitely.
• After opening, it can be kept for up to 6 months.

QUICK TIP:
Beat exhaustion
Apple cider vinegar contains potassium and enzymes that may relieve that tired feeling. Next time you’re feeling beat, add 1 or 2 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar to a glass of chilled vegetable drink or water.

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Tomato Health Benefits, Risks and Tips

Tomatoes are actually a type of berry, and were called “love apples” in the 16th century. Varieties include baby plum, beefsteak, cherry, plum, vine, and yellow cherry. Equally delicious raw or cooked, tomatoes are low in calories and rich in vitamins and other healthful substances. One medium-size ripe tomato contains only 26 calories, together with about 23 mg of vitamin C and 20 mcg of folate.

Tomatoes, like potatoes, sweet peppers, and eggplants, belong to the nightshade family. Brought to Europe from Central America by the Spanish during the 16th century, tomatoes were grown as decorative plants in northern Europe, where it was feared that the poisons in the leaves might be present in the fruit as well. Colonists emigrating from that area imported this misconception to the New World. Meanwhile, the Spanish and Italians discovered that tomatoes were indeed edible, and as they immigrated to North America, they brought their taste for tomatoes with them. Today, the tomato is one of the world’s leading vegetable crops, although botanically the tomato is a fruit.

TOMATO FACT
• Lycopene, the powerful antioxidant in tomatoes, is fat-soluble. So adding a little olive oil or other healthy fat to tomato dishes increases absorption.

Health Benefits

Helps prevent cancer.
A well-known Harvard study showed that men who regularly ate tomato-based foods had lower rates of prostate cancer. Researchers theorize that lycopene—a powerful antioxidant—is the natural cancer-fighting agent in tomatoes. The best way to get lycopene is in tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato juice, and even ketchup. Lycopene is most concentrated in tomato paste. Tomatoes also contain a compound called chlorogenic acid, which may help guard against cancer by blocking the effects of certain environmental toxins—for instance, nitrosamines, cancer-causing compounds in tobacco smoke and cured meat.

Prevents heart disease.
The jellylike substance surrounding tomato seeds is high in salicylates, which have an anticlotting effect on the blood. This may be partially responsible for tomatoes’ protection against heart disease. Researchers also are finding that lycopene plays a role in heart health, lowering LDL cholesterol, increasing activity of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reducing in DNA damage in white blood cells.

50% more lycopene is contained in a Crimson type of tomato vs. a regular tomato.

Health Risks

Digestive distress.
An unidentified substance in tomatoes and tomato-based products can cause acid reflux, leading to indigestion and heartburn. People who often have digestive upsets should try eliminating tomatoes for 2 or 3 weeks to see if there is any improvement.

Allergies.
Tomatoes are a relatively common cause of allergies.

Headaches.
Solanines are toxic substances present in minute quantities in all members of the nightshade family: They may trigger headaches in susceptible people.

Canker sores.
Tomatoes can make these mouth sores even more painful.

Eating Tips
• Add sliced tomatoes to a breakfast egg sandwich.
• Bake sliced tomatoes, breadcrumbs, parmesan and garlic into a ready-made pie crust.
• Stuff tomatoes with tuna salad.

Buying Tips
• Choose fresh tomatoes that are a deep red color for highest lycopene content.
• Vine-ripened tomatoes have more lycopene than those that are picked early and allowed to ripen off the vine. So it makes sense to grow your own tomatoes or buy from a local farmers’ market.
• Choose canned or jarred tomatoes with reduced or no sodium added.

Storing Tips
• Ripe tomatoes should be stored at room temperature. At 40°F (4°C) or below, the flesh becomes mealy.
• Store unopened canned, jarred, or tetra-pack tomatoes in a cool cupboard for up to 1 year.

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Tea Health Benefits, Risks & Tips

Tea, a shrub in the camellia family, is the world’s most popular nonalcoholic beverage. Most tea is grown in India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Indonesia. Like coffees, the best-quality teas are grown in the shade at high altitudes, and the finest leaves are plucked from the youngest shoots and unopened leaf buds, which also contain the highest levels of phenols, enzymes, and caffeine. Researchers are discovering evidence that tea may offer not only soothing warmth and mild stimulation, but also health benefits. Tea contains hundreds of compounds, including various flavonoids, a class of chemical with powerful antioxidant properties. A subclass of flavonoids, the catechins, is responsible for the flavor as well as many health benefits. The extent to which these compounds are present in the beverage depends on how the leaves are processed.

White tea is made from the green buds and young leaves that are steamed and dried. It is the least processed type of tea. Green tea is made by steaming the leaves to halt any enzyme activity. Black tea is made by crushing, fermenting (exposing the leaves to the air), and drying the leaves. Oolong tea is only partially fermented. The highest concentration of catechins is found in green tea and white tea, although black tea is also a good source. Brand-name teas are mixtures of as many as 20 different varieties of leaves, blended to ensure a consistent flavor.

Herbal teas are not true tea. They are infusions, or tisanes, of various pleasant-tasting plants such as chamomile, fennel, lavender, and peppermint. Because most of them do not contain caffeine, they offer an alternative for people who prefer to avoid this stimulant.

TEA FACT
• Commercial iced teas, flavored with fruit syrups and sweetened with sugar, contain about as many calories as soft drinks.

Health Benefits

Promotes weight loss.
The results from a number of randomized, controlled intervention trials have shown that consumption of green tea catechins (270 mg to 1200 mg a day) may reduce body weight and fat, possibly by increasing energy expenditure and promoting the oxidation of fat.

Helps prevent stroke.
One study found that the risk of stroke was reduced by about 70% in men who drank five or more cups of black tea a day: Other studies showed that the risk of having a heart attack was reduced by more than 40% for men and women who consumed one or more cups of tea per day. Flavonoids in tea may protect against stroke in two ways. They reduce the ability of blood platelets to form clots, the cause of most strokes. They also block some of the damage caused to arteries by free radicals, unstable molecules that are released when the body consumes oxygen.

Fights diabetes.
Research suggests that people who drink green tea are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes and have a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease. The biological mechanisms are still unknown but a popular hypothesis is that the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in green tea decreases blood pressure, lowers blood sugar, and increases blood flow.

Fosters heart health.
The antioxidants in tea may explain the fact that people who drink a lot of tea are much less likely to die from heart disease. Antioxidants prevent the oxidation of cholesterol, making it less likely to stick to artery walls.

Inhibits cancer.
A number of studies have shown that tea may offer protection against a variety of cancers. EGCG is thought to be responsible for tea’s anticancer properties. EGCG protects the DNA in cells from cancer-causing changes. It may also inhibit an enzyme that cancer cells need in order to replicate.

Fights infections.
Researchers report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they have found a chemical in tea that boosts the body’s defense against disease fivefold. They say they isolated from ordinary black tea a substance called L-theanine, also found in green and oolong tea. L-theanine is broken down in the liver to ethylamine, a molecule that primes the response of an immune blood cell called the gamma-delta T cell. Gamma-delta T cells in the blood are the first line of defense against many types of bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections.

Alleviates asthma symptoms.
Naturally occurring theophyllines in tea dilate the airways in the lungs and have been found to help some people with asthma and other respiratory disorders to breathe more freely. In fact, theophyllines have been developed as drugs to treat asthma and other constrictive lung disorders.

Supports dental health.
Tannins, which are found in wine as well as tea, are chemicals that bind surface proteins in the mouth, producing a tightening sensation together with giving the impression of a full-bodied liquid. They also bind and incapacitate plaque-forming bacteria in the mouth. The fluoride in tea—particularly green tea—also protects against tooth decay.

Quells diarrhea.
Tea’s binding action makes it useful against diarrhea.

Health Risks

Iron absorption.
The tannins in tea can cut iron absorption by more than 80% when tea is sipped with an iron-rich meal. Tea-drinking vegetarians are especially susceptible. Individuals with a tendency to anemia can drink citrus juice at mealtimes to promote iron absorption; squeezing a wedge of lemon or adding milk to tea also binds the tannins and partly blocks their effect on iron. Tea drinking between meals does not affect iron absorption.

Excessive urination.
Tea has a diuretic effect, which increases the kidneys’ output of urine. Excessive urination can upset the body’s fluid and chemical balance by washing potassium from the body.

Insomnia.
Tea leaves contain twice as much caffeine, weight for weight, as coffee beans do. But when measured by volume, tea has only half as much caffeine as coffee because tea is drunk weaker and coffee is more completely extracted from the grounds. A cup of black or green tea contains 35 to 45 mg of caffeine. Theobromine, which is also found in tea, has effects similar to those of caffeine but milder.

Migraines.
Tea may trigger a migraine headache in hypersensitive people; for others, it may alleviate headaches when taken with aspirin or similar painkillers.

Eating Tips
• Use cooled brewed black tea in place of wine in poultry braises.
• Poach prunes and dried apricots in red rooibos tea.
• Freeze double-strength green tea in cubes, then crush in the food processor to make granita.

 Buying Tips
• For best flavor and healing properties, purchase whole tea leaves.
• Look for unbleached natural fiber tea bags.

Storing Tips
• Store tea leaves in a metal container in a cool spot for up to a year.
• Tea bags retain flavor for about a year.

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Sweet Potato & Yam Health Benefits

Sweet potatoes are a Native American plant that was the main source of nourishment for early homesteaders and for soldiers during the Revolutionary War. These tuberous roots are among the most nutritious vegetables and are excellent sources of the antioxidants beta-carotine and vitamin C.

There are two varieties of sweet potatoes: the pale yellow with a dry flesh and the dark orange with a moist flesh. The dark-orange variety is plumper in shape and somewhat sweeter and moister than the yellow variety. Because most of the nutrients in sweet potatoes are next to the skin, cook them whole whenever possible. Yams and sweet potatoes are very similar and often confused for one another, but they aren’t the same. However, they are interchangeable in most recipes.

While sweet potatoes and yams are very healthy if simply cooked, many recipes—such as candied yams or sweet potato fries—pile on butter, sugar, and oil. So avoid these add-ons to get the most nutrition from these sweet tubers.

Health Benefits

Lowers blood pressure.
Eating sweet potatoes and yams is a smart move if you have high blood pressure. That’s because they’re rich in potassium, a mineral known for bringing pressure down. You’ll get more potassium from a sweet potato than you will from a banana.

Keeps skin and eyes healthy.
The high levels of beta-carotene in sweet potatoes protect eye health and keep your skin looking great.

Guards against infections.
Rich in beta-carotene, sweet potatoes and yams may help your body stave off infections.

Fights heart disease.
Beta-carotene and vitamin C may also help combat heart disease.

Avoid diabetes complications.
The vitamin C in sweet potatoes protect against complications of diabetes, such as nerve and eye damage.

Boosts cancer survival.
A recent study found that among almost 2,000 men studied, those whose diets were richest in beta-carotene and vitamin C—two nutrients plentiful in sweet potatoes—were more likely to survive prostate cancer than those whose diets contained little of the two nutrients.

Reduces breast cancer risk.
The famous Nurses’ Health Study at Harvard Medical School found that women who ate lots of foods rich in beta-carotene, such as sweet potatoes, reduced their risk of breast cancer by as much as 25%.

Helps blood sugar and cholesterol.
Sweet potatoes are packed with disease-fighting soluble fiber to help lower blood sugar and cholesterol.

May reduce insulin resistance.
Sweet potatoes are extraordinarily rich in carotenoids, orange and yellow pigments that play a role in helping the body respond to insulin. These tubers are also rich in the natural plant compound chlorogenic acid, which may help reduce insulin resistance.

Old School
Sweet potatoes and yams are different names for the same vegetable.
New Wisdom
Yams and sweet potatoes are unrelated.

Eating Tips
• Bake thick sticks coated with oil and five-spice powder.
• Add to hash browns.
• Make a meal of baked sweet potato topped with cooked spinach, ham, and shredded Swiss.

Buying Tips
• Choose firm, dark, smooth sweet potatoes or yams without wrinkles, bruises, sprouts, or decay.
• Even if you cut them away, decayed spots may have already caused the whole vegetable to take on an unpleasant flavor.

Storing Tips
• To keep sweet potatoes and yams fresh, store them in a dry, cool (55°F to 60°F or 13°C to 15.5°C) place such as a cellar, pantry, or garage. They will keep here for a month or longer.
• Don’t store them in the refrigerator, because they may develop a hard core and a bad taste.
• If you keep them at normal room temperature, you should use them within a week of purchase.
• Don’t wash them until you’re ready to cook them. The moisture from washing will make them spoil faster.

QUICK TIP:
Eat the skin
You can brush the excess dirt off your sweet potatoes, but don’t take the skin off. When eaten with the skin on, a sweet potato has as much fiber as half a cup of oatmeal, for about 100 calories.

SWEET POTATO AND YAM FACTS
• Sweet potatoes contain an enzyme that converts most of its starches into sugars as the potato matures. This sweetness continues to increase during storage and when you cook them.
• Canned sweet potatoes are often labeled yams.
• Yams derive their name from the Senegalese word fiam, meaning “to eat.”

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Spinach Health Benefits, Risks & Tips

Spinach is a popular dark green leafy vegetable that can be served either raw or cooked. Contrary to popular belief, spinach is not an especially good source of iron. The myth about its high iron content arose from an analysis in which a decimal point was erroneously displaced. But the vegetable’s dark green leaves do contain many other valuable nutrients. For example, a mere half cup of cooked spinach provides a full day’s supply of vitamin A, and 419 mg of potassium, as well as vitamin C, riboflavin, and vitamin B6.

To avoid losing its vitamin content, don’t overcook spinach. Instead, steam or stir-fry it. These cooking methods also preserve texture and flavor. Although some of these nutrients are lost in cooking, a ½-cup (179 g) serving of the cooked vegetable actually provides more nutrition than 1 cup (28 g) served raw because it takes a full 2 cups of leaves to cook down into a ½-cup serving. In addition, heating makes the protein in spinach easier to break down. The value of raw spinach can be enhanced by serving it with citrus slices for added vitamin C.

Health Benefits

Promotes vision health.
Spinach is rich in carotenoids, plant pigments that are responsible for its dark green color. Among these carotenoids are lutein and zeaxanthin, which help prevent macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Cooking spinach helps to convert lutein into more bioavailable forms. To enhance the carotenoid absorption, eat spinach with some heart-healthy fat.

Can help prevent cancer.
The antioxidants and bioflavonoids in spinach help block cancer-causing substances and processes.

May help prevent birth defects.
A half cup of cooked spinach provides 105 mcg (micrograms) of folate, more than 25% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Folate is especially important for women who are pregnant or who may be planning a pregnancy, because it helps prevent congenital neurological defects. Folate deficiency can also cause a severe type of anemia.

Boosts bones.
Phylloquinone is the most common form of vitamin K found in dark greens such as spinach. Vitamin K is needed for proper blood clotting and may play a role in preserving bone health. Some research suggests that it may increase bone density and reduce fracture rates. Both the Nurses’ Health Study and the Framingham Heart Study found that people who consume the most vitamin K have a lower risk of hip fractures than those who consume less.

WARNING! FOOD-DRUG INTERACTION
Spinach may interfere with blood-thinning drugs. If your physician has prescribed blood-thinning medication, such as heparin or warfarin (Coumadin), it is wise to moderate your intake of vitamin K–rich foods, such as spinach. Excess vitamin K can counteract the effects of these drugs.
100% of the vitamin A you need every day is in ½ cup cooked spinach.

Health Risks

Mineral absorption.
The nutritional benefits of spinach are somewhat offset by its high concentration of oxalic acid which inhibits the absorption of the iron, calcium, and other minerals found in spinach. To increase mineral absorption eat spinach with other foods that are rich in vitamin C. Oxalic acid can also pose a problem for people susceptible to kidney and bladder stones that form from oxalates.

Eating Tips
• Mix chopped cooked spinach and roasted red pepper into hummus.
• Top crostini with sautéed baby spinach, garlic, and lemon juice.
• Use baby spinach on sandwiches instead of lettuce.

Buying Tips
• Fresh spinach is available in supermarkets year-round, sometimes with the roots attached, sometimes prewashed and bagged.
• Select leaves that are dark green and fresh looking instead of wilted or yellowing.
• If buying frozen spinach, choose brands with no added sauce.

Old School
When it comes to spinach, raw is always better.
New Wisdom
Cooking spinach makes some of its nutrients a bit easier to absorb.

Storing Tips
• Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper for up to 3 days.
• Wash in plenty of cold water to remove any grit just before using.

QUICK TIP:
Ditch the dirt
Before serving spinach, be careful to remove all the sand and dirt. One effective method is to submerge the spinach in a bowl of cold water and let the sand fall to the bottom, then remove and rinse the leaves. Dry them if making a salad. If you are cooking the spinach, the water left on the leaves may be just about the right amount with which to steam it.

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Health Benefits of Soy, Risks & Tips

Soybeans are one of the most nutritious and versatile plant foods available. This legume dates back nearly 3,000 years in Chinese culture and is used to make many different food products. For example, tofu comes in firm, soft, or silken textures. It’s made from pureed soybeans and processed into a “cake.” It can be stir-fried, grilled, added to soups, lasagna, and cheesecake, or blended into dips or smoothies. Green soybeans (also called edamame) are bought shelled or still in the pod fresh or frozen, and can be served as a snack or a vegetable dish.

 Soy is often used to provide protein in vegetarians’ diets. Soy powder made from isolated soy protein can be added to shakes or smoothies for a protein-powered breakfast.

Health Benefits

Boosts heart health.
A large body of evidence indicates that replacing some animal products with soy protein can reduce the risk of heart disease. This is because soy lowers levels of the artery-clogging LDL cholesterol without reducing levels of the beneficial HDL cholesterol. The evidence is so convincing that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave food manufacturers permission to put labels on products that are high in soy protein indicating that these foods may help lower the risk of heart disease.

Can prevent cancer.
Throughout Asia, where soy has long been a dietary staple, the rates of breast and prostate cancer are much lower than in Western countries. Epidemiological studies of Asians show that it is soy intake early in life that is protective. Some researchers attribute the low incidence of these cancers to isoflavones found in soy, which reduce the effects of estrogen on breast and prostate tissue.

Combats osteoporosis.
Recent research has indicated that soy isoflavones may delay bone loss and might even build bone density. Not all research is consistent in this finding, however, with some studies showing no effect of soy on bone loss.

Relieves menopausal symptoms.
For some women, diets rich in soy foods can reduce menopausal symptoms, particularly the frequency and severity of hot flashes. The extent of improvement, however, varies from woman to woman.

Grows muscles.
Soybean protein contains all of the essential amino acids, making it the only plant protein that equals animal products in providing a complete source of protein. This makes it a terrific choice for those looking for alternatives to meat products.

Health Risks

Iron absorption.
Although many soy products are high in iron, it is not well absorbed. Improve absorption by adding foods high in vitamin C—such as orange juice, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, or melons—to your meal.

Cancer risk.
Some researchers have cautioned that there may be some health risks for those who consume large amounts of soy foods or who take soy supplements. Some recent findings have suggested that high isoflavone levels might actually increase the risk of certain cancers, particularly breast cancer. The concerns center on isolated isoflavones in supplement form, not in whole soy foods. However, until further research helps clarify the role of isoflavones in human health, it is wise to avoid isoflavone supplements. People who are being treated, or who have been treated, for breast or prostate cancer should speak to their physician or exercise caution before adding more soy to their diet.

QUICK TIP:
Stir it up Triangles of tofu stir-fried with thin slices of meat and vegetables is a delicious way to include soy in your diet.
Thyroid function. Some studies have linked soy consumption to suppressed thyroid function. The risk is linked only to taking soy supplements or eating huge amounts of soy foods, but more research is needed to clarify this relationship.

Eating Tips
• Add a few teaspoons of miso paste, made from fermented soybeans (find it in the refrigerated section of natural food stores) to soup bases, dips, and marinades for a salty, nutty flavor, or use in place of butter on potatoes or pasta.
• Make mocha pudding with soymilk.
• Stir chopped soy nuts into cookies.

Buying Tips
• Edamame, green soy beans, are available in the pod in the produce section of some supermarkets or shelled in the frozen food and produce sections.
• Purchase refrigerated tofu in packs with sell-by dates. Baked flavored tofu may contain added salt or sugar.
• Purchase soy flour and soy protein powder in packages with use-by dates.

Storing Tips
• Refrigerate edamame pods for up to 5 days before cooking, shelling, and eating.
• Refrigerate tofu in the package. Cook after opening.
• Store soy flour in an airtight container in a cool cupboard for up to 1 year.
• Store full-fat soy flour in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 year.

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