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The new 2006 dietary and lifestyle guidelines from the American Heart Association recognize the potential benefits of soy protein replacing protein from meat and dairy foods in lowering bad cholesterol, especially in people at high risk for coronary vascular disease.

American Heart Association (AHA) for the 2006 revision of their Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations emphasize eating foods high in fiber and using vegetable-based substitutes, leaner animal products and fish in order to reduce saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in the diet and reduce the risk of heart disease. Soyfoods fit the profile of foods recommended by the AHA, providing fiber, high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals with low saturated fat and no cholesterol.

In a statement released by AHA earlier this year, studies comparing soy proteins to animal sources found that soy proteins resulted in a weighted average decrease of three percent LDL, translating to a 6 percent reduction in a person’s risk for developing heart disease. Thirty three studies involving more than 1,749 people showed that the addition of soy protein to the diet resulted in a 5.3 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol, which translates into a 10 percent CHD risk reduction. There is evidence to suggest that soy may exert other coronary benefits such as decreasing triglycerides and improving blood vessel elasticity.

Soyfoods can be enjoyed in many forms beyond soy-based burgers and tofu. There is calcium-fortified soy-based substitutes for milk, cheese or yogurt, or squeeze edamame fresh from the pod as a snack or tossed into a salad.

Replacing the last set of guidelines published in 2000, the new recommendations appeared in the June 19, 2006 issue of Circulation on line. The Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations emphasize:

- further reducing saturated and trans fatty acids in the diet compared to the last set of guidelines;

- eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and whole-grain foods;

- achieving and maintaining healthy cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose levels.

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