WE KNOW BY NOW, that the best foods for us are those most naturally made. Those without added hormones, such as meat and some milk products, and without chemicals and synthetic substances added to their production. So why is soy becoming so important...especially to us going through menopause with our hormones changing daily?
HOW ABOUT SOY? AND WHAT EXACTLY IS IT??
WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD, there are different types of foods that perform in different ways to our bodies during menopause. I recently read this article written for Reuters Health based on what SOY can do for us in this transition. We've all surmised that generally soy is good for most of us, but I found this article informative and offers us the probability that soy intake is even better for those of us experiencing menopause.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A daily serving of soy may help postmenopausal women avoid gaining fat around the middle, preliminary research suggests. In a study of 18 postmenopausal women, researchers found that those who drank a soy-based shake every day for three months tended to gain less abdominal fat than those who had a milk-based shake. Soy contains compounds called isoflavones that are structurally similar to estrogen and bind to estrogen receptors in fat tissue. So in theory, soy isoflavones could help regulate body fat metabolism.
The new findings appear to be the first to show that soy protein may affect abdominal fat distribution, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Cynthia K. Sites of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. They report the results in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility.
The study included 18 women in their 50s who had been menopausal for one to five years. Half were randomly assigned to drink a soy-based shake each day, while the rest were given a shake containing the milk protein casein. The women were told to drink half of a shake with breakfast, and the other half with dinner, and to substitute the daily drink for other foods in their diet in order to avoid weight gain.
After three months, the researchers found, women who drank the soy shake showed less of a gain in abdominal fat, even though both groups showed similar changes in weight and overall body fat.
It's not clear why soy protein might affect belly fat in particular, according to Sites and her colleagues. "Whatever the mechanism," they write, "our data suggest that soy protein containing isoflavones may prevent the accumulation of fat in the abdominal depot."
Because excess abdominal fat is especially related to higher risks of diabetes and heart disease, limiting the well-known middle-age spread is important, the investigators point out. They think larger, longer-term studies should continue to investigate the potential of soy protein.
SOURCE: Fertility and Sterility, December 2007.
ASIAN WOMEN RARELY EXPERIENCE HOT FLASHES AND NIGHT SWEATS, in fact there's really no word for it in Japan. Only a minimul amount of these women can even suggest experiencing the discomforts that we associate with menopause. Why? In addition to the way their culture respects older families, and the increased daily use of their bodies by increased exercise, massages, and relaxing baths, they live through this transition with a more positive view than most of us Westerners do.
SO WHY SOY? Soy along with other foods, flax being another, contributes to our hormone imbalances by giving us a natural hormone that mimics what is already in our body, causing it to respond as if it were the actual hormone. By doing this, it increases the BALANCE once again. Isoflavones, sometimes called plant estrogens or phytoestrogens, are compounds found in plant foods that identify with our own hormones and act like the natural estrogens. Many of these compounds are also felt to fight against breast and prostate cancers (which are hormone dependent cancers).
WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO KNOW ABOUT SOY? Why IS is this little tan colored bean with no flavor so GREAT?? Here's what it can do: Full of plant hormones itself, this little bean can decrease Cholesterol, has the potential to protect against kidney disorders, gastric problems, osteoporosis, diabetes, AND high blood pressure. It's high protein, contains no saturated fats but does have essential fatty acids, is cheap and easy to grow. Need I say more? Oh yes, it helps FIGHT HOT FLASHES!!
RESEARCHERS BELIEVE THIS CHANGE IN OUR BODIES OCCURS because the isoflavones added to the hormone group allow the estrogen depletion to occur at a slower pace, thus decreasing that 'crash' feeling that often produces the hot flashes or night sweats. One study shows that women who consumed 40 grams of textured soy per day for just five days increased the isoflavone content in their urine as much as 1000 times from the beginning of the test. Another study done on women who ate one or more servings of soy for two months had an increase of 2 1/2 days in their menstrual cycle. This result shows us just how strong these hormones can be and how quickly they can affect us.
SO HOW MUCH SOY SHOULD YOU ADD? Any little bit will help! You can begin using a small amount daily as you adjust to the changes in your diet. Add soy to your cereal in the morning (I actually like this much better than skim milk), or to your coffee as well. 1 cup of milk is a serving, 40 grams of soy and is probably all you need in a day. Tossing some toasted or flavored soy cubes on your salad or in with any vegetables, is easy and tasteful. Soy supplements are also available, though many believe that the best we can get is directly from the plant itself. Try whatever fits best in your lifestyle and have fun with this new food!
There are many sources on soy diets, but I really like these simple, easy receipes that I used from the book.........
SOYFOODS COOKING FOR A POSITIVE MENOPAUSE
Bryana Clark Grobin
ORANGE JULIA for Breakfast or a Snack
3/4 cup water 6 Tbs frozen orange juice 1/3 cup firm or extra-firm silken fofu, or 1/4 cup firm or medium-firm tofu 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 5 ice cubes
Process all the ingredients, except the ice cubes, in a blender until smooth. Add the ice cubes and blend again. Pour into glasses and serve!
2 servings YIELD
Per serving: Calories 51, Protein 4g, Soy protein 3g, fat 1g, carbohydrates 6g.
QUICK TOFU RICOTTA CHEESE for your next Healthy Lasagna
1/2 pound medium-firm tofu, mashed and drained
2 TBS soymilk 1/4 tsp salt Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate.
1 cup YIELD.
per: 1/4 cup: calories 47, protein 4g, soy proten 4 g, fat 3 g, carbohydrates 1 g
MARINATED TOFU CUBES add to salads, stir fries, kebabs, or pizza
Cut firm tofu into small cubes and cover them in a jar with a light vinaigrette drressing. (Red wine or balsamic will turn the tofu rosy). Add sprigs of fresh herbs, whole dried chilies, and whole cloves of garlic ot the jar if you choose. Sealed tightly, tofu cubes will last for up to 3 wks in the fridge. Shake occassionally.
OVEN FRIED TOFU
Preheat oven to 500F. Cut a block of firm tofu in half lengthwise to make 2 long strips. Cut each of those in half, and again into forming triangles. Place these on dark, oiled cookie sheets (helps the food brown better) and brush the triangels with vegetable oil. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes per side or until golden and puffy. These may be frozen for future use.
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