Soy is Linked To Breast Cancer Prevention
by Leila Fletcher, age 11
Researchers
have been wondering about the health benefits of soy products, a staple food in
Asia.
Soy
contains a concentration of phytoestrogen, a chemical that is similar to
estrogen. Experts are researching whether excessive amounts of phytoestrogen
cause problems in women who have estrogen-sensitive breast cancer. They are also
investigating if too much phytoestrogen causes testosterone levels in men to decrease.
Luckily, the similarity between phytoestrogen and estrogen is quite weak.
In
fact, women who eat at least two servings of soy a day have a lower chance of
developing breast cancer or having it recur. Dr. Bette Caan of the Kaiser
Permanente Northern California Division of Research states the evidence “is
overwhelming that [Soy] is safe.”
But
the American Cancer Society warms against using soy supplements to gain these
positive effects. Supplements tend to be highly processed and do not have the
same health benefits.
So
if you have been eating soy products and you enjoyed them, according to Dr.
Caan, “There’s no reason to stop.”
[Source:
The New York Times
]
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