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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