Agrobiotechnology Talk Series (13) Ancient Foods with Modern Benefits: An Overview of the Health Effects of Soyfoods
Description:
Soyfoods have been consumed for centuries but over the past 30 years, they have been rigorously investigated for their nutritional and health attributes. In addition to providing protein similar in quality to animal protein and healthy fat, soyfoods are uniquely rich sources of isoflavones. Isoflavones have been posited to alleviate menopausal symptoms and to reduce risk of several chronic diseases including breast and prostate cancer, coronary heart disease, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease.
However, soyfoods are also controversial because their high isoflavone content has raised concerns these foods could cause harmful effects, such as feminizing men and worsening the prognosis of women with breast cancer. This presentation will critically evaluate the scientific literature relevant to the health effects of soy. Emphasis will be placed on the clinical and observational studies.
The target audience includes international scholars, researchers, agricultural industry as well as the general public.
