JANUARY 2006
Intermap Research reveals the positive effect of plant proteins: Plant proteins lower blood pressure
A large-scale research project carried out among 4680 participants in four different countries reveals that the consumption of plant proteins lowers blood pressure. But in contrast with other surveys, these researchers see no correlation between total protein consumption and blood pressure.
High blood pressure increases the risk of cardio-vascular diseases. Until today, high consumption of protein has often been linked negatively with blood pressure. But research reveals that carnivores have higher blood pressure compared to vegetarians.
In a recent survey published in Archives of Internal Medicine Elliot and other researchers propose that it is not the total quantity of proteins, but the quantity of plant proteins that is responsible for lowering blood pressure. No less than 4680 participants from four countries (Japan, China, the United Kingdom and the United States) participated in the research. The researchers wanted to study the possible link between diet and blood pressure.
The results of the research revealed that a higher consumption of plant proteins is linked to lower blood pressure.
Which precise part of the plant protein is responsible for the lowering of blood pressure is not yet clear. The researchers do point out a significant difference in the amino acid composition in foods that are rich in plant proteins and foods that are rich in animal proteins. Further research will clarify whether the amino acid composition is indeed largely responsible for decreases in blood pressure.
“This kind of research is of great importance because it reveals the positive impact of appropriate nutrition on our health,” stated Christine Debeuf, International Science and Nutrition Manager of Alpro soya, “It is possible to consume more plant proteins by integrating soya into our daily diets, for example by replacing dairy products with soya products. In this way it is possible to benefit immediately from the many advantages of soya products, such as their positive fatty acid composition and the fact that they are cholesterol-free.”
Source: Elliot et al., Association between protein intake and blood pressure. The INTERMAP study. Archives of Internal Medicine 2006, January, Vol 166, 79-87.
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FEBRUARY 2006
Soya, nuts, seeds and beans: good for a healthy heart
The OmniHeart-study1, published in the prominent Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), indicates that by partially replacing carbohydrates in the diet with proteins reduces blood pressure and blood cholesterol. Major sources of vegetable proteins include soya, nuts, seeds and beans. People with low blood pressure and low cholesterol run less risk of heart and vascular disease.
Over 160 American volunteers with pre-hypertension or stage-1 hypertension participated in the OmniHeart-study. The study was funded by, amongst others, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Professor Lawrence J. Appel of The Johns Hopkins University and his team compared the effect of three different diets on cardiovascular health.
The three selected diets are already recommended for patients with cardiovascular problems because they all are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt while being rich in fruit, vegetables, fibres and various minerals.
The following features distinguish the three diets: the first contains a higher proportion of carbohydrates; the second is richer in mono-unsaturated fatty acids; and the third in vegetable proteins.
The results confirm the positive effects of the three diets on health: they lower blood pressure and cholesterol. However, if the carbohydrates are replaced in the diet with vegetable proteins - through the integration of soya, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds - this has additional positive health effects. These positive effects are moreover greater than those in the diet rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids.
The researchers conclude that the results of this study closely fit with the results of the recently published Intermap-study2 that claims that consuming vegetable protein is linked to significant reduction in blood pressure.
Source: Appel et al. Effects of Protein, Monounsaturated Fat, and Carbohydrate Intake on Blood Pressure and Serum Lipids, JAMA, November 2005, Vol. 294(19), page. 2455- 2464.
Elliot et al., Association Between Protein Intake and Blood Pressure, Archives of Internal Medicine 2006, January, Vol. 166, page. 79-87.
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MARCH 2006
Diet rich in vegetables reduces the risk of prostate cancer
A diet that is rich in phytoestrogens can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 26%. This is the result of a Swedish survey into the link between the risk of prostate cancer and the consumption of phytoestrogens.
Phytoestrogens occur naturally in vegetables. Examples are isoflavones from soy and lignan from flax seed and rye bread. Scientific research has already linked these plant chemicals to a reduced risk of the development of prostate cancer.
A Swedish survey was carried out into the link between phytoestrogens and the risk of prostate cancer. A comparison was made in the diets of 1499 Swedish males with prostate cancer and 1230 healthy males.
The research revealed that the people with the highest consumption of foods that are rich in phytoestrogens (such as soy, beans, nuts, berries, sunflower seeds, flax seed, etc.) had 26% less risk of developing prostate cancer. The hypothesis that foods rich in phytoestrogens can be linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer is backed up by this survey.
The results of this survey are published in Cancer Causes and Control (2006) 17:169-180. ¨
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APRIL 2006
Young, healthy men benefit from eating soy
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published the results of a survey into the relationship between soya consumption and the blood lipid profile of young, healthy men. The research revealed that soya consumption among this sample group had a positive impact on the ratio of good cholesterol to bad and could provide protection in the long term against cardio-vascular dieseases
Until now most surveys into the relationship between soya consumption and blood lipids, were carried out among people who had high blood cholesterol levels at the start of the survey. Given the large number of surveys that revealed the positive effect of soya consumption on blood cholesterol levels, the Food and Drug Administration and the Joint Health Claim Initiative approved a health claim in 1999 and 2002 respectively.
This current research studies whether the same positive effect is apparent among young, healthy men. In order to verify this, only healthy men between 20 and 40 were recruited. This sample group had to consume 32 grams of protein each day for three specific periods of time. This protein was consumed in the form of milk proteins, soya proteins with low isoflavone content or soya proteins with high isoflavone content. The tests were carried out during three periods of 57 days with a four-week interval each time.
As the blood lipids of these healthy men fell into the normal range before the start of the survey, it was not possible to confirm any effects on the individual blood lipids. The survey does reveal however, that soya consumption has a positive effect on the ratio of good cholesterol to bad.
Over the long term a better ratio of the different blood lipids will result in a reduced risk of developing cardio-vascular diseasess. These positive effects of soya consumption occurred irrespective of isoflavone content. Researchers concluded that soya protein itself is what generates the positive effect on the ratio of good cholesterol to bad.
“This research confirms yet again that soya should be included in any healthy diet. Soya can have a positive impact on everyone’s health in the long term” stated Christine Debeuf, International Science & Nutrition Manager at Alpro Soya.
The results of this research were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006); 83; 244-51.
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MAY 2006
Different scientific surveys reveal that vegetarians are slimmer than carnivores. A new survey carried out in the U.K. reveals that annual weight gain is lower among vegetarians. Researchers found that the most positive influence on weight was found among participants who switched to a vegetarian diet.
21,966 healthy men and women in the UK took part in this survey. Researchers monitored everything that they ate over a period of five years. The participants were split up into separate groups according to their eating habits (carnivores – fish eaters – vegetarians – vegans). The groups were then compared.
The researchers monitored the weight and height of the participants at regular intervals. The body mass index and the annual weight gain were also measured. The average weight gained by all participants per year amounted to 400g. When the different groups were compared however, the researchers noticed that the weight gain among vegetarians was lower. The lowest annual weight gain was recorded among those who switched from being carnivores to fish eaters, vegetarians and vegans.
The results of those participants who, in addition to changing their diet, also carried out physical activities, was even better. The researchers also concluded that a vegetarian diet combined with sufficient physical activity is the best recommendation for people suffering from obesity and overweight.
“A simple way to switch to a more vegetarian diet is to replace dairy foods with soya dairy free alternatives,” stated Christine Debeuf, International Science & Nutrition Manager at Alpro Soja.
Reference:
Rossel et al., Weight gain over 5 years in 21 966 meat-eating, fish-eating, vegetarian, and vegan men and women in EPIC-Oxford., International Journal of Obesity (2006), 14: 1-8.
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JUNE 2006
The 14th International Symposium on Atherosclerosis (ISA), which took place in Rome, stresses the increasingly important role of healthy eating. Vegetable protein has a central role in the prevention of cardio-vascular disease. The Alpro Foundation organised a session in which 5 international experts gave their views on this topic.
Healthy eating is playing a crucial role in the prevention of cardio-vascular disease.
In 2003 the ‘Third Joint Task force of European and other Societies on CVD prevention in clinical practice’ formulated nutritional recommendations. Prof. De Backer (Ghent University, Belgium) investigated how these nutritional recommendations were implemented in practice. He shows that this is not always simple. Nevertheless he recommends that efforts should certainly be made to change the eating habits of patients who have an increased risk.
A great deal of researh is now being done to gain a better insight into the possible mechanisms of action of certain vegetable components. Dr. Lovati of the University of Milan (Italy) discussed how the soya protein, and in particular the 7S soy globulin, could be responsible for the cholesterol-lowering characteristics of soya.
Dr. Kersten of Wageningen University (The Netherlands) examined how PPAR’s could play a significant role in a number of metabolic processes in our body and in particular determine what the effect of soya isoflavones could be on this.
Prof. Sanders (King’s College, London, UK) showed that soya, in addition to its cholesterol-lowering properties, can also have other favourable effects in the domain of cardio-vascular diseases.
Soya consumption by children suffering from hypercholesterolemia can also have a favourable effect on cardio-vascular risk, as appears from the research conducted by Prof. Widhalm (Med. Univ. Vienna, Austria).
The chairman of this Alpro Foundation symposium, Prof. Sirtori (University of Milan, Italy), is a member of the scientific board of the Alpro Foundation and also president of the ISA. Professor Sirtori is one of the pioneers in European research into the cholesterol-lowering role played by soy in the prevention of cardio-vascular disease.
More than 10,000 doctors and specialists from all over the world have gathered in Rome for the ISA to share and improve their knowledge about atherosclerosis.
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JULY 2006
Postmenopausal women appear to suffer less from depression and are able to perform better intellectually if they consume soya on a daily basis. This is the conclusion of a recently published Italian survey.
Ageing is often accompanied by depression and a loss of memory and learning ability. Soya contains isoflavones that may have a positive influence on the central nervous system. For these reasons an Italian survey has looked into the effects of isoflavones on mood and cognitive functions among postmenopausal women.
78 postmenopausal women with an average age of 50 were split up into two groups. One group was given 60 mg of isoflavones each day during a six-month period; the other group was given a placebo. After a clean-out period of one month the roles were reversed. Each participant therefore was given isoflavones for six months and a placebo for the other six months. The amount of isoflavones used in the research is equivalent to that provided by approximately 500 to 750 ml of soya milk.
At the end of each of the test periods, the Italian researchers put the participants through a number of standard tests to measure mood and cognitive functions. This provided 25 test scores. What emerged? After the period when the participants were given isoflavones, 22 of the 25 scores were better than the period when they were given the placebo. 13 of the scores reached statistical significance. At the end of the research the participants
The researchers concluded that isoflavones have a positive influence on mood and cognitive functions. They can improve the quality of life of post-menopausal women.
Source: Casini et al. Psychological assessment of the effects of treatment with phytoestrogens on postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study. Fertility and Sterility, 2006: 85(4); 972-978.
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AUGUST 2006
A new placebo-controlled intervention study shows that isoflavones from soya can significantly reduce bone loss in postmenopausal women. The positive effect of soya on the vertebrae and femur in particular has been established.
Approximately one in three postmenopausal women has to battle against osteoporosis, the primary cause of which is reduced oestrogen levels during this period. Various epidemiological studies have already shown a possible connection between soya consumption and a lower prevalence of osteoporosis.
Ye and his team of researchers examined the effect of soya isoflavones on bone-loss in 90 postmenopausal women all aged between 45 and 60 years old. These women were placed into three random groups. The first group received a placebo for six months, the second group received 84 mg of isoflavones daily and the third group received 126 mg of isoflavones each day. The participants themselves did not know which group they belonged to.
The women's bone mineral density (BMD) was measured before the study began and again six months later. The researchers established a favourable effect on the bones in the two groups of women who received a daily dose of soya-isoflavones. Thanks to (sounds a bit odd maybe too opinionated rather than reporting – suggest instead
"The isoflavones had an effect of curbing bone loss in the vertebrae and femur."
the isoflavones, bone loss in the vertebrae and femur was curbed. The effect proved to be significant and dependent on the dose on a linear basis: the higher the daily intake of soya isoflavones, the more positive the effect on these bones.
In relation to these results and considering previously published studies, the researchers suggest an optimum amount of isoflavones ranging from 80 to 90 mg per day. This amount corresponds to around 700 ml of soya milk, which is in line with the recommended amount in a healthy diet.
Source: Ye YB, Tang XY, Verbruggen MA, Su YX. Soy isoflavones attenuate bone loss in early postmenopausal Chinese women: A single-blind randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Eur J Nutr 2006.
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SEPTEMBER 2006
Protein from soya has a favourable effect on the blood lipids of adults with and without hypercholesterolemia. This is apparent from a meta-analysis of 41 intervention studies published in the leading American Journal of Cardiology. Consumption of soya protein is connected with a significant lowering of the total cholesterol level, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and a significant rise in the HDL cholesterol level.
The results of 41 randomised controlled intervention studies carried out world-wide between 1982 and 2004 were evaluated in the meta-analysis. A total of 1,756 people were involved in these studies. The quantity of soya protein in the studies varied between 20g and over 61g per day.
Consumption of soya protein appears to be connected with a significant lowering of the total cholesterol level (by 5.6mg/dL). It also significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels (by 4.25mg/dlL and triglyceride levels (by 6.26mg/dlL. The HDL cholesterol level rose significantly (by 0.77mg/dl).
A raised cholesterol level is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular complaints . It is generally accepted that a 1% fall in cholesterol is connected with a 2% lower risk of cardio-vascular disease. It us apparent from the meta-analysis that soya protein is able to lower the total cholesterol level by approximately 2 to 4%. When converted, this would imply a 4 to 8% lower risk of cardio-vascular disease.
The researchers also claim that foods high in unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol can have an effect on coronary risk factors.
“Soya products are by nature high in unsaturated fats, low in saturated fats and do not contain any cholesterol. They therefore match the authors’ recommendations perfectly,” states Christine Debeuf, International Science & Nutrition Manager at Alpro soya. “The health claim that soya consumption lowers blood cholesterol levels was substantiated in 1999 in the United States. The United Kingdom followed in 2002. The results of this meta-analysis confirm the cholesterol-lowering effect of soya and support the value of soya in food that is good for the heart.”
Source: Reynolds K, Chin A, Lees KA, Nguyen A, Bujnowski D, He J. A meta-analysis of the effect of soya protein supplementation on serum lipids. Am J Cardiol 2006; 98:633-40.
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DECEMBER 2006
Soya intake in childhood reduces the risk of developing breast cancer during adulthood by up to 58%. This is the conclusion of a study performed by the American National Cancer Institute.
The incidence of breast cancer is four to seven times higher in the United States (US) than in China or Japan. When Asian women immigrate to the US however, the risk of developing breast cancer rises to the same level as that of their American counterparts in just a few generations. This indicates that non-genetic factors impact the development of breast cancer. Dietary factors such as soya intake might contribute to this.
Recently researchers investigated the influence of soya intake on the risk of developing breast cancer. 1,563 Asian American women (597 with breast cancer and 966 without), all between the ages of 25 and 55, took part in this case control study, which took into account soya intake in childhood, during adolescence and adulthood. The study results suggest that soya intake is correlated with a lower risk of developing breast cancer. This applies during childhood, adolescence as well as adulthood. The relation with soya intake during childhood is the highest. The researchers established that the likelihood of developing breast cancer dropped by up to 58%. These positive effects were observed in women with a family history of breast cancer as well as women without this family history.
“This study shows that soya – as part of a healthy diet – can have an extremely important impact on your health,” says Christine Debeuf, International Science & Nutrition Manager of Alpro soya. “Soya can be easily integrated into your daily diet thanks to the large variety of soya products: drinks, desserts, yofu, cuisine, etc.”
Source: Korde et al. Childhood soy intake and breast cancer risk in Asian-American women, presented at the Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Congress – November 12-15 2006, Boston.
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