The Soy Connection for Health Professionals

By John L. Sievenpiper, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Diabetes represents one of the most important unmet prevention and treatment challenges. Despite an armamentarium of medications, diabetes and its complications have reached epidemic proportions and are rapidly increasing. The prevalence of diabetes is now more than 10% in the U.S. and Canada and diabetes remains the leading cause of blindness, end-stage kidney disease, non-traumatic lower limb amputation, and a leading cause of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. The economic impact has been described as an “economic tsunami” which threatens to bankrupt healthcare systems and damage economies; a problem compounded by the current COVID-19 pandemic where hospital and ICU admissions and mortality are among the highest in people with diabetes and its associated co-morbidities. Read More

By Mark Messina, PhD, MS, There is a long history of researching the impact of soy on the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). In 1910, Friedenwald and Ruhrah concluded that the “soybean in some way causes a reduction in the percentage and total quantity of sugar passed in diabetic subjects on the usual dietary restrictions.” This intriguing observation may have resulted from the low carbohydrate content of the soybean, which distinguishes it from other legumes (except peanuts), which are comprised predominantly of this macronutrient. Views vary on the utility of low-carbohydrate diets for treating T2D, but there is evidence supporting their efficacy. If soyfoods are helpful for those who have T2D (or those who are at risk of developing it), their low carbohydrate content may be one reason, but it is unlikely to be the primary one. Read More

By Kaci Vohland, RDN, LD, The recently released 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans set forth recommendations to “make every bite count.” Consumption of soyfoods is recommended throughout the new guidelines Read More

By Toby Smithson, MS, RDN, LD, CDCES, FAND, Evidence continues to show that people with diabetes who adopt a plant-based eating plan such as flexitarian, vegetarian, and vegan may see improvements in blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure management and a reduction in overall mortality. Any healthy diabetes eating plan requires balancing carbohydrate, protein, and fat. For those with diabetes who choose to eat plant-based, soyfoods can be an important part of the diet because they provide high-quality protein and some are low in saturated fat. Some are also good sources of fiber. Read More