Soybeans significantly lower cholesterol… Same effect as medicine?

Soybean ‘peptide’ reduces lipid accumulation by 50-70%… A level similar to that of the drug ‘statin’

input 2023.01.30 07:10 Modify 2023.01.29 23:25
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input 2023.01.30 07:10Modify 2023.01.29 23:25
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There are more than 2500 varieties of soybeans worldwide. Among the main proteins in soybeans, soybeans with high levels of ‘beta-conglycinin’, which has a great cholesterol-lowering effect, are likely to become very popular in the future. [사진=게티이미지뱅크]

Soybean (soybean) protein has been shown to be as effective as statins, a treatment for hyperlipidemia (hypercholesterolemia), rather than simply lowering cholesterol. This is the result of a gastrointestinal digestion simulation experiment (imitation experiment) conducted by a research team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) on 19 types of soybeans.

Previous studies have shown that eating beans can reduce LDL cholesterol levels by up to 4%. There are more than 2500 types of soybeans worldwide. The research team attributed the positive effects of soybeans to the human body to two proteins (glycinin and beta-conglycinin). The research team selected 19 soybeans with different levels of glycinin and beta-conglycinin. After grinding these beans with a grinder and degreasing them into powder, the soybean powder was mixed with digestive juices and digestive enzymes in the mouth, stomach, duodenum, and colon, and a gastrointestinal digestion simulation experiment was conducted using fat cells. After conducting a simulation experiment for each bean flour variety, the research team measured how well bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) was absorbed.

In particular, soybeans with high levels of ‘beta-conglycinin’ will become very popular in the future

As a result of the study, it was found that the peptides of digested soybean flour (polymers in which two or more amino acids, which are important components of protein) are combined, can reduce the accumulation of lipids in the body by 50 to 70%. This level is almost the same as ‘statin’, a hyperlipidemic drug that reduces lipid accumulation by 60%. It was also shown that soybeans with higher beta-conglycinin levels than glycinin levels were able to regulate cholesterol metabolism much better and inhibit fatty acid oxidation. This means that consuming soybeans with high levels of beta-conglycinin can be even more helpful in strengthening the liver and cardiovascular system.

UIUC Professor Elvira de Maizi (Food Science), the first author of the study, emphasized, “If you choose beans well and consume enough, it is very helpful in preventing atherosclerosis by lowering bad cholesterol.” Atherosclerosis accounts for regarding 85% of cardiovascular diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends keeping LDL cholesterol levels below 100 mg/dL as much as possible, but less than 130 mg/dL is normal.

The results of this study (Selected Soybean Varieties Regulate Hepatic LDL-Cholesterol Homeostasis Depending on Their Glycinin: β-Conglycinin Ratio) were published in the international journal ≪Antioxidant≫ and introduced by ‘Medical News Today’, a British health and medical media.

almonds besides beansEat nuts, such as walnuts, and oats

Dr. Jane Morgan, a cardiologist in Atlanta, USA, said, “Until now, soybeans were known to lower triglycerides (triglycerides), total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol.” Isabel Vasquez, a registered dietitian in Houston, said, “It is good for health to eat not only beans but also nuts and oats.” According to the results of previous studies, soybean protein peptides, such as soybeans, black beans, and kidney beans, are good for preventing high blood pressure by interfering with the function of compounds that increase blood pressure. Abundant lipid components and phytic acid lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.