The Power of Beans: Preventing Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases with Soy and Legumes

2023-06-05 02:48:13

[시사뉴스 정춘옥 기자] Beans, one of the essential ingredients in Korean cuisine, are effective in preventing colon and stomach cancers and cardiovascular diseases, which are common among modern people. Isoflavones in soybeans are rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and have a similar molecular structure to the female hormone estrogen, helping to protect women’s health, especially before and following menopause.

30% or more reduction in colorectal cancer risk

High soy intake reduces the risk of colorectal cancer. According to the Korea Food Communication Forum (KOFRUM), Dr. Jeong-sun Kim’s team from the Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention at the National Cancer Center analyzed the difference in the risk of colorectal cancer according to the amount of soybean food intake among 3,000 people. A decrease of more than 1% was obtained. As a result of the study, men who consumed the most soy foods such as tofu and soy milk and legumes such as bean sprouts (more than 105 g per day) had a 33% lower risk of colorectal cancer than men who consumed the least (less than 40 g). The risk of colorectal cancer in women was 38% lower in the group that consumed the most soy foods (more than 113 g/day) compared to the group that consumed the least (less than 42 g).

It is estimated that soybean foods lower the incidence of colorectal cancer because they are rich in antioxidants and anticancer components such as isoflavones. In fact, the group that consumed the most isoflavones per day (more than 20 mg for males and 22 mg for females) had a 29% (male) and 22% higher rate of colorectal cancer, respectively, than the group with the least intake (7 mg per day for males and less than 8 mg for females). (Female) Low. Soy food’s colorectal cancer prevention effect was more prominent in postmenopausal women than in younger women. Postmenopausal women who consumed 114 grams or more of soy foods per day had a 48% lower risk of colorectal cancer than women who ate less than 43 grams per day. On the other hand, in young premenopausal women, even if they consumed a large amount of soy foods, the effect of reducing colorectal cancer was negligible.

Beans have also been proven effective in preventing stomach cancer. According to Seoul National University College of Medicine, Professor Geun-Young Yoo’s team from the Department of Preventive Medicine and Professor Kwang-Pil Ko of Gachon University’s College of Medicine conducted a cohort study to confirm that the risk of stomach cancer is lowered if soy-containing foods are frequently eaten. A dietary habit survey and blood test were conducted on 9724 general residents and followed for more than 15 years. As a result, compared to those who rarely consumed soybeans and tofu, those who ate 1 to 4 times a week or those who ate daily had a lower risk of gastric cancer. A 32% to 43% reduction in risk was found.

It can also help prevent cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease. According to a research team led by Professor Paik Baek-kyung at Kookmin University, people who consume soybeans every day have a 27% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who do not. The research team announced that it proved that physiologically active substances such as isoflavones and unsaturated fatty acids contained in tofu and soy milk have the effect of lowering the incidence of cardiovascular disease. The research team conducted a survey on 9,026 adults who had never had cardiovascular disease or cancer to track their disease status. As a result of the study, it was found that people who ate soybeans, tofu, or soy milk 2 to 5 times a week had a 12 to 14% lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who ate less than 1 serving. Eating soybeans every day significantly reduced the incidence by 27%.

In particular, it is effective for high blood pressure that occurs before and following menopause. In women around menopause, estrogen secretion decreases, blood vessels constrict and blood pressure rises. At this time, when isoflavones are ingested, nitric oxide is created to help the relaxation of vascular endothelial cells and reduce contraction, thereby lowering blood pressure.

According to a study by a research team at the University of Texas Medical Center in the United States, isoflavones in soybeans help stabilize blood pressure by regulating the physiological effects of calcium on blood pressure. The research team administered 136.6 mg of isoflavone to 99 premenopausal women for up to 2 years. As a result, the systolic blood pressure decreased by 17.7 mmHg when the calcium concentration was the highest (1.46 mg/dL), but the calcium concentration was the lowest (- 0.45 mg/dL) increased systolic blood pressure by 13.81 mmHg. On the other hand, in diastolic blood pressure, isoflavones decreased blood pressure regardless of calcium concentration. In other words, it can be interpreted that isoflavones help to normalize systolic blood pressure by interacting with calcium, and isoflavones help to reduce blood pressure in diastolic blood pressure regardless of calcium concentration.

Ingredients that relieve menopausal symptoms

Isoflavones, which have a molecular structure similar to the female hormone estrogen, are known to act effectively on various diseases such as menopausal syndrome, cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure. Isoflavones are also widely known as ingredients that relieve menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes in postmenopausal women. There is also a study that isoflavones are effective in normalizing blood pressure and improving bone density in postmenopausal women when taken with calcium.

According to a study published in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition by a research team at PLA Hospital in Beijing, China, soy isoflavones help improve osteoporosis in postmenopausal women through interaction with calcium. In the process of bone metabolism, estrogen helps prevent osteoporosis by preventing bone resorption by osteoclasts, which are cells that destroy bone. However, in the case of postmenopausal women, as estrogen decreases rapidly, bone density decreases and osteoporosis occurs. Ingestion of soy isoflavones, which have a structure similar to estrogen, is known to increase bone density by inhibiting bone resorption by osteoclasts and promoting bone formation by osteoblasts.

The research team conducted a placebo-controlled clinical trial on 160 pre- and postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia. As a result, the group ingesting isoflavone and calcium together had higher bone density, calcium, and vitamins than the group ingesting isoflavone or calcium alone. D was found to increase significantly.

In addition, according to the research results of researcher Jeong Sang-won’s team at the Food Function Research Division, black food ingredients such as black beans and black rice are effective in lowering the risk of waist circumference and abdominal obesity in adult women. The research team analyzed the relationship between black food intake and abdominal obesity in daily diet using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. confirmed that

Abdominal obesity is one of the factors of metabolic syndrome that increases the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The research team found that adult women who consumed a lot of black food had a decrease in waist circumference and a 26% reduction in the risk of abdominal obesity. In particular, it was found that the risk of abdominal obesity in adult women who consumed a lot of black beans was reduced by 29%. Black food is rich in anthocyanins with high antioxidant capacity, and is known to inhibit the accumulation of abdominal fat through interactions with other vitamins and fibers.

However, it is difficult to recommend excessive intake of soybean paste, which is the main ingredient. Dr. Kim Jeong-seon’s team at the Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention at the National Cancer Center, who published a study that the consumption of legumes significantly reduces the risk of colorectal cancer, confirmed that excessive consumption of soybean paste actually increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Professor Geun-Young Yoo of Seoul National University and Professor Gwang-Pil Ko of Gachon University College of Medicine, who announced a research result that the risk of gastric cancer was lowered in the group that consumed soybeans, also said that they might not confirm the preventive effect of soybean paste stew in case of stomach cancer. It is speculated that the high salt content is the cause, but the scientific basis is not clear. On the other hand, there are also studies showing that fermented soybean foods such as soybean paste and soybean paste are effective in vascular health and obesity, so there are still insufficient studies to understand the overall effect of salt or fermented soybean foods on health.

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