Here’s good news for any woman who wants some justification for the pleasure of enjoying tofu, edamame, soy cheese pizza, or soy lattes.
A huge meta-analysis (that’s an analysis of a number of research studies from around the world) published by the National Cancer Institute last month showed that a high intake of soy foods sharply decreased (by 14% overall) a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer. The protective effects were stronger among pre-menopausal women (30% reduction) than among menopausal (23%), but still significant for both groups. Interestingly, soy’s protective effects were not apparent in Asian countries, possibly because their soy intake was already very high.
Soy is so easy to consume in a wide variety of forms that I don’t often recommend the nutritional supplement. On the other hand, a soy latte costs around $3.50, or roughly $120 a month. If you don’t care much for tofu, soy milk, or soy cheese, consider this supplement.