Soy, the bean used in tofu, tempeh and soya milk, can reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease, a new study claims.
Soy is rich in isoflavones, a bioactive compound that interacts with genes that have a protective effect.
Earlier studies have suggested that soy helps people who already have diabetes by lowering their cholesterol levels, decreasing their blood glucose and improving their glucose tolerance.
In the latest study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts, daidzein, one of the two main isoflavones found in soy, had the same insulin-sensitising effects as anti-diabetes drugs.
(Source: Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 2009. Published online September 22; doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2009.06.012).