Switching to soy flour doesn’t help improve cholesterol levels, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers compared muffins made with soy protein, with a mixture of soy and wheat, and with a whey-protein control on 213 adults with elevated LDL cholesterol. After six weeks, neither group getting extra soy showed any significant cholesterol benefit compared to the control group. No difference was seen, either, in a wide range of cardiovascular measurements. The findings, says Tufts expert Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, may be the “final nail in the coffin” for hopes that soy protein might protect against heart disease.
