An Iowa State University professor helped create a website which lists soybean-based foods which could help reduce heart disease and cancer.Federal officials recently allowed product labels to proclaim the benefits of consuming “soy.” I-S-U Food Science and Human Nutrition Professor Patricia Murphy help create the database of soy foods.Murphy helped identify compounds called isoflavones in soy products. Researchers believe isoflavones act like estrogen — helping to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Murphy’s research, a joint venture with the U-S Department of Agriculture, initially examined 160 soy products. Murphy expects to see several more as manufacturers look to capitalize on soy’s health benefits.Murphy says the health benefits of eating soy won’t be enough to sell every product and manufacturers will take that into account.She expects the flavor problems to be solved as more products are developed. Murphy says the website is a guide to help you include soy products in your diet. But Murphy says no one advocates a diet composed totally of soy products. She says the FDA recommends 3-4 modest servings of soy per day.You can find the isoflavones database on the U-S-D-A’s webpage at:www.nal.usda.gov
