Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 28 No. 2 P. 50
We hear a lot about the virtues of plant-based diets, and one common misunderstanding is that it’s an all-or-none deal. It’s not. You can include more plants and plant-based foods in your diet without excluding all animal products. Soy foods are a great plant-based option to weave into most diets. This may include soy milk, tofu, tempeh, edamame, or other products.
Over the past few decades, there’s been conflicting information written about soy foods. However, there’s an abundance of evidence that the isoflavones in soy foods support health.
A recent review1 from the American Society for Nutrition showed the following:
- soy may lower risk of heart disease, particularly for women;
- soy isoflavones may reduce the risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer; and
- soy isoflavones may help reduce the hot flashes that many women experience during perimenopause and menopause.
Soy isoflavones—a type of phytoestrogen—are similar in structure to human estrogen but have not been shown to interfere with the body’s estrogen.2 The negative perceptions about these isoflavones mostly stems from conclusions derived from rodent studies. These studies have limited application to humans. No human study has ever replicated the negative risks that have occurred in rodents.
Soy isn’t just a healthy addition to the diet for women; a systematic review and meta-analysis3 concluded that soy may reduce risk for prostate cancer.
Finally, including soy in the diet has been shown to reduce CVD risk through multiple mechanisms, including lowering blood cholesterol. When soy foods are added to the diet, they often displace less healthy foods. Numerous studies have shown that intake of soy isoflavones lowers the risk of coronary heart disease.4
This recipe, adapted from the Soyfoods Council, adds tofu to a familiar stuffed shells recipe alongside cheese and your favorite tomato sauce. They are just as delicious and have a similar texture to traditional shells that are stuffed with ricotta cheese.
— Rosanne Rust, MS, RDN, is an award-winning dietitian, author, blogger, and the creator of Chew the Facts®. She has served as a nutrition advisor to agricultural and commodity boards and the food service industry. She’s been crafting food and nutrition messages for over 30 years and has written several books including The GLP-1 Kitchen, DASH Diet For Dummies®, and Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies®. Find her on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter @chewthefacts, or visit her website at www.rustnutrition.com.
References
1. Graber E. New research confirms health benefits of soy consumption for women. American Society for Nutrition website. https://nutrition.org/new-research-confirms-health-benefits-of-soy-consumption-for-women/. Published April 24, 2025. Accessed December 11, 2025.
2. Viscardi G, Back S, Ahmed A, et al. Effect of soy isoflavones on measures of estrogenicity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Adv Nutr. 2025;16(1):100327.
3. Yan L, Spitznagel EL. Soy consumption and prostate cancer risk in men: a revisit of a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89(4):1155-1163.
4. Naghshi S, Tutunchi H, Yousefi M, et al. Soy isoflavone intake and risk of cardiovascular disease in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2024;64(18):6087-6101.