Soy Milk Better Than Cow’s Milk for Cardiovascular Health
![soy-health-environment](/sites/default/files/2018-09/soy-health-environment.jpg)
A new meta-analysis of 17 clinical trials found that soy milk is beneficial for cardiometabolic health.1 Replacing 500 milliliters (about 2 cups) of cow’s milk with soy milk significantly lowered LDL cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and c-reactive protein, which is a marker of inflammation. The plant estrogens found in soy products are also associated with a lower risk of breast and prostate cancer.2,3
References
- Erlich MN, Ghidanac D, Blanco Mejia S, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials of substituting soymilk for cow's milk and intermediate cardiometabolic outcomes: understanding the impact of dairy alternatives in the transition to plant-based diets on cardiometabolic health. BMC Med. 2024;22(1):336. doi:10.1186/s12916-024-03524-7
- Applegate CC, Rowles JL, Ranard KM, Jeon S, Erdman JW. Soy consumption and the risk of prostate cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients. 2018;10(1):40. doi:10.3390/nu10010040
- Boutas I, Kontogeorgi A, Dimitrakakis C, Kalantaridou SN. soy isoflavones and breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis. In Vivo. 2022;36(2):556-562. doi:10.21873/invivo.12737