Research: Heart Health
Striking tens of thousands of women yearly, heart disease is the number one killer of post-menopausal women in the United States. This disease occurs when blood vessels become narrowed or restricted and blood cannot reach the heart or brain resulting in a heart attack or stroke.
There is growing evidence that flaxseed and soy can reduce many of the risk factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease.
Bowman School of Medicine in North Carolina has found that soy lowers both blood cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
A study of 1,242 men and 3,596 women showed that an increased intake of soy product resulted in a decreased total cholesterol level of concentration.
According to a report from the University of Toronto, total cholesterol levels dropped 9% when a group of nine healthy women ate 50 grams of milled flaxseed everyday for four weeks (as flour cooked into bread) along with their regular diets.
Fifty grams of flaxseed (eaten daily in muffins) were given to men and women. Their lowered total cholesterol showed a constant trend of about 11-16% lower serum lipids (fats in the blood).
As part of a low-fat and balanced diet, soy has numerous heart-healthy benefits. When consumed daily, soy can lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure levels. In randomized controlled trials, soy-protein supplements have consistently lowered total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein ( LDL) or "bad" cholesterol in perimenopausal women, and in most cases increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or "good" cholesterol. Soy has also been shown to improve the elasticity of blood vessels and to lower systolic blood pressure.
In October 1999 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a report stating that there is evidence that soy protein can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The report stated that clinical trials have shown that consuming 25 grams of soy protein daily compared to other proteins such as those from milk or meat, can lower total and LDL-cholesterol levels.
Flaxseed also helps reduce cholesterol. The fiber in flaxseed is 24% water soluble which helps maintain blood glucose levels and lower blood cholesterol levels. Fiber lowers cholesterol because it prevents cholesterol and bile acids from being reabsorbed into our body from our intestine. Cholesterol and bile acids attach to fiber and are carried out of our body with solid wastes. In addition, flaxseed is high in omega-3 fatty acids and is thought to help prevent death from heart disease by making the blood less 'sticky' and thereby less likely to form clots. |
