Soya, soya isoflavones and health effects

Soya foods are very popular not only in Asia but now also in Europe and the USA – not least because of the trend towards vegan and vegetarian diets as well as for sustainability reasons to reduce meat consumption. Soya products are versatile in the kitchen and enrich a plant-based diet due to their high nutrient density and biological value of the protein. In particular, the high phytestrogen content has a number of health-promoting effects [1–3]. At the same time, however, it is precisely this content that makes people feel unsure since the opposite is often claimed on the internet and in social media, as it is shown in the review of over 500 prints, online and social media clippings in the period from October to December 2018 [4]. In particular, feminisation in men, reduced fertility, breast cancer-promoting properties and adverse effects on thyroid function are concerns. However, the current scientific literature does not confirm this but rather points to the positive health effects of soya foods and ingredients.