Some herbs are known to react with your medication. Please consult your physician before starting on any herb.

Soy, a staple food, contains valuable constituents, including protein, isoflavones, saponins, and phytosterols. Soy protein provides most of the essential amino acids. It’s also low in fat and cholesterol-free. 

The isoflavones in soy, primarily genistein and daidzein, have been well researched by scientists for their antioxidant and phytoestrogenic properties. Saponins enhance immune function and bind to cholesterol to limit its absorption in the intestine.

Phytosterols and other components of soy have been reported to lower cholesterol levels.

Isoflavones may reduce the risk of hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer, as well as other cancers. Both animal and human studies have confirmed this.

Weak diaphoretic, calmative

Soy is useful for:

• cancer risk reduction
• high cholesterol
• menopause
• vaginitis

Soy and Reduction in Cholesterol:
A meta-analysis study that pooled thirty-eight trials for reanalysis reported that a soy diet led to cholesterol reductions in 89% of the studies. Increasing soy intake was associated with a 23 mg per deciliter drop in total cholesterol levels.

Soy Beans and Breast Cancer:
Eating lots of beans may help protect you from breast cancer, possibly because they contain so-called phytoestrogens that help block the activity of cancer-promoting estrogen.

Soybeans contain compounds that can manipulate estrogen as well as directly inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, theoretically reducing the risk of breast cancer in women of all ages. One soybean compound, in fact, is quite similar chemically to the drug tamoxifen, given to certain women to help prevent breast cancer and its spread.

Animal studies have shown that the soybean's phytoestrogens counteract cancer-promoting estrogen much the same way tamoxifen does. Researchers believe that soybean's most active anticancer agent is genistein. This was found to prevent breast tumors in animals. Human studies are in progress.

Soy and Menopausal Symptoms:
The mild estrogen activity of soy isoflavones may ease menopause symptoms for some women, without creating estrogen-related problems.

Miso and Vegetarians:
Vegetarians who exclude all animal protein and dairy can become deficient in vitamin B12. The bacteria in naturally fermented miso have been found to manufacture vitamin B12, making miso paste an important vegetarian food.

Improves Digestion:
Miso is used to relieve acid indigestion, symptoms of hangover, and other digestive upsets. Because of this, it is used with ginger and/or garlic to prevent and/or cure colds, improve digestive metabolism, increase resistance to parasite infestations (which tend to occur in an acid environments), and neutralize blood toxins and therefore clear the skin.