This fact sheet provides basic information about soy—uses, potential side
effects, and resources for more information. Soy, a plant in the pea family, has
been common in Asian diets for thousands of years. It is found in modern
American diets as a food or food additive. Soybeans, the high-protein seeds of
the soy plant, contain isoflavones-compounds similar to the female hormone
estrogen. The following information highlights what is known about soy when used
by adults for health purposes.
Common Names—soy
Latin Names—Glycine max
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What It Is Used For
People use soy products to prevent or treat a variety of health conditions,
including high cholesterol levels, menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes,
osteoporosis, memory problems, high blood pressure, breast cancer, and prostate
cancer.
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