Several investigators have suggested that soy food
consumption may contribute to lower rates of certain
chronic diseases such as hormone-dependent cancers,
certain cardiovascular diseases, and osteoporosis. The
lower incidence of certain diseases has been reported in
Asian countries where soybean consumption is high
(average intake of isoflavones is 40–80 mg per day)
[1–3]. Soy foods are suggested to provide a protective
effect on the breast, intestine, liver, bladder, prostate,
skin and stomach from cancer development [4,5].
Genistein, which possesses weak estrogenic activity, has
been shown to act in animal models as an anti-estrogen
and, therefore, may play a protective role in hormonally-
influenced cancers, such as breast cancer [6,7].