The secondary metabolites of plants, except for some precursors of vitamins (e.g., β-carotene), are all non-nutrient components, and are now collectively referred to as phytochemicals.

Some scholars believe that if essential nutrients are essential for human growth and development, bone and muscle composition, etc., then, compared with essential nutrients, plant compounds are more subtle and specific in their functional role, affecting only the subtle parts of the body, such as cellular nodes, regulating metabolic pathways, etc., and thus can provide health benefits beyond basic human nutrition.

Plant-derived chemicals are diverse and complex, and can be categorized according to their chemical structure or functional characteristics. Common phytochemicals such as carotenoids, phytosterols, saponins, mustard oil glycosides, polyphenols, protease inhibitors, monoterpenes, phytoestrogens, sulfides, and phytic acid.

Soy isoflavones are a mixture of polyphenols, and food sources include various types of soybeans and their products, such as roti, soy flour, soy protein extract, dried tofu, tofu, and soy milk. Soy isoflavones are partially destroyed by methods such as baking, but are less likely to be lost by methods such as steaming.

Soy isoflavones can significantly reduce total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, apolipoprotein β, etc., and can promote the elevation of high-density lipoprotein, repair the damage caused by lipid oxidation of peripheral arterial vasculature, and inhibit the formation of atherosclerosis. Therefore, soy isoflavones have a strong lipid-lowering effect.

Soy isoflavones have estrogen-like effect, for the body with estrogen levels related to chronic diseases have obvious prevention and treatment, has a two-way regulation, that is, whether for the body estrogen levels too much or too little, food in the soy isoflavones can show benefits, especially to improve the perimenopausal syndrome.

In addition, soy isoflavones can slow down bone loss, prevent osteoporosis, and reduce the discomfort of menopause in women. Soy isoflavones also have better tumor inhibiting effects, such as breast cancer and prostate cancer.

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