The soy bean: Components and physiological effects

The soy bean contains besides comparatively large amounts of nutritionally and physiologically valuable proteins and lipids, also a series of other minor components termed as secondary plant metabolites. In this respect most of the research focus has been directed to the group of isoflavones. Epidemiological studies as well as model and animal experiments document that the consumption of soy products/-components is accompanied by many postive physiological effects, which are discussed shortly in this paper.