Soy significantly increases blood pressure

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 81, No. 1, 189-195, January 2005 and a recipe for chicken and andouille gumbo.

Study title and authors:
Randomized controlled trial of the effects of soy protein containing isoflavones on vascular function in postmenopausal women

Books:

Sanne Kreijkamp-Kaspers, Linda Kok, Michiel L Bots, Diederick E Grobbee, Johanna W Lampe and Yvonne T van der Schouw

The Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands (SK-K, LK, MLB, DEG, and YTvdS), and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle (JWL)

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/content/81/1/189.abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate whether supplementation with soy protein, a rich source of estrogen-like isoflavones, improves blood pressure and vascular function (blood flow). The study, which lasted for 12 months, involved 202 postmenopausal women aged 60–75 years old. The women had either a supplement of soy protein containing 99 mg isoflavones/d (soy group) or milk protein (placebo group).

The study revealed:
(a) Blood pressure increased in the soy group significantly more than it did in the placebo group.
(b) Vascular function remained unchanged in both groups.

To conclude: Soy did not improve vascular function, and did significantly increase blood pressure.

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Recipe of the day

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Food Mall: Andouille Sausage 

Ingredients:

◦1 head cauliflower

◦4 T butter, cubed
◦s&p
◦3 leeks*
◦3 celery stalks
◦1 green pepper
◦1 lb. Andouille sausage, chopped
◦1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped
◦6 c shrimp stock (any stock will work)
◦1/2 lb. okra
◦1 14.5 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes
◦2 T Old Bay
◦3 green onions

Method:
Get your oven to 450°F. The food processor is going to be your BFF for this recipe. Get it out! Cut out the core and leaves of the cauliflower. Roughly chop and, in batches, process the cauliflower until it resembles rice. Place on a baking sheet. Toss it around with the butter and some s&p. Roast the cauliflower rice until it’s a nice pale yellow-ish color and doesn’t taste cauliflower-y, making sure to toss it one or two times while it’s roasting. About 25 minutes.

While the cauliflower is going, add the andouille sausage to a soup/stock pot, at least 5 quarts. Saute until it’s browned, remove from the pan and place on a “holding” plate. Add the chicken and saute until it’s done…if you’re a little shy of done, no worries, it’ll continue to cook in the soup. Remove the chicken and add to the plate with the sausage.

Add the green pepper, celery stalks and leeks to the food processor and blend until everybody is in small, itty-bitty pieces. Add to the stock pot and saute until everybody has softened. Pulse up the canned tomatoes in the food processor too–I don’t like when they’re too big in the soup, I like them evenly sized and textured within the soup. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the sausage and chicken, and simmer until the okra has softened, about 20 minutes. Don’t be afraid to taste the okra for the correct done-ness–soft, but still has a crunch to it.

To serve, place a scoop of cauliflower rice in the center of a bowl, ladle around the gumbo and sprinkle with green onions. You will have more gumbo than cauliflower. So leftovers will be "soup."

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo