Edamame and tofu

Soy’s days as a cure-all may be over, but edamame still has an important place on your plate.

Foods such as tofu, soy milk, and edamame help fight heart disease when they replace fatty meats and cheeses, slashing saturated fat intake.

Soy also contains heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats, a good amount of fiber, and some important vitamins. Soy’s isoflavones, or plant estrogens, may also help prevent breast cancer.

Some researchers believe these bind with estrogen receptors, reducing your exposure to the more powerful effects of your own estrogen.

But stick with whole soy foods rather than processed foods, like patties or chips, made with soy powder. Don’t take soy supplements, which contain high and possibly dangerous amounts of isoflavones.