Phytoestrogens mainly include four types: isoflavones, flavonoids, coumarins, and lignans. Among them, isoflavones are abundant in soybeans and their products, while lignans are abundant in flaxseeds. Studies have shown that phytoestrogens have potential protective effects on breast cancer, prostate cancer, and cardiovascular diseases, and have certain protective effects on osteoporosis and menopausal syndrome. At the same time, flavonoids and lignans also have antioxidant functions.
Soybeans contain natural estrogens, a substance similar to female hormones—soy isoflavones. As a natural plant estrogen, it can serve as a good alternative to hormones; at the same time, soybeans contain soy saponins, which can increase the content of SOD in the body, remove harmful free radicals, and have antioxidant and lipid-lowering effects. To a certain extent, it has a certain inhibitory effect on the occurrence of hormone-dependent diseases such as breast tumors. Therefore, soybeans are a very healthy food for most women. According to research: postmenopausal women who increase their daily intake of soybeans can delay the time of menopause, alleviate various symptoms such as irritability, insomnia, and cardiovascular dysfunction during menopause, and reduce the incidence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal elderly women. For patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, if the estrogen level in the body is low, the proportion of soybeans in the daily diet can be appropriately increased to cooperate with the treatment to maintain normal ovarian function.
Flaxseeds are rich in flax lignans and have a good regulatory effect on hormone-dependent target cells. They can accelerate the metabolism of estrogen and also have the effects of anti-atherosclerosis, lowering blood pressure, and anti-cancer. For postmenopausal women, due to the decrease in estrogen levels, their protective effect on blood vessels in the body is also reduced. Appropriately increasing the intake of flaxseed oil can alleviate the increase in blood pressure and the hardening of blood vessels to a certain extent, reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular events, and also prevent the occurrence of colon cancer.
Many foods are rich in phytoestrogens, such as flaxseeds, soybeans, tofu, sesame, garlic, mung bean sprouts,
apricots, sunflower seeds, chestnuts, olive oil, almonds, green beans. Foods with high lignan content include garlic, licorice, pistachios, chestnuts, winter bamboo shoots, cabbage, broccoli, cashews, and walnuts.
No matter how good a food is, excessive consumption will not have a positive effect on the body. Therefore, in daily life, a balanced diet should be adopted. If nutrients can be obtained from food, there is no need to take health supplements. On the contrary, excessive intake of health supplements containing estrogen-like effects can also lead to some diseases. For example, giving health supplements to children too early may lead to precocious puberty. Patients with uterine fibroids who take estrogen-containing health supplements may experience the growth of uterine fibroids. Patients with poor liver and kidney function who consume too many soy products and flaxseed oil may lead to the deterioration of liver and kidney function. Therefore, the principle of a balanced and reasonable diet should be upheld to ensure normal body functions.