A soybean protein blocks LDL cholesterol production, reducing risks of metabolic diseases

Consuming soy flour rich in the protein B-conglycinin has the potential to reduce LDL Ci cholesterol levels and lower the risk of metabolic diseases such as atherosclerosis and fatty liver disease, said Elvira de Mejia, a professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the corresponding author of the study.

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Scientists have long known of soybeans' cholesterol-lowering properties and lipid-regulating effects, and the current project investigated two soy proteins thought to be responsible for these outcomes glycinin and B-conglycinin and found the latter to be particularly significant.

The team defatted and ground into flour 19 soybean varieties, each of which contained differing proportions of the two proteins. The proportion of glycinin in these varieties ranged from 22%-60% while the B-conglycinin ratio ranged from 22%-52%.