Ideally, you’d like what’s called a “selective estrogen receptor modulator” in your body that would have proestrogenic effects in some tissues and antiestrogenic effects in others. Well, that’s what soy phytoestrogens appear to be.132 Soy seems to lower breast cancer risk,133 an antiestrogenic effect, but can also help reduce menopausal hot-flash symptoms,134 a proestrogenic effect. So, by eating soy, you may be able to enjoy the best of both worlds.
