Soy foods, rich in isoflavones, may improve children’s attention and thinking skills, a new study suggests.
- School-aged children who consumed more isoflavones from soy foods had better thinking and attention skills.
- Isoflavones are naturally occurring compounds found in various plants, particularly soybeans and soy products.
- Further research is needed to confirm this finding.
The phrase “Finish your tofu, it makes you think and learn faster” could well join the famous “Eat your soup, it makes you grow” in the parents’ nutritional argument. A study conducted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign shows that school-age children who consume more isoflavones from soy foods have better thinking and attention skills than others.
Soy: Isoflavones boost children’s attention
To examine the potential benefits of soy isoflavones, the researchers looked at data from a cross-sectional study of 128 children ages 7 to 13. For each young participant, they took stock of their diet by calculating average intakes of macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, and isoflavones.
In parallel, the participants underwent a series of tests measuring their attentional abilities. Their brain activity with an electroencephalogram was also recorded and used to measure the speed of information processing.
Analysis of the various data collected revealed that children consumed low amounts of soy foods containing isoflavones. However, those who ate the most showed faster responses during attentional tasks and faster processing speed. No association was observed between soy isoflavone consumption and general intellectual ability.
“Correlational studies like this are just the first step,” says lead author Ajila Bristina. “To better understand the effects of soy food consumption on children’s cognitive abilities and the precise amount of isoflavones needed to achieve faster response times, intervention approaches will be needed.”
This will also allow us to check their effects on sex hormones, metabolic health and intestinal health in young people.
Isoflavones: how to consume more?
“The children in our study consumed an average of 1.33 mg of isoflavones per day.”says lead author Ajila Bristina in a communicated. “Individual participants’ soy consumption ranged from 0 to 35 mg/day.” And given the benefits observed on cognitive abilities, it would be good to increase the presence of soy-based products on children’s plates.
The expert suggests incorporating roasted edamame, soy nuts or soy milk into menus. Nuggets made with tofu, tempeh or soy are also good options to tempt little ones, according to her.
“To put this in perspective, about 8 ounces of soy milk (one glass, editor’s note) provides about 28 mg of isoflavones, a serving of tofu provides about 35 mg, and a half-cup of steamed edamame contains about 18 mg of isoflavones,” concludes the researcher.