Ten years ago, soy products were recommended to postmenopausal women to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. New research indicates that soy may not help as much as previously thought, and a re-evaluation by the FDA may challenge soy producers’ claims about their products as heart healthy.

Many women experience sharp increases in LDL levels during menopause when their bodies no longer produce estrogen. More women also see a hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and an increased risk of heart disease.

Soy products contain isoflavens, natural compounds that mimic estrogen.  These are supposed to increase estrogen levels, and thus improve cholesterol. Keeping cholesterol in check can help coronary artery disease, the leading cause of death in American women.

For the study, 62 women under age 65 with moderate-high cholesterol were asked to increase either soy or casein (milk protein), intake for one year. While HDL (good) cholesterol levels increased slightly for women consuming soy, they experienced little or no change in LDL levels.

“The aim of this study was to examine the effects of soy protein consumption on heart disease risk in postmenopausal women,” authors of the study wrote. “These findings, as well as those from other studies, lend credence to the decision of the Food and Drug Administration to reevaluate the soy protein health claim issued a decade ago.”

Learn more about heart health, or read the study's abstract in Menopause.

You might want to resist the urge to reach for a pint of ice cream when you’re feeling blue.  New information suggests that eating junk food may actually promote depression.

Nearly 3,500 Londoners between the ages of 35 and 55 were asked about their eating habits. Analysts were able to detect diet patterns and divide participants into two groups: processed food consumers and “whole food” consumers. Several years later each group was screened for depression. People who regularly ate processed foods had a slightly higher incidence of depression.

“Our results suggest a protective effect of an overall diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish (Mediterranean-style diet) affords protection against the onset of depressive symptoms 5 years later,” study authors explain, “whereas a diet rich in processed meat, chocolates, sweet desserts, fried food, refined cereals and high-fat dairy products increases vulnerability.”

Most processed foods lack the nutrients needed to maintain a happy, healthy body. Not only does it contribute to weight gain, but it can also decrease mental alertness and inhibit normal brain function. This translates into a slew of mood and behavioral changes.

A steady diet of junk food has other risks to consider, too. Authors note that this sort of diet has also been associated with coronary heart disease and inflammation. As many as one in five Americans is affected by depression, and one in three have some form of heart disease. Limiting junk food consumption may be one way to reduce these risks.

This is the first to focus on the effects of how a person’s overall diet may be related to depression. Although further research is needed to fully understand this relationship, cutting back on unhealthy food can benefit the mind, body and spirit.

Read more in The British Journal of Psychiatry.