This Overlooked Plant Compound Could Benefit Blood Sugar, Study Shows
Key takeaways
- But a prospective cohort study1 is adding some important nuance to that conversation.
- Researchers found that adults who ate more soy isoflavones (plant compounds found in soy foods that may help fight inflammation and support metabolic health) had a meaningfully lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Isoflavones are phytoestrogens predominantly found in legumes.
Why this matters: practical guidance grounded in recent research or expert insight.
Author: Zhané Slambee June 21, 2026mindbodygreen editor By Zhané Slambee Image by Kristin Teig / Contributor June 21, 2026Soy has had a complicated reputation in the health world, celebrated by some and avoided by others. But a prospective cohort study1 is adding some important nuance to that conversation.
Researchers found that adults who ate more soy isoflavones (plant compounds found in soy foods that may help fight inflammation and support metabolic health) had a meaningfully lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Isoflavones are phytoestrogens predominantly found in legumes. Through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hormone-regulating properties, they've shown potential for chronic disease prevention, though most prior research on isoflavones and diabetes risk has focused on postmenopausal women in cross-sectional or case-control designs.