Yellow soya has already been hailed for its cholesterol lowering capabilities; this is one of the reasons why frozen food manufacturer Birds Eye has added the beans to its range. However, a team of Korean researchers has shown that black soya may be even more potent in rats, and also prevents weight gain (Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, February 2007).

The researchers, led by Shin Joung Rho at Hanyang University, Seoul, allowed 32 rats to gorge on a fatty diet, supplemented with various levels of black soya. The results showed that, after two weeks, those getting 10% of their energy from black soya had gained half as much weight as those in the control group. Total blood cholesterol fell by 25% and LDL (so-called 'bad') cholesterol fell by 60% in the rats in the 10% group.

David Bender, sub-dean at the Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, thinks that the soya protein may be having an effect on fat metabolism in the liver and adipose tissue, reducing synthesis of new fatty acids and cholesterol. It is this metabolic effect that may explain the traditional Asian use of black soya in the treatment of diabetes. "The key problem in type II diabetes is impairment of insulin action, mainly as a result of excess abdominal adipose tissue - so loss of weight often improves glycaemic control," says Dr Bender.

Lynne Garton, a registered dietician and nutritionist and consultant to the Soya Protein Association, said: "Soy fits in well to a healthy balanced diet which is important in preventing diabetes - low in fat, high in fibre and a good source of complex carbohydrates."

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"As expected, high levels of BNP predicted worse outcomes in our study, but even taken this and other disease makers into account, we found that depressive symptoms were still independently associated with worse outcomes," said study lead investigator Andrew Sherwood, Ph.D., medical psychologist. "Our findings underscore the importance of assessing heart failure patients for depression, so that where treatment is indicated, both the quality and quantity of their lives may be improved.

Researchers still don't understand why depressed heart patients have worse outcomes. Among possible factors, depressed patients are known to have overly active immune systems, a decrease in the ability of their blood platelets to clot properly and a decrease in their heart's ability to react appropriately to the stresses of everyday life. Depressed patients also may be less likely to comply with their medical treatments, may not be as motivated to stick with exercise or rehabilitation programs, may miss doctor's appointments and tend to make unhealthy lifestyle choices in such areas as diet and smoking.

In an attempt to better understand the role of depression in the fate of heart patients, the researchers are currently enrolling patients in a new clinical trial to measure the effects of exercise and antidepressant medications on specific physiological indicators of heart disease. The trial, supported by the National Institutes of Health, has been dubbed UPBEAT -- short for "Understanding the Prognostic Benefits of Exercise and Anti-Depressant Therapy in persons with cardiac disease." Patients with stable coronary disease and symptoms of depression receive 16 weeks of exercise or pill therapy.

The researchers believe that the results of their current analysis, as well as their ongoing trial, will provide guidance for physicians in treating patients with heart failure and coronary artery disease who are also exhibiting signs of depression.

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