Whole Soy vs Soy Germ

The difference is the genistein

All isoflavones are not created equal. They can be extracted from the soy germ or virtually the whole soybean, and the isoflavone profiles of those concentrates are much different.

How? Of the many isoflavones that occur naturally in plants, genistein, daidzein, and glycitein are the ones primarily found in soybeans. Genistein and daidzein have the most noted effects in humans, and they are also the main isoflavones in Novasoy® soy isoflavones.

A whole soybean is much higher in genistein than the soy germ. Soybeans typically include at least 50% genistein, about 40% daidzein, and up to 10% glycitein forms.

In contrast, soy germ isoflavone products typically contain only 20% genistein, 40% daidzein, and 40% glycitein.

Soy germ products are derived from the soy hypocotyledon, which comprises only 2% of the whole soybean, making soy germ extracts naturally low in genistein.

Unlike soy germ products, soy cotyledon products are derived from more than 90% of the whole soybean, making them naturally higher in genistein.

Clinical studies show that soy isoflavone extracts made with genistein—like Novasoy brand soy isoflavones—reduce the frequency and severity of menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. Plus, evidence suggests that soy isoflavones may help promote good cardiovascular health by keeping arteries healthy.