Research published in Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology suggests that while a diet rich in soy foods may be cardioprotective, soy isoflavones by themselves will not produce much effect. At the conclusion of this animal study, those eating the soy protein had 50% less damaged LDL (bad cholesterol) in their coronary arteries compared to those given either the milk-based diet or the milk-based diet supplemented with isoflavones. Researchers noted that the reduced LDL cholesterol seen in the carotid arteries with soy was due to decreased delivery of LDL to the arteries, which could partly explain the soy's cardioprotective effects. Once again, it appears that the combination of nutrients Mother Nature supplies in whole foods is better calibrated to promote health than are components of whole foods extracted from the matrix in which they function as part of a comprehensive whole.