Soy foods, praised for their preventative qualities, are adored by some and deemed disgusting by others.”[Tofu] tastes like creamy, chalky, blah,” said Kurt Rietema, senior in landscape architecture.Rietema said he would not add tofu to his diet because it “has no taste.”While soy foods such as tofu and soy milk may not be known for their taste, experts said they are continually impressed with soy’s ability to prevent some of the most common diseases among Americans, including heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis.Soy prevents heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol, said Patricia Murphy, professor of food science and human nutrition. If four servings of soy are consumed a day, there is “good evidence that total cholesterol will go down, even in college students,” she said. One serving of soy is equivalent to one cup of soy milk, or two to three ounces of tofu, she said.Isoflavones in soy prevent osteoporosis by decreasing bone loss, Murphy said. Less calcium is also lost in the urine when soy protein is consumed instead of animal protein, she said.The isoflavones found in soy products have been shown to prevent cancer, but only if soy is consumed over a long period of time, Murphy said. Consuming soy foods early in life appears to be key in preventing these diseases, found most commonly among the elderly, she said.”We see a protective effect in those consuming soy their whole lives,” she said. “We don’t see an effect in those starting [to eat soy foods] in their 40s and 50s,” she said.Stephanie Eiesland, senior in nutritional science, said she eats soy foods daily.”I eat tofu, soy milk, soy nuts and soy burgers,” she said.Eiesland said she loves soy for many reasons, and taste is one of them.”A lot of people think I eat it just for the health benefits, but I really do like the taste,” she said.Another reason she makes soy a part of her daily diet is its versatility. Eiesland said her favorite soy food is tofu stir-fry, but she also enjoys tofu smoothies, tofu and eggs, tofu in lasagna and soup and tofu as a pizza topping.While soy in its natural form is helpful, soy isoflavone extracts may be harmful to health, Murphy said. When isoflavone extracts are taken, more isoflavones than are naturally found in foods are consumed, and little is known about what happens when soy is consumed at these levels, she said.For those who are interested in the health benefits of soy but are still afraid of how it may taste, there are certain foods considered safer than others.Soy nuts and Silk-brand chocolate soy milk are two products Lester Wilson, professor of food science and human nutrition, recommends for soy rookies. He said he also recommends using tofu to replace eggs or using it instead of cream cheese in cheesecake.Murphy also said frozen soy-containing TV dinners, soy yogurt and soy peas are great alternatives. Soy peas are relatively new and can be found in the frozen-food section, she said. The peas actually are green immature soybeans and have a very buttery taste, Murphy said.The FDA’s health claim that 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease has caused an explosion of new soy foods to the market, and many of these new foods can be found in grocery stores, Murphy said.Tom Gard, manager at the West Ames Hy-Vee, 3800 W. Lincoln Way, said the store sells soy products ranging from soy nuts and garden burgers to soy salad dressing.Gard said Hy-Vee carries “every popular new item we can,” and that many of these items contain soy, because food trends are moving toward a healthy lifestyle.”It’s not pork and beans yet, but [soy foods] are getting more popular,” he said.