Phytoestrogens include:

• Isoflavones ( in legumes, particularly soybeans):
  • Genistein
  • Daidzein
  • Biochanin A
  • Formononetin
• Lignans, or resorcyclic acid lactones (in whole grain cereal food, fibers,flax seeds, and probably berries and nuts):
  • Matairesinol
  • Secoisolariciresinol
  • Enterolactone
  • Enterodiol
• Coumestans, coumestrol (in forages, clover, and legumes)
• Equol is an estrogenic substance that results when intestinal bacteria break down either formononetin or daidzein.

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Prepared Summer 1997 by Bernadene Magnuson, Ph.D.
University of Idaho, Dept. of Food Science and Toxicology - EXTOXNET FAQ Team.