The tradition of eating soya-based products lies in the Far East and in some regions in Africa, but today they can be found on the shelves in many developed and developing countries. Miso, tofu, tempeh, or soy sauce are traditional products based on soya or soy milk, which are consumed as fermented or nonfermented products. Soya is a plant the seeds of which are characterized by a high nutritional value and versatile possibilities of use. Soya is used to make pastes, to produce substitutes for cereal products (bread, noodles, flour) and dairy products (soy milk, cheese), and meat substitutes. It is a high-protein plant; therefore, it can advantageously replace animal protein in many diets. It is believed that the soya-rich Asian diet reduces the risk of chronic non-infectious diseases, i.e. heart diseases, osteoporosis or certain forms of cancer. The question remains why soya has such a positive effect on the human body? The objective of the research study was to show the properties of the nutrients contained in soya, such as: protein, unsaturated fatty acids, bioactive peptide: lunazine and phytohormones in the form of isoflavones. In addition to the healthy properties of soya, the risks and negative effects are also shown, those, which might result from the consumption of soya products.