Explanation

The blank characterizes the medical efficacy or effectiveness of soy. While the words “herald” and “harbinger” are similar in meaning, they do not characterize medical effectiveness as “panacea” and “cure-all” do. Nor do “staple” and “supplement,” each of which may refer to a medical regime or a dosage but not to efficacy. Thus the correct answer is panacea (Choice D) and cure-all (Choice E).
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The first part of the sentence tells us that the author is enthusiastic about the soybean’s medical efficacy.

This information is followed by BUT.

So, we might read the sentence as: EVEN THOUGH he's enthusiastic about the soybean’s medical efficacy, the author still cautions against treating soy as a __________

The key word BUT suggests that the part following "BUT" is not in line with the author's enthusiasm about the soybean's medical usefulness (efficacy)

What word(s) might go here?

How about "medically effective"?

That is, "..he still cautions against treating soy as a medically effective

When we check the answer choices, D and E work.

Answer: D, E

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I think we can just ignore this part of the sentence: than he is in his technical writings

In The Simple Soybean, the author is much less restrained in his enthusiasm for the bean’s medical efficacy than he is in his technical writings, but he still cautions against treating soy as a __________ .

In other words, the author is very enthusiastic about the bean's medical efficiency. But if he is still advocating caution in how we regard the soybean, well, it can only be to prevent us from regarding the soybean as a cure for all ills.

The correct answer choices are panacea and cure-all.
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