For centuries, people in Asia have valued the importance of soy beans and soy foods in their diets. Here are our findings and how they relate to our products and you.
What is it about soy that gives it health benefits?
The term “soy” is commonly used to refer to foods or food ingredients derived from the soybean, a type of legume — other legumes include chickpeas, lentils and broad beans. Soy foods include traditional Asian foods such as tofu, tempeh and miso.
More recently, however, a greater variety of soy foods, such as soymilks, yoghurts, soy cheese, breads, breakfast cereals and meat alternatives such as burger patties, soy sausages and sandwich slices have reached supermarket shelves. For centuries soy foods have been consumed as part of the staple diet, and as an important source of high-quality protein, throughout Asia. These people exhibit low rates of many of the chronic diseases that plague Western cultures.
Scientific research has confirmed that substituting soy protein for animal protein in the diet can lead to beneficial effects in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Research is also examining soy protein’s potential benefits in providing protective effects against certain forms of cancer, relieving menopausal symptoms, maintaining bone health and enhancing athletic performance. Other components of soy may also contribute to its health effects. These include:
isoflavones, which are considered to add to the beneficial effects of soy protein;
plant sterols, which are well known to lower blood cholesterol;
saponins, which may lower cholesterol and stimulate the immune system;
dietary fibre, with a range of benefits;
omega-3 plant (vegetable) fats, an essential nutrient in the diet, which is not found in significant amounts in many other plant foods.
How much soy should we eat?
Including as little as one serve of a soy food in our daily diet can provide us with nutritional and health benefits. In traditional Asian cultures, however, soy foods are consumed frequently throughout the day. Although intakes vary, they are much higher than what is contained in the typical Western diet. Vegetarians are a special group, since they also generally have a higher intake of legumes including soy beans, than omnivores.
This information is provided by the Sanitarium Nutrition Service.
