- Turn on the television and you’re likely to see an advertisement of the next cholesterol management pill or some other health related medication. A lot of those medications are too expensive for most people to afford and the side effects are often times more severe than the problem they are battling.
- A healthy and inexpensive alternative to battling high cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart diseases is soy protein. Soy protein has been proven to dramatically improve heart health and cholesterol. In 1999 soy’s health claims were substantiated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- The soybean is a type of legume originating from East Asia. It has been used for cooking and medicinal purposes for over five thousand years in various Asian countries. Soybeans are an important protein source for many countries throughout the world that have a lack of animal protein sources at their discretion.
Soy is known as a complete protein because it has a full range of essential amino acids unlike other plant derived protein sources that are incomplete. During the mid 1990’s several studies were published lauding the health benefits of soy. Thirty-eight studies that were analyzed showed that diets rich in soy protein, 47 grams or above, reduced LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. In 1993 a study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported participants experienced a twelve percent drop in cholesterol when twenty to twenty five grams of soy were combined with dietary fiber.
With the plethora of studies coming out the FDA approved the following claim to be put on all soy products:
“Health Claim: Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that includes 25 grams of soy a day may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of [name of produce] provides [amount]g of soy.”
The health benefits of soy have taken it from the subcultures of vegans and hippies to the main isle of your local supermarkets. So what are the easiest ways to incorporate soy into a healthy diet? Over 300 soy products hit the market in 1999 alone so there is much more out there than tofu. Tofu still remains the most widely known soy-based food but certainly has a stigma attached to it. Tofu is actually a very diverse cooking ingredient because it soaks up the flavors of the things it is being cooked with. Soy milk is a great tasting alternative to cow’s milk and tastes great. In a blind taste test it would be tough to differentiate a glass of chocolate soy milk from the real thing. Soy burgers are also a great way to replace fatty red meats in your diet. Stacked with lettuce, low fat cheese and some condiments you would hardly know you were actually eating something that was good for your heart. The easiest and most convenient way to get enough soy in your diet is to buy a protein supplement. The serving size will tell you exactly how many grams you are getting and mixed with a glass of vanilla soy milk and some fruit makes for a great smoothie.
Tags: cholesterol management, risk of heart deseases, soy protein
