A Consumer's Guide to Soy TermsWritten by Marjorie Geiser
Although you may have heard about soy and all of its health benefits, you may not have figured out how to incorporate it into your diet, yet. There are so many products available; figuring out exactly what they are may seem overwhelming. Here is an explanation of terms of various soy products to help you understand and evaluate which products are for you.In October 1999, USDA approved statement, “Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce risk of heart disease.” This health claim is based on research showing that soy protein can lower total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Soy foods typically fall into two categories: Traditional and soy protein products (SPP). Traditional foods are soymilk, tofu, miso, tempeh and edamame. Soymilk is made from ground soybeans mixed with water, cooked and then filtered. Tofu is a cooked, pureed soybean that is then offered in different textures. Miso is a seasoning from cooked, fermented soybean paste. Tempeh is cooked, fermented soybean cakes, and edamame is whole, green soybeans. SPP’s are made from soy protein concentrate, soy flour or ISP (see below). Examples are soy burgers, cereals, etc. Textured soy protein (TSP) is probably what many people unfamiliar with soy products think of when they hear term ‘soy foods’. TSP, also known as Texturized Vegetable Protein, is made from compressed soy flour or other soy ingredients and is used as an extender in other foods products. It is available as a dried and granular product that is rehydrated with boiling water. It takes on a texture similar to ground beef or stew meat. Isoflavones are compounds found naturally in soybeans and soy foods. They have a chemical structure similar to estrogen and have some estrogen-like effects. This is why isoflavones are also referred to as phytoestrogens. However, isoflavones also have non-hormonal properties which likely affect humans. They are thought to have coronary and skeletal benefits, may relieve hot flashes, and might reduce risk of certain cancers. One serving of traditional soy foods has about 20-30 mg isoflavones.
| | Staying Healthy on a Low Carbohydrate DietWritten by Marjorie Geiser
It is estimated that about 32 million Americans are following some type of low carbohydrate diet. This is result of fad diet authors claiming that carbohydrates are cause for America’s rising obesity problems. The backlash against carbohydrates is a result of low fat craze that started in 80’s.When consumers started cutting down their fat intake, manufacturers figured out that they could create low fat processed food products that public would buy. Because these products claimed to be ‘fat free’, Americans didn’t pay attention to fact that they were not also ‘calorie free’, and as a result, total amount of daily calories has slowly been increasing. In fact, although total percentage of calories from fat has decreased, actual amount of fat intake has increased by 10# per year since 1975! The increase of carbohydrate has also increased, at a rate of 20# per year, mostly as a result of highly processed foods.It is estimated that 3800 calories are now produced for every American man, woman and child. We have evolved from a world of feast or famine, but we’re in a state of perpetual feast, although our bodies have not changed. We have no defenses against excess calories: Every year, 300,000 to 400,000 deaths in US are attributed to obesity. Meanwhile, Asian and Middle Eastern populations consume 50-75% of their calories from rice and have some of lowest rates of obesity and heart disease in world. People living in Mediterranean also have fewer health conditions commonly seen in US. This diet consists of whole grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts and fruits. Their diets are rich in fish and low in meats and poultry. Although their fat intake is about same as in America, type of fat is primarily monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, where Americans eat primarily saturated animal fats. Regardless of actual advantage or disadvange to following a low carbohydrate diet, there are three recommendations for maintaining good health while following such a diet. The first is to choose healthy fats over unhealthy, saturated fats, when considering fat intake. Examples of healthy fats would be plant fats that have not been ‘hydrogenated’, which makes fat more solid at room temperature. It is believed that hydrogenation is actually more harmful to health than saturated fats found naturally in animal products. Plant fats would include nuts, avocados, and olives. Oils such as olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil are better choices than fats that come from animal sources, such as butter, lard or bacon grease. Multiple studies over years have shown that excess animal fats lead to higher risks of cancer, heart disease and other inflammatory disorders. Saturated fats have been linked to increased cholesterol, LDL (the ‘bad’) cholesterol as well as to increased LDL cholesterol oxidation. In fact, in January 2004, an Atkins representative put out a press release advising public to decrease their amounts of steak, eggs, and saturated fast to less than 20% of their total fat intake.
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