It's SOY Healthy!How to Incorporate Soy Foods into Your Diet
By Liza Barnes, Health Educator
In 1999, in response to decades of studies, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave food manufacturers the right to label foods high in soy protein as beneficial to heart health. There have also been studies suggesting that soy may play a role in the reduction of diseases such as osteoporosis, prostate cancer and colon cancer. If that’s not enough, whole soy foods are good sources of fiber, calcium, B-Vitamins, and omega-3 essential fatty acids. And, contrary to the widespread belief that all plant-based proteins are incomplete, soybeans are a complete protein. This means that foods made from soy are a great alternative to meat and dairy foods. But in order for soy to be beneficial to your health, you have to eat it regularly. Here is a brief introduction to the major players in the soy foods category, all of which contain soy protein and may be beneficial to your health.
- Edamame: Sold in the frozen section of many larger supermarkets, edamame are soybeans in their most natural state—in the pod. To prepare, just steam or boil the pods for about five minutes, add salt, pop open the pods and eat. Edamame is served as an appetizer in sushi restaurants, and is a great alternative to snacking on popcorn (really!)
- Soymilk: A beverage made from soybeans, soymilk is an alternative to cow’s milk for those who are lactose intolerant, and a great way to incorporate soy protein into your diet. You can pour it on your cereal, use it in baking, or just drink it. There are several varieties (low-fat, unsweetened, creamer) and flavors (chocolate, vanilla, plain), most of which are fortified with Calcium and vitamin D, making soymilk’s nutrient profile comparable to cow’s milk.
- Soy Yogurt: This cultured soy product is much like regular yogurt, containing all of the beneficial cultures that make yogurt so good for you. For those of you with a sweet tooth, there’s also soy “ice cream,” and although it’s delicious and perhaps lower in fat than regular ice cream, don’t fool yourself into thinking it’s a health food.
- Tofu: To describe tofu as soybean curd turns many people off, so try this analogy: Cheese is to cow’s milk what tofu is to soymilk. Although the flavor is not at all the same as cheese, a similar process is used to make it. You can get plain tofu, smoked tofu, firm tofu, silky tofu, low-fat tofu…are you getting flashbacks of Bubba’s shrimp monologue? And the cooking possibilities are as copious as the varieties. You can marinate, sauté, or stir-fry, blend it into a smoothie, or just slice it up and eat it right out of the package. Just think of it as the other white meat, and use it accordingly.
- Tempeh: Using that cheese analogy again, blue cheese is to cheddar what tempeh is to tofu. It’s an aged, fermented food that can be used in many of the same ways as regular tofu. Tempeh has a nuttier, chewier texture that many people prefer to tofu. Because it’s fermented, you should not eat it raw. Cook thoroughly, according to package directions, and use within a couple of days.
- Meat Analogs: These include items like soy dogs, soy burgers, textured vegetable protein (TVP), soy sausage, soy bacon - the list goes on and on. Nowadays, you can find a soy replacement for just about any meat, including barbecue ribs, chicken nuggets, and even fish, mostly in the frozen foods section. These foods are perhaps the easiest to incorporate into your diet, albeit the most processed. We all know that Mother Nature usually knows best, meaning that the least processed foods are the healthiest, but these analogs are a much healthier way to satisfy your craving for, say, a greasy burger
