Soyfoods
Soyfoods
Soybeans are a dynamic protein source for human food as well as for animals. Soyfoods are a staple in many diets because of their powerful nutritional profile. Soy foods contain high levels of healthy protein as well as fiber. Soy also contains essential vitamins and compounds called isoflavones, that have been shown to have health benefits.
But let’s talk taste! Soybean meal is used as a vegetable protein source in products such as meat alternatives, tofu and soy milk. Soybean oil remains the most prevalent vegetable oil in the United States as the food industry uses soybean oil to fry food and also in large-scale bakeries. You can also find soybean oil throughout the grocery store, from bottles of pure vegetable oil to salad dressings and hundreds of other items.
There are a wide range of resources available to help you learn more about the benefits of soyfoods and direction on how to incorporate more soy into your diet. There’s even recipes designed to give you tasty and creative ways to boost the health benefits of your next meal, snack or even dessert!
Resources
Simply Soy – Teaching Package
Developed by NDSU Extension
Explores the wide variety of soy products available, their use in foods and their health benefits.
The package includes a Powerpoint with notes, a handout with recipes suitable for demonstration, a Bingo game and an evaluation tool to provide feedback
www.ag.ndsu.edu/food/bean-resources-1/consumer-education-1/simply-soy
Soy Connection
The Soy Connection provides a wealth of information about soyfoods. Soy Connection also produces a downloadable Soyfoods Guide to showcase the benefits of soy and offer ways to incorporate soy products into everyday diets. The information, including the Soyfoods Guide is available at www.soyconnection.com
The Soyfoods Council
The mission of The Soyfoods Council is to serve as a catalyst, leader and facilitator to mainstream soy-based foods into the global marketplace—America and beyond. To mainstream soyfoods: to build the category of soyfoods products by making action-prompting connections between edible soybean growers and food producers, foods distributors, chefs, retailers and eventually consumers. www.thesoyfoodscouncil.com
The Soy Nutrition Institute
The Soy Nutrition Institute identifies soy and health research priorities, provide evidence-based information on the impact of soybean and soy components on human health through a variety of education and outreach efforts and facilitate the development and funding of targeted research projects. www.thesoynutritioninstitute.com
Soybean Oil for Health
Health professionals have long regarded soybean oil, commonly labeled as vegetable oil, as a healthy cooking oil. Food manufacturers have also regarded soybean oil for its versatility and competitive pricing. The neutral flavor and well- balanced fatty acid profile of soybean oil make it a desirable ingredient for a variety of applications from baked goods to salad dressings.
Thanks to the Food and Drug Administration’s July 2017 authorization of a qualified health claim confirming soybean oil’s ability to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, consumers will now begin to see heart-healthy labeling on bottles.
