Home  >>  Write  >>  Health  >>  Diets and Fitness  >>  Cooking  >>  Soy


advertisement


Soy: A Surprising Source of Protein

One of the best ways to change your life and live a healthier and happier life is to change the way you eat. While eating habits can be hard to break, it is now easier then ever to substitute your favorite meals with healthier alternatives. While many people think that eating healthy foods means you may as well be eating something as disgusting as soylent green, that’s not the case anymore. After all, you don’t have to sacrifice taste when it comes to starting a healthy diet. One of the most popular healthy food products are soy based products. You may be thinking to yourself – soy, as in soyo sauce? Well, soy sauce is just one of the products that are made from soybeans. Other popular soy products are soymilk, soy nuts, soy beans, soy flour, soy oil, and tofu. Soybeans are a species of legume that is commonly found in East Asia. It has been a staple in Asian diets and is renowned for its high nutritional value.
 
One of the biggest benefits of soybeans is that it contains complete protein. As the only common plant food that contains high protein value, soy products are a big staple in a vegetarian diet. Soybeans contain what is known as complete protein, which means it provides your body with all of the essential amino acids that your body requires. soy protein levels are near the protein level of meat products.
 
However, unlike meat products, soybeans tend to be low in saturated fat and are cholesterol free. This means that by eating soy products, your body will obtain the protein it needs without causing weight gain, which eating meat causes. In addition to its high protein level, soybeans contain important nutrients like carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Many nutritionists strongly feel that soybeans should be part of a person’s regular diet as it is one of the few plant based foods that provides the body with all three macro-nutrients that are a staple of good nutrition.
 
Additionally, soy products are a good source of such important minerals as calcium, folic acid, and iron. Soy is also a big source of omega-3 fatty acids that your body requires for proper function. One of the best soybean products for omega-3 fatty acids is soybean oil, which is one of the few vegetable oils that have this benefit. Soybeans are also rich in isoflavones, which many medical experts feel helps your heart health. Physicians have linked isoflavones with preventing cancer. While soy products have been shown to be a healthy food, many people are skeptical.
 
This is because they worry about the taste of soy products. However, soy products are great for your body and also great for your tastebuds. Soy sauce is a great source of flavoring and soy is also used to create tofu. Soybeans can also be used to create the delicious Miso soup, a staple in a Japanese diet. Soymilk is also very popular for people who are lactose intolerant and are an excellent source of protein, vitamin B, and iron. If you are ready to change your lifestyle and become a healthier person, you will find that this transition isn’t as hard as you thought it will be. It’s so easy to have a healthy diet by replacing the unhealthy meals you love (but also hate) with healthy meals like soy based products that you can love without any guilt!
Ad