The Building Blocks of Life

One of the basic macronutrtients that is crucial to our everyday life is protein. Made up of amino acids, protein can be found in every cell, muscle and tissue in our body and serves as the building block for every organism.

Based on scientific evidence from more than 50 indepenent studies, the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has concluded that 25gr of soy protein included in a daily diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, reduces the risk of coronary heart disease.

Protein benefits us in many ways, including:

• maintaining every kind of cell in our body.
• body development, replenishment of lost blood, healing of wounds and scars, replacement of dead cells, as well as healthy hair and nail growth.
• promoting healthy metabolic and physiological processes, as well as bossting our nervous and immune systems
• producing antibodies and haemoglobin, whisch are responsible for delivering oxygen to our blood cells.

Complete VS Incomplete sources of Protein:

• A complete source of protein is a food that contains all the essential amino acids. In general, animal proteins (meat, fish, egg, poultry and dairy products) are considered good sources of complete protein.
• Incomplete sources of protein contain some, but not all of the essential amino acids. In general, vegetables, legumesand grains are incomplete sources of protein. To maintain our overall well being, we must get an adequate intake of complete protein without the extra fat and cholesterol.

Soy Protein:

• Soy has been a staple in Asian countries for many years. This complete, high-quality protein contains the essential amino acids for both adults and children. Largely unsaturated and high in essential fatty acids, soy protein is an ideal alternative for those who are seeking a healthier source of protein without the high fat content commonly found in animal proteins. Soy protein is also a better option as it is the only plant-based protein with a protein quality equal to that of meat, milk and egg.
• Research has indicated that soy protein's health benefits can be attributed to the presence of a compound known as isoflavones.

BENEFITS OF SOY ISOFLAVONES

Isoflavones are phytoestrogens or plant substances that are similiar to the female hormone, oestrogen. Soy isoflavones have been shown to benefit our health in many ways, most notably in these 3 areas:

Coronary Heart Disease

• In the last 2 decades, many studies had been conducted to gather human clinical date to prove that soy helps reduce the risk of heart disease. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) even allowed soy product manufacturers to claim that consuming soy along with a low fat, low cholesterol diet may help reduce the risk of coronary disease. In addition, the FDA recommends that we consume 25 grams of soy protein every day.
• Soy protein's benefit to coronary health can be traced back to its isflavone content. Genistein and daidzein, the 2 types of isoflavones present in soy protein, come with antioxidant. They are also linked to the reduction of cholestrol levels in the blood.

Menopause

• The hormonal changes a woman goes through during menopause can give rise to a variety of symtoms. It can also increase her risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. Studies have shown that soy isoflavones can help in reducing menopausal symtoms such as hot flushes and also in increasing bone density in women. In fact, many menopausal and post-menopausal health problems may result form a lack of isoflavones in the typical Western diet.
• The North American Menopause Society suggests that soy isoflavones can be a natural alternative to oestrogen replacement therapy for the relief of mild menopausal symptoms. In addition to helping to offset the drop in oestrogen, soy isoflavones are said to also regulate oestrogen fluctuations that occur during menopause. There have also been reports of reduced hot flushes and night sweats from women who regularly consume soy-rich foods like tempe (Indonesian food) or tofu.

Osteoporosis

• Soy isoflavones can help in the maintenance of strong, healthy bone. Apart from increasing bone mineral content and bone density, it has also been suggested that isoflavones may help stimulate bone formation. By preserving bone health, increasing bone mass and inducing bone turnover, soy isoflavones have been noted by researchers to play a potentially significant role in alleviating osteoporosis.With all these benefits, it is no wonder that soy protein should be a staple in your daily diet. Start supplementing with soyprotein now to reap its benefits and maintain your overall health and well being.

PDCAAS - A Measure of Protein Quality

One of the important factors in determining protein quality is the digestibility of the protein, which is known as Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score or PDCAAS. The World Health Organization uses this evaluation method to rate the amino acid of protein and establish a rating for its digestibility by humans. 

Food               PDCAAS

Beef                0.92

Kidney Beans  0.68

Rolled Oats     0.57

Wholewheat    0.4

Source:

• Stein, Karen. "FDA Approves Health Claim Labeling for Foods Containing Soy Protein." Journal of the American Dietetic Association (March 2000): 292.
• Zreik Marwan. "The Great Soy Protein Awakening." Total Health (January/February 2000): 52 - 4.
• "Say Soy Long To High Cholesterol." MotherNature.com Health Journal Newsletter.. (October 27, 1999).
• Potter SM, Baum HA, Teng H. Stillman RJ, Shay NF, Erdman JW. "Soy protein and isoflavones; their effects on blood lipidsand bone density in postmenopausal women". Am J Clin Nutr. 1998;68(6 Suppl): 1375S - 1379S.
• Albertazzi P. Pansisni F, Bonaccorsi G, Zanotti L, Forini E, De Aloyiso D. "The effect of dietary soy supplementation on hot flushes". Obstet Gynocol. 1998-91(1):6-11.
• "The healing powers of Soy Isoflavones", Feminist Womens's Health Centre, Washington State, www.fwhc.org/health/soy.htm