Soy – a natural and affordable nutritional product from the twenty-first century
Soy is a real wonder food that is cheap compared to other mass food products in the twenty-first century. It is a nutritious source of protein and more. This is what my post is about today.
The best-selling food in the world is soy in one form or another. However, why is everyone so afraid of this word? Is it worth being afraid of?
Soy is a natural product and you should not be afraid of soy. For example, for more than two thousand years it has been the basis of Chinese cuisine.
Fresh or frozen soybeans are good to boil or can be steamed as a side dish. It can also be added to soups. It is proven that the constant consumption of soybeans reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (and significantly).
Soy is often included in the so-called Asian diets. Soybean can even protect against osteoporosis. Soy has great advantages – it protects against colon cancer and breast cancer.
Soybeans are available in dried, canned and frozen form. Soybean milk, soybean powder, soy protein and soybean flour are all in great demand. This product contains a lot of nutrients, as a result doctors recommend including soy in the diet.
Useful properties of soybeans:
1. Soy contains proteins and estrogens – they help the heart and create resistance to cancer.
2. For people with high cholesterol levels, adding soy is mandatory. Soy reduces the so-called bad cholesterol and increases the values of good cholesterol.
3. For those people who have normal or borderline cholesterol (approximately 200), soy helps with cholesterol reduction.
4. Soybean when replacing animal protein in food can prevent clogged arteries.
5. Soy contains vegetable estrogens called isoflavones.
6. Isoflavones inhibit bone loss, thereby preventing osteoporosis.
7. Isoflavones also help fight cancer.
8. There is a large isoflavone: genistein. Genistein inhibits proteins that protect cancer cells from the effects of the immune system.
9. The immune system can effectively destroy harmful cells.
The required daily amount:
Soy is a low-fat, cholesterol-free source of protein. It is enough to use three servings of soy products once a week. For example, half a cup of tofu, 2 or 3 cups of soy milk, 28 grams of soy protein powder, and so on.
How is soy extracted?
1. The best sources of soy protein are produced by extracting the excess water.
2. Alcohol extracted from meat or cheese substitutes is removed from the beneficial isoflavones.
3. The protein concentrate from soy can be obtained by extraction with alcohol.
4. Soy proteins can be extracted from alcohol, but protective plant estrogens may be lost.
It is best to use soy protein instead of minced meat. Cream cheese can be replaced with soybean curd – tofu. Miso (fermented soy paste) allows you to create a good soup base. Grilled tempeh (fermented soybean cakes) can be used in burgers. Soy milk can be used together with cereals. Soybean powder can be added to soups – it improves the flavor and richness of the soup.
Although tofu contains unsaturated fat that does not harm the human heart, it is still necessary to be careful.
Can soy be a replacement for estrogen?
Nutrients in soybeans show similar hormone estrogen properties and alleviate the symptoms of menopause, especially at night. Soy is being studied as a natural alternative to estrogen and as replacement therapy. But, unlike estrogen, soy does not increase the risk of breast cancer.
Enjoy your meal!
