The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were finally released yesterday and for what appears to be the first time, soy products have become a more mainstream part of the Guidelines’ key recommendations.  Soy products are included in both the milk and milk products group and the protein foods group.  According to the Dietary Guidelines, “soy beverages fortified with calcium and vitamins A and D are considered part of the milk and milk products group because they are similar to milk both nutritionally and in their use in meals”.
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Not all soy products are created equal.  The basic difference comes down to the amount of soy protein and soy isoflavones present in each soy product.  Our patented natural concentration process allows us to blend an isoflavone-rich portion with a separate protein-rich portion, yielding a final product rich in both soy protein and soy isoflavones. This combination provides the naturally concentrated advantages of Revival® soy without the need for chemical concentration.
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As mentioned in a previous blog, soybeans are a nutrient-rich legume.  While soybeans, and other legumes, are best known as excellent plant sources of protein, they also have a healthier fat profile (over 80% of the fats found naturally in soybeans are mono- or polyunsaturated) compared to many other foods and are a good source of a number of essential micronutrients. Despite this, soy consumption in the U.S. is extremely low compared to countries like Japan and China.  A new soy nutrition research paper reviewed current soy consumption levels and estimated the nutritional impact of increasing soy consumption [1].

To determine current levels of dietary soy consumption, the soy nutrition researchers analyzed dietary habit information from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).  The information was collected from over 5,500 men, women, and children.  Analysis of their dietary habits showed that not counting soy sauce, consumption of soy products was mentioned only 226 times with the most common soy foods consumed being meat replacement soy foods, soy drinks, soy energy bars, soy milk, and tofu.  Overall, soy consumption was about 100-150 times less than the amount of meat consumed by adult men and women.  This analysis also showed that as a population, Americans were consuming too few servings of fruits, vegetables and dairy and too many calories from solid fats and added sugars.

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Each year since 1994, the United Soybean Board has published the results of an annual survey conducted to assess consumers beliefs and behaviors regarding nutrition.  This survey, Consumer Attitudes about Nutrition, also includes information on consumer attitudes about soy.  I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of these survey results.

Perceptions on Soyfoods and Health: According to the 2010 survey, 84% of consumers rate soy products as healthy.  This is similar to survey results collected since 2007 with 84-85% of consumers rating soy products as healthy each year.  While this is a substantial increase compared to 10 years ago, the current steady level over the last few years suggests that more can be done to increase the awareness of soy’s benefits.  According to the 2010 survey, consumers link soy to being good for the reduction of heart disease risk (FDA heart health claim for soy) (25% of consumers), being low in fat (17%), being a good source of protein (16%), and being ‘good for you’ (14%).

Learning About Soy: Another part of this survey asked consumers how they learned about the benefits of soy.  Not unexpectedly, the most common source of soy information cited was television news (47% of consumers).  Internet news was the second most common source of news on soy (44%) followed closely be magazines, family & friends, and newspapers.  The number of consumers getting information from these sources increased in every instance compared to 8 years ago with the exception of magazines, which decreased.  This nearly across-the-board increase suggests that information about soy is more widely available.  Interestingly, one of the lowest sources of information about soy is the health professional.  Only 17% of consumers learn about soy from their doctors, which is only 5% higher than in 1994.

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Every now and then we are asked, “How does Revival contain so much more isoflavones than other soy foods?”

The answer is simple; we go to where the isoflavones are — the center of the soybean (called the hypocotyl). Isoflavones surround and may protect the soybean’s DNA right at its heart.

Our patented natural concentration process allows us to blend this isoflavone-rich portion with a separate protein-rich portion, yielding a final product rich in both soy protein and soy isoflavones. This combination provides the naturally concentrated advantages of Revival Soy without the need for chemical concentration. Because of our natural process, each Revival bar or shake contains about 160 milligrams of soy isoflavones, consisting of about 63 milligrams of genistein, 63 milligrams of daidzein, and 34 milligrams of glycitein.

Revival’s patented, natural concentration means just 1 Revival bar or shake contains the amount of soy isoflavones found in about 6 cups of a typical soymilk — without the soy taste and up to 90% less fat.  The idea of drinking ~6 cups of soymilk with all the extra fat and calories doesn’t sound very appealing to most people.

Start enjoying the nutritional benefits of soy with Dr. Tabor’s Revival® soy protein shakes, bars, snacks, and other delicious products.*

Soy protein is easily digested and provides all the essential amino acids needed to meet our nutritional requirements when eaten at levels that meet the USDA protein recommendations. Unlike some other sources of high quality protein, soy protein is low in saturated fat and cholesterol making it an excellent dietary source of protein.  There is a wide variety of soyfoods, which makes it easy to add to your diet.  If you aren’t already enjoying soy’s nutritional benefits, now is a good time to consider adding soy to your diet.  Some common types of soy foods include:

• Edamame.  Soybeans harvested when the beans are still green and sweet tasting.  These can be served as a snack or a main vegetable dish. They are high in protein and fiber and contain no cholesterol.
• Miso. A smooth paste, miso is made from soybeans and a grain such as rice, plus salt and a mold culture, and then aged one to three years. The Japanese make miso soup and use it to flavor a variety of foods.
• Natto.  Natto is made of fermented, cooked whole soybeans. It has a sticky, viscous coating with a cheesy texture. In Asian countries natto traditionally is served as a topping for rice, in miso soups, and is used with vegetables.
• Soymilk.  Soybeans, soaked, ground fine and strained, produce fluid called soybean milk, which is a good substitute for cow’s milk. Soymilk is an excellent source of high quality protein and B-vitamins.
• Soynuts. Roasted soynuts are whole soybeans that have been soaked in water and then baked until browned. Soynuts can be found in a variety of flavors, including chocolate-covered. High in protein and isoflavones, soynuts are similar in texture and flavor to peanuts.
• Tempeh. Whole soybeans, sometimes mixed with another grain such as rice or millet, are fermented into a rich cake of soybeans with a smoky or nutty flavor. Tempeh can be marinated and grilled and added to soups, casseroles, or chili.
• Tofu.  Tofu (or soybean curd) is a soft cheese-like food made by intentionally curdling soymilk. Tofu readily absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients with which it is cooked. It is available in different degrees of firmness, is rich in high-quality protein and B-vitamins, and is low in sodium.

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