Hello everybody
Like many other working women who work in high-stress environments, I have struggled with balancing my meals. Unhealthy eating habits have a negative impact on your health and in the long run, affect your overall wellbeing. Since early 2018, I have been working on eating a balanced diet by incorporating soy proteins. I am going to share all that I have learnt about soy proteins and why it is important to incorporate them into your diet.
What are soy proteins?
Simply put, soy proteins are proteins that are found in soybeans. They are considered to be an excellent substitute for animal fat for those who are vegan or vegetarian. Soybean by itself is a legume that has a very low amount of saturated fats and almost no cholesterol.
Which nutrients do soy proteins contain?
28 grams of soy protein contains:
| Total fats | 1 gram |
| Protein | 23 grams |
| Sodium | 285 mg |
| Dietary fibre | 1.5 mg |
| Calcium | 50 mg |
| Potassium | 23 mg |
| Phosphorous | 220mg |
| Folate | 50mcg |
| Magnesium | 10.9 mg |
Source:USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17 (2004)
Now that we are familiar with soy proteins, here are 7 reasons why you should incorporate soy proteins in your diet, too.
1. For a healthier heart
Substituting meat with soy proteins can potentially reduce one’s cholesterol levels, low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and increase high-density lipoproteins (HDL).
Those who have high cholesterol have shown an improvement once they have substituted meat with soy protein.
2. Rich source of protein for vegetarians and vegans
Being a vegetarian or a vegan can be tough since there are limited sources of protein. Many plant-based substitutes to protein sources do not contain essential amino acids making them low-quality protein. Soy protein is an exception as studies have shown that soy proteins are high-quality protein whose protein content can be compared to milk or eggs.
The Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), which is a global standard for measuring protein quality by the World Health Organization scored soy, milk, and eggs 1.0, which is the highest score possible.
3. To control blood sugar levels
Studies have revealed that soy proteins are a vital factor that can help people control their blood sugar levels and help prevent or control diabetes in the long run.
4. Rich in vitamins and minerals
Soy proteins are rich in vitamins and minerals that help our body grow and boost our immunity. They contain potassium, calcium, vitamins, iron and have low fats and carbohydrates.
5. For stronger and healthier bones
A small serving of soy proteins contains as much as 50mg of calcium. Soy products help in the overall absorption of calcium in the body. Certain soy products also are fortified with Vitamin D which makes our bones and teeth stronger.
Now that you are familiar with the health benefits of soy proteins, many of you may want to incorporate it into your diet. Stay tuned for next article in the series that will talk about unique and innovative ways to incorporate soy proteins in your diet.
6. To prevent high blood pressure
The functioning of the inner lining of our blood vessels declines the older we get. This has a direct impact on blood circulation which in turn leads to high blood pressure. Several studies have shown a direct link between the consumption of soy protein and improvement in blood pressure. It is recommended that one could replace carbohydrates partially with soy protein for best results.
7. For weight loss
As somebody who struggles with her weight, I know how difficult it can be to manage one’s weight. Our body tends to use more energy while breaking down proteins. This means we burn more calories when we consume protein-rich diets. A research study also has revealed that protein-rich diets can help curb hunger pangs and make an individual feel satiated. Soy proteins, therefore, should be incorporated in our diet on a daily basis
8. As a healthy alternative to snacking
Chips, cold drinks or biscuits are the common things most of us snack on when hungry. These calories add up and lead to weight gain and other health complications. Substituting sugary snacks with soy proteins helps improve our energy levels and even has a positive impact on our mood.
Kindly note: The views and opinions expressed in this post is purely that of the author. Before you make any changes to your diet, it is advisable that you speak to your doctor. Many individuals are allergic to soy products and it is advisable to consult your doctor.
Source: Montgomery KS. Soy Protein. The Journal of Perinatal Education. 2003;12(3):42-45. doi:10.1624/105812403X106946.
I am a 25 year old blogger who believes in the power of story telling and using personal experiences to blog about things close to my heart. I started Munni of all Trades 4 years back to share my ideas, thoughts and views on things that I am passionate about. I blog about things that make me happy and by extension my readers, too..
Ji, ye health k liye bahut hi accha hai, mummy bhi batati thi, main soyabean ko wheat k sath mix karke piswati hu, uski hi roti banti hai, thodi kaali hoti hai per health k liye to acchi hai 😊
Soya granules n nugget bhi hamesha ghar me rakhti hu aur mostly sabhi sabzi me thoda daal deti hu
Per recently maine suna ki soya protein cancer patients k liye thik nahi, ye sach hai kya?
What an interesting post. I learnt a lot. Thank you for providing so much detail.
Thanks for all the info I find it so interesting. As a busy person with a busy lifestyle it can be difficult to find a healthy balance.
I have soy protein daily. It’s very healthy, and since it’s the only complete plant protein, it’s vital to vegans.
Honestly, I really don’t know about it but thank you for sharing this article with us I learn a lot from this.
Certainly, a lot of benefits that I didn’t know before reading this post so thank you. Will certainly try and build more into my diet now!
When my family first stopped eating meat, we used to substitute with a lot of meatless soy products, but then we read how soy is not so healthy for men and boys because it gives them too much estrogen. Wonder if you’ve ever heard this before and what your take on it is?
I didn’t know many of these properties of soy beans! I amnot a huge consumer of soy, except that soy is a very common ingredient in many other things we buy.
I never knew that soy proteins had so many benefits! It is in a lot of stuff nowadays. I would want to start incorporating it in my diet!
I am so glad I ran into this! I do enjoy using soy in a lof of stuff I eat.
I agree with everything you’ve said:) We’ve been using soy proteins for years now. My family loves to eat every day! 🙂
i didnt know all of this about soy! i have read a lot about its effects on boys and men and how it’s actually really bad for them in large amounts, so we don’t use it a lot
This is such a great informative post ., Its such a help to other to let them know the good benefits of soy beans.
Never knew the benefits of soy protein. Thanks for an informative post. really helpful
Sounds great to me. I am so adding it. I love the benefits it might give me and I am willing jump in because after all… why not?
I didn’t realize there were so many health benefits to soy. I will have to try and incopperate more into my diet when I can.
Oooo so very helpful!!! Who knew soy was so universal. I need to start adding more soy to my diet
It was great to read and know how nutrient-rich soy proteins are! This is a must-have in diet plans after all these benefits.
As a vegetarian I find it hard to get enough protein per day. But this is actually a very good option! Thank you for the post, very helpfull!
Wow I had no idea just how many benefits soy had for the body, that’s amazing! I definitely need to include more soy in my diet.
I love plant-based protein especially soy protein, however I like to blend a few together such as pea and soy
I love eating roasted soy beans. They actually taste good and are healthy. Good info!
I appreciate this list. Soy proteins should be 100% organic and could have some digestive benefits, too! Thanks for compiling this list!
Thank you! I just went back to soy milk as a non dairy milk and a source of protein and this information makes me feel good about the choice 🙂
This is great to know! I mean, I know protein is good for us but I never knew why exactly. Thanks for sharing this!
That is so cool! I try to eat Soy as much as possible but i never used it for baking.
I’ve grown up eating soy at home and we love it. Most Asians have this on their table. Tofu is also made of soy 😀
In Japan, tofu which is made of soy is also a substitute to meat and deliciously can be made into soups such as the miso. Great info there, thanks! I would love to use more soy proteins in my diet.
I know that soy has many different health benefits. I just didn’t realize it had quite so many. My only concern is hearing about how it has negatively affected some women. And with a daughter I want her to be healthy too.
I’m vegan so a large part of my proteins comes from soy 🙂 Great post to give others more information about it!
OK this is super interesting because there’s so many mixed opinions on soy in our diets… we actually try not to consume too much (unless it’s fermented)
I personally love tofu and soy milk
wow! didn’t know soy was great for weight loss. thanks for that info. i love eating roasted chickpeas.
Such a very informative post and I learned a lot from it. I don’t really have an idea that soy has a lot of good health benefits and aside from that it also helps in losing weights.
I really enjoyed reading this informative post and I will now add soy in my daily diet, thanks for sharing this with us.
I knew that soy had many benefits for our health but not so many. I once tried soy milk and I did not like it! I’ll definitely try a different version of soy! They are so healthy!
Soy is great as an alternative to Whey protein and you are right it has many health benefits too.
Wow I did not realize that soy protein had all those benefits. May need to switch over to soy milk !
Soy proteins would be an excellent alternative for those who are on diet I never even heard about it! This is something that I definitely need to check on.
Soy proteins are unbelievable nutrient rich! I would love to incorporate it in my diet.
I’ve never thought about using plant based protein in my diet. I guess it’s time to make a few changes.
This reminds me of my mom in India, she believes in feeding the most healthiest stuff to us and this was one of them. It has great health benefits.
I love all of the potential benefits. I didn’t know it could work towards lowering cholesterol!
While the benefits of soy proteins are there, the big question for me is if soy protein is better then whey protein to build muscles. And there are so many pros and cons.
I never knew that we can a get a lot of nutrients from Soybeans aside from protein. I have to start eating more soybeans..
Soybeans is really a great food. There so many nutrients that we can get from it. That’s why I always eat it and already introduce to my kids.
I have never really thought about this before so thank you for the information, I shall try to incorporate soy beans into my diet more often.
Glad to know so many benefits of soy proteins. I’ll try to incorporate it into my diet!
I think soy protein is becoming more vital in today’s lifestyle as more people become vegetarian and vegan. I see it in shops more now than I ever used to do. I wasn’t fully aware of all of the benefits before reading this.
Wow! I needed this information. I have to up my protein game without breaking the bank by buying those expensive protein whey. Thank you for this!