Before April is over, lets not forget to celebrate National Soyfoods Month! Soy is the world’s most versatile and widely used foods.
Soy is a species of a legume that originated in East Asia. It has been consumed in China for over 5000 years, Before Christ. The US didn’t start using soy for food until the early 1900′s. Today it is found in a variety of food products. Common forms of soy include, soy meal, soy flour, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, edamame, soybean oil, and soy sauce.
Soy is an important part of a plant based diet. It has high levels of protein and is considered a complete protein source. Soy is an excellent source of iron, calcium, Vitamin B, phosphorus, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Research has shown it to have multiple health benefits including cancer prevention, heart health, and weight loss. Moreover, the FDA approved soy as an official cholesterol lowering food.
The USDA’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommend soy as part of a healthy meal plan. If you haven’t tried soy yet, you may want to give it a taste test.
