Aashu’s Dilemma
After listening to the concept and benefits of going Vegan, Aashu has also decided to adopt the vegan diet and exclude all those foods that are restricted in it.
Aashu now needs to convince his mother of this but he knows where he will face the problem. His family are devotional vegetarians and do not have non-vegetarian foods in their meals.
But the concern is about getting away from dairy products. Most Indian dishes are prepared by using dairy products such as Paneer, milk, curd and buttermilk. These products are an integral part of Indian culture. Also, vegetarian families are highly dependent on dairy products for their protein requirements.
In a discussion with his new social media friend who is a long adherent of the Vegan diet, he came to know about Soy Foods. They are considered a perfect substitute for dairy products in a Vegan diet plan. Now, Aashu searches on Google about, what are the benefits of soy foods and whether they can really replace dairy.
What are Soy Foods?
Soy Foods are prepared from Soybeans which are part of the legumes family. Soybean is historically used in many cultures and considered a staple food by ancient civilisations. Brazil is currently the biggest Soybean producer in the world followed by the United States and Argentina.
Soybeans are used throughout India for preparing curry. Soybean oil is also widely used as an edible oil in Indian Kitchens. Thanks to its nutritional content and benefits, Soy foods are now replacing dairy products from the plates of Vegan Dieters and lactose-intolerants.
Following are some commonly consumed Soy foods:
- Soy milk
- Soy chunks
- Tofu
- Soy Sauce
- Soy Flour
- Soy nuts
- Tempeh
These foods have the same nutritional content as soybeans and are already used throughout cuisines worldwide. In India, Soy chunks and Soy sauce are used for preparing Chinese foods. You can find them in many Fast-food stalls.
Nutritional content of Soybean or Soy Foods
Here, let’s discuss the nutritional content of Soybean by considering 100 grams of Soybeans:
| Nutrient | Content (in 100 grams) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 446 Kcal |
| Water | 8.54 g |
| Protein | 36.5 g |
| Fats | 19.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 30.2 g |
| Fibre | 9.3 g |
| Sugar | 7.33 g |
| Calcium | 277 mg |
| Iron | 15.7 mg |
| Vitamin C | 6 mg |
Now, as we are talking about replacing dairy products then let’s compare dairy milk with soy milk before reaching any conclusion:
| Nutrients | Cow’s milk (100g) | Soy milk (100g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 42 kcal | 54 kcal |
| Water | 89.9 g | 88 g |
| Protein | 3.37 g | 3.27 g |
| Fats | 0.97 g | 1.75 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4.99 g | 6.28 g |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0.6 g |
| Sugar | 5.2 g | 3.99 g |
| Calcium | 125 mg | 25 mg |
| Iron | 0.03 mg | 0.64 mg |
| Potassium | 150 mg | 118 mg |
| Sodium | 44 mg | 51 mg |
Benefits of Soy Foods
After comparing the nutritional content of Soybean, we can now look into 5 proven benefits of Soy Foods that can persuade you to think about including them in your diet plan:
Companion in Weight loss
When you are planning a diet that can assist you in achieving your BMI goal, you need to cut down on foods that are high in calories. Foods such as meat, poultry & dairy should be excluded. But the concern is that you can face protein deficiency if you go ahead.
Here, Soybean and Soy products are really helpful. As we have seen above, there is not much nutritional gap between regular milk and soy milk. Also, high protein content gives you the opportunity to get rid of other animal products as well.
The presence of high fibre makes soybean a good option for weight loss. Fibre is linked to providing satiation for a longer time. This prevents you from eating high-calorie junk and processed foods.
Can Solve Your Bone Problems
If you or anyone in your family is facing bone-related problems then adding soy foods to your diet can be an option for you. Soybean is rich in isoflavones a compound that has estrogenic properties that help in promoting bone health.
Also, the content of different nutrients namely, Calcium, iron, zinc and sodium can help in bone development. Soy protein can have less sulfur amino acid compared to that of animal products.
Research in the US has shown that adding soy products to women’s diet can be helpful in maintaining resilience in their bones, especially in older age.
Reduces the Risk of Cancer
Soy products are rich in antioxidants and certain compounds that make it a food that can minimize your chances of having cancer in the near future. These compounds eliminate or affect the growth of cancer cells that are responsible for this disease.
Recent research has found that foods such as Soy milk and tofu, are especially effective against breast cancer. Earlier, it was considered that isoflavones are responsible for increasing the risk of breast cancer but now this theory is reversed.
Helps against Bad Cholesterol
Bad cholesterol remains a major concern for a large section of society as it is associated with chronic diseases. Adding soy foods is a good decision as it is loaded with unsaturated fats that are considered good cholesterol or healthy fats. Also, protein and Omega-3 fatty acids in soybean can play a crucial role in maintaining the health of your heart.
In other sense, soy products can help you replace those foods that are high in bad cholesterol. Red Meat is especially a concern for those who are struggling with high cholesterol. Replacing bad cholesterol with a good one helps in minimising the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
A High-Protein Supplement
Dieticians and nutritionists always prescribe soy products to their clients and patients for muscle development. Most of the protein supplements available in the market are extracts of soybean.
Muscle growth is initial if you are an athlete and want to maintain fitness. You need to include at least 20-30 grams of soy food in your daily meal can help you in this. But remember that you should accompany this with mass-gaining exercise.
Another thing is that soy protein contains all 9 form amino acids that are essential if you are a gym. They can reduce muscle soreness and make the healing of muscles faster.
These are just a slice of the pie, soybean have a long list of health benefits such as preventing Type-2 Diabetes, pacifying severe menopausal symptoms, good for hair and skin health and working in depression as well as sleep disorders.
List of Soy Foods
Certain soy products are widely available and you should include them if you are having a Vegan diet and want to replace animal-based protein foods such as dairy and poultry with plant-based protein:
Soy Milk
Whether you are lactose-intolerant or want to go for plant-based protein, soy milk is a good substitute.
It is obtained by blending soaked soybeans and then pressing the solids. The remaining liquid is smooth and whitish like cow’s milk.
You can add soy milk to tea, coffee and shakes or take it in the raw form. It covers most nutritional values that you expect from any substitute of cow’s milk.
Tofu
This soy product is extracted from condensed soy milk. Its origin is traced to China where it was first prepared by pressing the solid white blocks.
As it is obtained from soybean milk, you can get the nutritional value in a more concentrated manner. The texture of tofu is quite similar to that of regular cheese and Indian paneer.
This means you can use it in the place of cheese in burgers and pizza. If you are an Indian cuisine lover then you can add tofu in curries by replacing Indian paneer.
Soy Chunks
Soy chunks are prepared from soy flour. they are mostly preferred in a vegetarian diet to provide a texture and chewy taste similar to a meat or chicken dish. It is sometimes called “vegetarian’s meat”.
Having soy chunks in a meal can have multiple health benefits. You can roast them and have them in the morning as breakfast. Also, they can be used in preparing Biryani and Pulao. They are a great replacement for meat or chicken and Paneer.
Soy Nuts
These nuts are just mature soybeans that you can have as snacks. You can have them as roasted, baked or soaked in water.
A great option to carry during long travels and have them before long meetings They carry a lot of fibre and protein due to which you will feel satiated for a longer period.
100 grams of soy nuts carry 470 calories so you can have them with salads, yogurts, smoothies and sandwiches.
Conclusion
Aashu can now debate with his mother regarding a vegan diet and convince her. He knows soy foods are a good substitute for dairy products.
He can also suggest some soy product recipes to his mother that she earlier prepared with dairy items such as cow’s milk, curd and Paneer. He can add soy milk, soy chunks and tofu to his grocery list.
The benefits of soy foods have impressed him a lot and he can now think about going Vegan.
