First Posted: 5/6/2014
For all the moms who read this column- Happy Mother’s Day! Enjoy your day and read to learn more about how to keep your body healthy and strong.
Soy is a phytoestrogen meaning it is a plant-based source of the hormone, estrogen. As some women age, they begin to loose estrogen; hence, the state of “menopause.”
Soybeans are broken down into components for use as food ingredients. Crushing the beans separates the soy oil from the soy protein.
Phyto or plant estrogens called isoflavones remain in the soy protein. Raw soybeans, roasted soybeans, soy flour and textured vegetable protein have a similar isoflavone content. Tofu and soy milk have lower isoflavone levels due to rinsing or the addition of water and flavorings. Soy protein isolate (SPI) is more refined than soy protein and contains lower amounts of isoflavones. SPI is used to make meat and cheese substitutes. It’s important to note that soybean oil contains no isoflavones and soy sauce has little or none.
Isoflavones are weak estrogens. More is not better. Scientists are worried that these could have bad effects if eaten in large amounts for long periods of time. The safe range of intake is 35–55 milligrams of isoflavones a day. Some suggest an upper limit of 100 milligrams of isoflavones per day. Postmenopausal women should check with their doctor. Women on tamoxifen should not be taking isoflavone supplements or powders.
So why eat soy? Soy protein has shown to lower total blood cholesterol. It doesn’t affect the “good” or HDL cholesterol. Some studies have also shown that soy may protect bone density. Eating about 25 grams of soy protein has been shown to help lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol. This would equate to approximately 45 mg of isoflavones. Studies have shown that these effects require both the protein and the isoflavones to work together.
Soy is also a good source of protein and has been a good substitute for meat, poultry and other animal-based foods because of their high-quality protein.
To read more about soy, visit our web site extension.psu.edu or read Soy Protein and Soy Isoflavones.
Here is a great recipe which uses tofu – a lowfat substitute for ground beef.
Lasagna
1 pound lasagna noodles
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
1 Tablespoon canola oil
10 ounces tofu, drained
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, or 1 Tablespoon dried
2 to 2½ cups canned tomato sauce
2 cups grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
Boil the lasagna noodles until just tender. Do not overcook. Drain. Sauté the mushrooms in the oil until tender. Mash the tofu in a bowl and mix with the Parmesan cheese and garlic. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly oil an 8½-by-11-inch baking pan. Line bottom of pan with a layer of noodles. Spread with half the tofu mixture, then add half the mushrooms, half the parsley, about half the sauce and one-third the grated cheese. Add another layer of noodles and repeat the process. Place noodles on top. Sprinkle with the rest of the grated cheese. Top with remaining tomato sauce. Bake 45 minutes or until nicely browned.
