The Soy Connection for Health Professionals
Soybean Oil's Heart Health Breakthrough| Soy Connection - Vol 25, No 4 Edible oil Milestones
In This Issue:
- The FDA has allowed the use of a qualified health claim on certain products made with soybean oil. The claim states, “Supportive, but not conclusive scientific evidence, suggests that eating about 1½ tablespoons (20.5 grams) daily of soybean oil, which contains unsaturated fat, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. High oleic soybean oil, an important option for replacement of solid fat and liquid oils in multiple food applications, maintains or improves lipid and lipoprotein profiles in humans compared to alternative functional fats. As consumers shift toward more plant-based diets for environmental concerns, it is clear that soyfoods, because of the amounts of high-quality protein they provide, can play an important role in these diets.
By David Baer, PhD, Soybean oil is a critically important oil in the global food supply. Conventional soybean oil, also known as “commodity” soybean oil, is high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) which are consistently associated with decreased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. And while some individuals have suggested that the n-6 PUFA found in commodity soybean oil are “proinflammatory” and detrimental to health, those claims are not supported by the scientific evidence. Despite their positive impact on health, a limitation of oils high in PUFA is that they are susceptible to oxidation, which can reduce its shelf- and fry-life. Read More
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently decided to allow a qualified health claim linking the consumption of soybean oil to reduced risk of coronary heart disease and lower LDL-cholesterol. The decision was based on a comprehensive review of the clinical data. Read More
By Marty Matlock, PhD, The success of soybeans as a global crop reflects its value, resilience, and low environmental impact. Maintaining the highly sustainable quality of this important crop means continually improving these characteristics. U.S. soybeans are sustainable in part because of the aggressive adoption by American farmers of technologies that improve efficiencies and reduce impacts. These technologies include crop genetics, field cultivation, pest control, automation, precision agriculture, and post-harvest quality control. Read More
By Virginia Messina, MPH, RD While cost, taste and nutrition are all factors that drive food purchases, consumers are increasingly concerned about the carbon footprint of their dietary choices. Nearly 50 years ago, the book Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappé emphasized the impact of food choices on water and land usage. More recently, researchers have also focused on how different diets impact greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE). Read More