Aug 2, 2018, 18:18 PM by Mark Messina, PhD, MS,

There continues to be confusion among consumers about the health attributes of soyfoods. To this point, a recent survey found that whereas the vast majority of health professionals view soyfoods very positively, little more than half of the public agrees. Four specific concerns about soyfood use are addressed below. They are misconceptions about male feminization, soy and breast cancer, thyroid function and fertility. First, the overall conclusion or takeaway is presented on each topic, and then the evidence underlying the concern is discussed, followed by a summary of the evidence refuting the concern.

Aug 2, 2018, 18:03 PM by Mark Messina, PhD, MS,

The U.S. Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) mandates labeling of all ingredients derived from commonly allergenic foods. In the United States, eight foods have been identified as the most frequent human food allergens, accounting for 90 percent of food allergies. These foods are milk, eggs, fish, crustacea, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts and soy. However, these foods are not equally allergenic—in fact, soy protein allergies are relatively uncommon. Being allergic to soy protein is much less common than being allergic to milk or peanuts.

Aug 2, 2018, 18:01 PM by Aline Andres, PhD,

Soy formula has been in use since the 1960s and estimates are that 20 million Americans consumed this food at some point in their development. Currently, approximately 13% of formula-fed infants use soy formula. After an extensive review in 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that soy formula produces normal growth and development. Similarly, in 2010, the U.S. National Toxicology Program (USNTP) concluded that there is minimal concern about the safety of soy formula. Nevertheless, soy formula has become controversial because infants are exposed to high levels of isoflavones. To help address this controversy and to answer a call by the USNTP for more data, investigators at the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC) undertook the “Beginnings Study” in 2002.

Aug 2, 2018, 17:58 PM by Mark Messina, PhD, MS,

Despite being high phytate and oxalate, two compounds that inhibit mineral absorption—the absorption of calcium (and likely also iron) from soyfoods is only modestly inhibited as a result. Incorporating soyfoods into a healthy diet does not impair mineral status.

Aug 2, 2018, 16:24 PM 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).

Aug 2, 2018, 16:22 PM 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.

Aug 2, 2018, 16:20 PM 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.

Aug 2, 2018, 16:17 PM by System

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.

Aug 2, 2018, 15:41 PM by System

The Soy Nutrition Institute (SNI) is now a co-sponsor of The Soy Connection newsletter, helping to bring the latest news about soy research to health professionals both in this newsletter and on the SNI web site.

Aug 2, 2018, 15:39 PM by Mark Messina, PhD, MS,

Meta-analyses of the clinical data consistently show that soy protein lowers circulating LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. The most recent meta-analysis demonstrating this finding to be the case was published in 2015. The first one was published in 1995. Four years later, after conducting its own analysis of the literature, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized a health claim for soy protein and reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Since 1999, similar claims have been approved in 11 other countries; the most recent country to do so was Canada in 2015.

Aug 2, 2018, 15:38 PM by Guy Johnson, PhD,

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) vouched for the heart-health benefits of soybean oil in 2017 by acknowledging that there is sufficient “supportive scientific evidence” to authorize a new Qualified Health Claim (QHC) for soybean oil and certain foods made from it. Exact wording of the new claim reads: “Supportive but not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 1 ½ tablespoons (20.5 grams) daily of soybean oil, which contains unsaturated fat, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. To achieve this possible benefit, soybean oil is to replace saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day. One serving of this product contains [x] grams of soybean oil.”

Aug 2, 2018, 15:28 PM by Christine Werner, PhD, PA-C, RD,

The nutritional profile and functional properties of soy and its constituents (oil, protein, fiber) influence a surprising number of food products in the market today. Soy as an ingredient in foods adds nutrition like protein, healthy polyunsaturated fat, phytonutrients and dietary fiber. The health benefits of soy have been studied extensively. Various soy products are viewed as health promoting, and may play a role in weight loss, improving glucose tolerance, lowering bad cholesterol, and possibly reducing risk of breast, prostate and colon cancers.

Aug 2, 2018, 15:26 PM by Mark Messina, PhD, MS,

Concentrated sources of soy protein, commonly referred to as soy protein products (SPPs), are widely used by the food industry for their functional properties, such as enhancing moisture content and increasing shelf life. These concentrated sources of protein, which include isolated soy protein (ISP), soy protein concentrate (SPC) and soy flour (also textured soy protein or textured vegetable protein), are also used to increase the protein content of a wide variety of products such as energy bars and breakfast cereals. These protein sources form the basis for creating a variety of meat analogues, such as soy burgers, which have become increasingly popular as more people opt to consume plant-based meals. By definition, ISP, SPC and soy flour are approximately 90%, 65% and 50% protein, respectively.

Aug 2, 2018, 15:19 PM by Tamara Schryver, PhD, MS, RD

Over the last five years, “clean label” food products have swept through the conventional food supply. Literally every food and beverage category has been affected from dairy to bakery, baby foods to snack foods, alcoholic beverages to water, and though not human food, even dietary supplements and pet food. According to research from Nielsen and Label Insight, overall sales of clean label food and beverages grew 1.2% in the past year. And while consumer awareness has increased not only in regard to product claims related to clean labels but to what ingredients are actually in the products, the intent of the food movement and the specific impact of clean labels on otherwise nutritious, accessible foods, isn’t always aligned. Thus, the case with soy and soy ingredient derivatives.

Jul 12, 2018, 12:54 PM by Mark Messina, PhD, MS

High blood pressure (BP) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) worldwide. Current guidelines classify adults with an average systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 130 to 139 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 80 to 89 mmHg as having stage 1 hypertension (previously, these numbers would have qualified as only prehypertension). Adults with stage 1 hypertension have about a 2-fold increase in CVD risk compared with their counterparts with a normal BP (SBP < 120 mm Hg and DBP < 80 mm Hg). Furthermore, evidence suggests that lowering SPB to below 130 mmHg further reduces CVD risk.

Jul 12, 2018, 12:53 PM by Julia Driggers, RD, LDN, CNSC

The Guidelines for Children with Hypertension were updated by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in 2017. Prior to this publication, the guidelines for hypertension (HTN) were issued by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). In 2013, the AAP acquired sponsorship of cardiovascular disease guidelines in children with a goal of developing evidence-based clinical practice recommendations for the practitioner. A sub-committee of experts established guidelines for the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of childhood HTN.

Jul 12, 2018, 12:53 PM by Sandra Allonen, RD, MEd, LDN

Multiple components of soybeans may have blood-pressure lowering effects. For example, digestion of soy protein may produce small chains of amino acids, the building blocks of protein, that lower blood pressure. And compounds in soybeans called isoflavones, appear to boost the activity of enzymes that increase the production of nitric oxide, a molecule which widens blood vessels and reduces blood pressure.