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• Canadians consumed more than 40 million liters of soymilk in 2003
• 18 per cent of Canadian families drink soymilk
• regularly including soy foods in your diet plays an important role in a healthy lifestyle.
• Soy protein is linked to lowering “bad” LDL-cholesterol and soy isoflavones are powerful anti-oxidants.
• Canadian farmers harvested more than 2.5 million acres of soybean plants in 2002Popular soy foods include: soymilk, soy yogurt, soy cheese, soy oil, roasted soy nuts, and meat alternatives
• Soy beverages are becoming increasingly diverse in response to current health trends and you can now buy soymilk enriched with omega-3 fatty acids

The buzz about soy foods

You’ve probably heard the buzz about soy and the many health benefits that come with including soy in our diets. There are many tasty, convenient ways to reap the benefits of this “super-food” and with April being Soy Foods Month, there is no better time to start.

So what makes soy such a superstar?

For starters, soy is naturally nutritious.  Soy protein is a high quality, complete protein, as are meat and milk protein, and is the only vegetable protein that earns this title. But, soy’s real claim to fame is its role in good health, link to disease prevention, and availability in good-tasting new food choices.

Nutrition researchers say that adding soy to your diet is a heart healthy habit. 

A recent study published, by Dr. Jenkins from the University of Toronto and his research team, in the journal Metabolism found that adding even modest amounts of soy foods to a healthy diet reduces the risk of heart disease.

Soymilk, now with a look, taste and nutrition profile like dairy milk – combined with the many health benefits of soy protein – soymilk has become one of the fastest-growing grocery categories in Canada.  Drinking soymilk is a simple, good-tasting way to include the benefits of soy in a modern, well-balanced diet.  A glass of So Good Original soy beverage is high in soy protein and contains the equivalent amounts of calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 as dairy milk.

25 Tasty Ways to Add Soy Foods to Your Diet

(excerpt from the new cookbook “Eating for Energy Without Deprivation”)

1. Try chocolate soymilk for a snack. Check the label and ensure it’s fortified with calcium and vitamin D as all brands may not be. Drinking a glass right after you get home from work and feel ravenous might be the best time to enjoy it.
2. Blend soft tofu, fruit, juice and ice into a breakfast shake. With the right combination of fruit, ice and flavourings, you won’t even know the tofu is there. Try our smoothie recipes
3. Cube firm tofu, brown in sesame oil and add to a stir-fry. Use a non-stick pan and brown the tofu on all four sides to give it a crispy texture. Next add vegetables and a tangy sauce.
4. Try tofu cheese and crackers for a snack.
5. Substitute soymilk for regular milk on cereal.
6. Use soymilk in baking or cooking in place of regular milk. Yes, the product will have a different taste. However, in some cases it is only mildly different. Muffin recipes with cinnamon and other spices are a good place to sneak soymilk in.
7. Crumble firm tofu into spaghetti sauce or chili in place of ground meat. There are also excellent soy-based ground round substitutes on the market. Yves Veggie Cuisine^® makes a product called Veggie Ground Round^® that can be used practically any way ground beef would be. It’s pre-cooked so you simply crumble it into your sauce or casserole near the end of cooking. There is also no hassle with draining off grease.
8. Try a soy-based veggie burger, hot dog or breakfast link.
9. Add chunks of medium tofu to soup in place of meat. Our Hot and Sour Soup maybe? Any dish with a very savoury or tangy sauce will give tofu the same flavour.
10. Marinate firm tofu chunks for shish kebabs.
11. Use puréed tofu and add herbs for dips or creamy salad dressings.
12. Use soft tofu with veggies to make an eggless breakfast scramble. This is a really unique way to use soft or medium tofu. Adding saffron or a coloured spice makes it look very similar to real scrambled eggs.
13. Crumble tofu into tacos, burritos, “meat pies” or even on top of a pizza.
14. Buy soy protein isolate powder from a health food store or in bulk. Just 1 or 2 tablespoons can be added to a shake, replacing the protein component.
15. Eat almond-flavoured dessert tofu in place of pudding.
16. Make a bean salad highlighting soybeans.
17. Make a purée of soybeans and stir into spaghetti or pizza sauce for a nutrient boost your kids won’t even notice.
18. Stir chocolate or other pudding mix into soft tofu for a quick dessert.
19. Try a soy-based mayonnaise or margarine if not hydrogenated.
20. Look for tofu or soy-based ice cream. If you like the taste you may have found the ultimate way of having your cake and eating it too!
21. Snack on roasted soy nuts. Just be careful with the quantity. These are as easy to eat as other nuts.
22. Make your own veggie burger patties using mashed soybeans.
23. Purée soybeans for a hummus-like dip.
24. Add soybeans to your favourite vegetable soup.
25. Buy a soy food cookbook. The growing supply of these in most bookstores is due to the popularity of soy protein.

Watch for the Eating for Energy segment every Tuesday on BCTV’s Noon News Hour!