Healthy Living:The health benefits of soy beans

Sometime last month as I was preparing tea on a Saturday morning, my son came to the kitchen with something that had been given to him by mother, and that I should use it in making the tea instead of the usual tea leaves. I took the packet and read the contents, and it was about soy milk that can also be used in preparing tea. I tried it in the tea and my children loved it. Soy, a versatile bean, is found in foods like soy milk, soy sauce, soybean paste, and tofu. Soy is also sometimes added to foods like breads, cereals, and meat products, and used as a meat substitute in vegetarian products such as soy burgers. Foods that contain whole soy are a good source of protein for vegetarians and vegans because they provide all the amino acids — a type of nutrient — that people need to stay healthy. People who eat meat get all their essential amino acids from animal products. I remember a few months ago while in Kenya I visited a friend and she prepared some soy meat-at first I was hesitant to eat but when I tried it I liked it. The soy meat is actually made of dried soy beans and made to look like real meat. In fact I have seen the soy meat at Ciku’s mini market my friend’s shop at the Kimironko market. Doing some research about the soy beans on the net; there is no denying that soy has many health benefits, which are coming from the quality of the soy proteins and from health promoting phytochemicals, such as isoflavones, phytates, saponins and polyphenols. Soy products, such as soy milk, do not contain a lot of calcium but the soy isoflavones may help to reduce the osteoporosis risk. Several studies have suggested that soy isoflavones may be a factor in helping to prevent bone loss. The real health benefits of soy might lie in its nutritional content and the fact that people often use soy foods as a replacement for less-healthy foods. Soy foods are a great source of protein and contain other important nutrients, such as fibre, B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids. Foods containing soy protein are also a healthy alternative to meats and other animal products that contain cholesterol and saturated fat. Among all cancers, data on soy and prostate cancer seems to be the most promising; many studies support its role in the prevention and possible treatment of prostate cancer. What is known at this point is the phytoestrogens in soy foods are anti-estrogens. In other words, they may block estrogen from reaching the receptors - therefore potentially protecting women from developing breast cancer. Studies found that pre-menopausal women may benefit from eating soy foods as their natural estrogen levels are high. Soy meats can also be good for people who want to cut on their weight by eating less meat and eating soy meats instead. Not many people know the health benefits of the soy beans, but these small beans can be almost magical when you include them in your daily diet. The Chinese have proved that soy has many health benefits which are said to lower cancer rate. Soy beans are readily available at the market and the products made out of the soy beans can also be found at the big supermarkets. kayitesius@yahoo.com

Lifestyle

Healthy Living:The health benefits of soy beans