Soy Food, Tofu Meets A Niche Market (2/2)

An 8-ounce glass of plain soymilk contains 10 grams of protein. One soy protein bar delivers 14 grams of protein. One-half cup of tempeh provides 19.5 grams of protein. And a quarter cup of roasted soy nuts contains 19 grams of soy protein. Because some soy products have a mild or even neutral flavor, it’s possible to add soy to dishes and barely know it’s there. Soy flour can be used to thicken sauces and gravies. Soymilk can be added to baked goods and desserts. And tofu takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked in, making it suitable for stews and stir-fries. “Cook it with strong flavors such as garlic, crushed red pepper, or ginger,” says Amy Lanou, a New York-based nutritionist. “One of my favorites is tofu sautéed with a spicy barbecue sauce.” She also suggests commercial forms of baked tofu, which she says has a “cheese-like texture and a mild, but delicious, flavor.” For soy “newbies,” she also recommends trying a high-quality restaurant that really knows how to prepare soy dishes--just to see how professionals handle soy. According to the Soyfoods Association of North America, three factors are responsible for driving soy’s upward trend: Baby boomers are more enlightened about, and more interested in longevity and good health than previous generations. The double-digit growth in Asian populations in the United States has fueled demand for traditional soy foods. Americans also are eating more Asian foods, which often include soy. Young people are choosing more plant-based foods. A food industry survey found that 97 percent of colleges and universities now offer meatless entrees on their menus. For consumers reluctant to try soy foods be-cause they fear a bad taste, food manufacturers are creating new lines of soy-based products that contain enough soy to meet the claim requirement but are developed specially to taste good. “Soy’s major stumbling block has been its taste, real or perceived,” says Meghan Parkhurst, spokeswoman for Kellogg Co. A Little Tofu, For Those Middle-Aged Bones Eating soy may help prevent bone fractures in postmenopausal women. A large study of more than 24,000 women suggests that soy protein is especially helpful to bone health in the first few years after a woman reaches menopause. The subjects in the study, women 40 to 70, were participants in the Shanghai Women’s Health Study who were followed for four and a half years. In this time, 1,770 fractures were reported. The researchers adjusted the figures for age, osteoporosis risk factors, socioeconomic status and diet other than soy food. They found that the more soy a woman ate, the less likely she was to break a bone. Within 10 years of menopause, high soy consumption was associated with a 50 percent reduction in the risk for bone fracture. Dr. Xiao-Ou Shu, a co-author of the paper and a professor in the department of medicine at Vanderbilt, pointed out that the American Heart Association and the Food and Drug Administration recently recommended the consumption of 25 grams of soy protein each day as a heart disease preventive. That would be more than enough to assure protection against fractures as well. “The consumption level of women who were in the top 20 percent in our study is equivalent to two cups of soy milk per day, or three-quarters of a piece of tofu,” she said. Although the amount of soy protein can vary among different brands, one cup of soy milk contains about 6.6 grams of soy protein, and a piece of tofu contains about 16 grams. “In my opinion,” Dr. Shu said, “women should in-crease soy consumption.”