It’s back to school season and for many families that means full days and hurried evenings. This new schedule shift makes a balanced and protein-rich diet crucial for active kids. Soy is the perfect solution for families who need additional ideas for high-protein meals and for those looking to reap the nutritional benefits of a more plant-based diet.
Soy is a unique and nutrient-dense food. It not only contains all three macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) and several micronutrients, but it is a completely plant-based food. Common types of soy foods include tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein (TVP), edamame, and soymilk. Many plant-based alternative products, i.e. plant-based meat crumbles, soy yogurts & cheeses, and many more, utilize soy as the protein source.
What makes soy unique? Most plant-based protein sources are lacking in at least one essential amino acid, which are the building blocks of protein. Soy is one of the few plants that is a high-quality protein source, meaning it contains all of the amino acids in amounts needed by the body. The protein quality and digestibility of soy are comparable to animal protein sources, making it an excellent alternative for kids with benefits that will extend beyond their developmental years.
Chronic Disease Prevention
One of the biggest nutritional benefits of soy is found in a compound called isoflavones. Early research suggests that soy consumption during childhood and/or adolescence may decrease the risk of developing breast cancer and other chronic diseases throughout life. Soy can also improve LDL cholesterol levels. Several studies show the improvement of LDL cholesterol in children with high cholesterol who added soy to their diet as compared to those on a standard cholesterol lowering diet (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28838083/).
Gut Health
Certain types of soy products are fermented (miso, natto, soy sauce, tamari), which means they are also quality sources of probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms that help to develop a healthy gut. These play an important role in maintaining a healthy immune response and may be protective against certain neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8003083/). Along with probiotics, soy also provides prebiotics. Prebiotics are a type of fiber that helps to feed the gut bacteria.
Bone Health
Calcium is an important nutrient for children because it helps build strong bones and prevent bone loss later in life. Many soy foods provide a good source of calcium and can be an easy alternative for maintaining adequate calcium in a child’s diet, particularly for kids who do not tolerate dairy. Just 1/2 cup of calcium-set tofu provides 50% of the calcium a 4-8 year old needs. Soymilk is one of the most popular soy foods, and since it is fortified with calcium it can be an easy swap to get more calcium and all the benefits that soy has to offer.
Now that we know all the wonderful benefits of soy, here are some fun and creative ways to incorporate soy into your child’s breakfast, lunch box, after school snack, or as a mean entrée at dinnertime.
- Use frozen shelled edamame to make vegetarian fried rice
- Use crumbled tempeh with taco seasoning for taco night
- Make a soy yogurt parfait with granola and fruit
- Serve a glass of soymilk with any meal or snack
- Add a scoop of soy protein powder to oatmeal for a protein-rich breakfast
- Use crumbled extra firm tofu in place of eggs for a veggie scramble
- Use soymilk as the liquid in a smoothie
- Make a trail mix with dried soy nuts and dried fruit
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