2007: The year of protein awareness

The low calorie Special K protein bars feature a mixture of whey, nuts and soy proteins. The concept is simple: A nutrient-dense high protein snack will help the busy dieter stave off hunger and stick with a sensible diet.

Expanding soy markets

The humble soybean, a staple in Asian cultures, is a protein source with endless possibilities that go beyond traditional products such tofu, tempeh and soy sauce.

First, the oil can be removed. Soy oil is a good source of essential fatty acids including the valuable omega-3s. What’s left is defatted soy flour, a high-protein flour that can be used for breads or to make textured vegetable protein.

Soy concentrates, about 70 percent protein, and soy isolates, around 90 percent protein, result from successive removal of carbohydrates. How these stages are accomplished determines the particular characteristics of the soy product, leaving the food manufacturers with a plethora of choices.

“Prolisse soy protein isolate is separated from the other components in soybeans through a patented, water-based filtration process developed by Cargill,” says Deborah Schultz, market development manager at Cargill Health & Food Technologies (www.cargillhft.com), Minneapolis. “This differs from the traditional process, which utilizes acid to precipitate the protein. Cargill’s process helps to maintain the natural integrity of the protein.” And consumer demand is increasing along with research into the benefits of soy.

"Growing amounts of research continue to link soy and soy protein with health benefits,” offers Tom Woodward, vice president of sales and marketing for Devansoy (www.devansoy.com), Carroll, Iowa, which provides organic soy proteins, powders and flours.

“In addition to the FDA health claim of 1999 linking soy protein with cardiovascular health, multiple other potential benefits have been identified. Research has indicated soy could help to prevent certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer and prostate cancer. Further studies have shown soy could help to reduce the effects of osteoporosis, especially in women, and could even help to regulate the enzymes that affect blood sugar levels in diabetics,” he says.

We no longer think of protein as only meat, fish and chicken or the milk we serve the kids with dinner. It’s now the booster for snacks, cereals, smoothies, bars, even water. It’s what you eat between meals to stave off hunger. Satiety is now becoming the gold standard, along with nutrient density, in diet foods, and satiety has a tie to protein. The promise of these foods is that you can satisfy hunger and maintain energy without eating more calories than you need; you can do it comfortably and tastefully, and so avoid packing on the unwanted pounds; you can even add some muscle.

The number of potential protein sources is growing to match the demand for healthy protein choices, giving manufacturers increased freedom to be creative. But here’s a note of caution from a balance nut. We’ve recently emerged from two successive eras, where extreme low fat and extreme low carb philosophies grabbed a lot of unwarranted attention. Protein is important, “of primary importance,” but in excess it has a down side, just like any nutrient, something of which we should maintain awareness.