Certain compounds in soy protein have been linked to several health benefits: A reduced risk of heart disease. Soy has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. A possible decrease in menopausal symptoms. A reduced risk of osteoporosis. Soybeans are a good source of plant calcium. Soy protein also helps conserve calcium in the body. A reduced risk of cancer. It comes in many forms: soy milk soy flour tofu and tofu products tempeh soy beans texturized soy protein soy cheese soy sauce Go to a natural food store and see what soy products they have. Ask if they have any recipes available. About 40 grams of soy a day may be helpful—2 servings(½ cup each) of tofu or 2–5 servings of fortified soy milk.

This happens because the body stores fat more efficiently than it stores other nutrients. When you eat 100 calories of carbohydrates, your body immediately uses about 23 and converts the remaining 77 to fat, to be used later as fuel. When you eat 100 calories of fat, your body burns only about 3 immediately and stores a whopping 97.

If you want to lose body fat, limit your intake of high-fat foods. This will not only improve your metabolism, it will allow you more food for your calorie expenditure. Fats have more than twice the calories per gram as proteins and carbohydrates.

Compare energy sources
Energy Source	Calories per gram
Fats	9
Proteins	4
Carbohydrates	4

To use up your body's fat storage, you need to exercise regularly. Moderate aerobic exercise, which raises your heart rate, is especially important. And any exercise that builds muscle mass can also help you burn more calories because muscle has a faster metabolism (burns more calories) than fat.

Gaining weight
If you're trying to gain weight, you may want to add more high-calorie, high-fat foods. But try to limit the saturated fats in your diet. These fats—found mostly in meats, dairy products, palm oil, and coconut oil—may increase your blood cholesterol and your chances of heart disease. Exercise is also important because it will help to ensure that the weight you gain is more muscle and less fat.

How much fat is that?
It's hard to visualize a gram of fat, but we can visualize a teaspoon of fat. Each teaspoon of fat contains about 4 grams. Here's a list of common foods and the fat you can expect to find in them.

How much fat is that?
Food	Teaspoons of fat
Carrot and celery sticks	none (0 gram)
Slice of bread	¼ teaspoon (1 gram)
3 ounces lean beef	1 teaspoon (4 grams)
Creamy coleslaw (½ cup)	3 teaspoons (12 grams)
Croissant	3 teaspoons (12 grams)
Hotdog (3 ounces)	7 teaspoons (28 grams)