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Certain compounds in soy protein have been linked to several health benefits:
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A reduced risk of heart disease. Soy has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. |
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A possible decrease in menopausal symptoms. |
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A reduced risk of osteoporosis. Soybeans are a good source of plant calcium. Soy protein also helps conserve calcium in the body. |
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A reduced risk of cancer. |
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It comes in many forms:
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soy milk |
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soy flour |
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tofu and tofu products |
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tempeh |
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soy beans |
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texturized soy protein |
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soy cheese |
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soy sauce |
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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.
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Although weight management is generally a matter of balancing calories consumed with calories spent, not all calories are created equal. People add more body fat when they eat extra fat calories than when they eat the same number of extra carbohydrate calories. It matters, for example, whether you choose to splurge on 200 calories of low-fat yogurt or 200 calories of high-fat ice cream. The calorie count is the same, but you're more likely to add body fat as a result of eating the ice cream. (Not to mention the fact that your serving size is a whole lot smaller.)
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) |
Eating Well |