Soy Isolate or TVP

Pt 2 of 3 - Is This A Health Food?

Savvy Veg: The fact that Soy Protein Isolate or TVP is widely used in processed foods, including 'health' foods, doesn't mean it's healthy!

1. Having most of the fats and carbohydrates removed means that it's no longer a whole food.

2. Three out of four reasons for its use in food have nothing to do with nutrition.

3. The complete vegetable protein argument is bogus, because there are many food combinations we eat everyday that provide 'complete' protein.

4. There are other vegetarian protein foods, such as beans, that are inexpensive, have low fat content, and also may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and help prevent osteoporosis, cancer and menopause symptoms.

More Wiki On Uses for Soy Isolates

According to Wikipedia, Soy protein is used for emulsification and texturizing. Specific applications include adhesives, asphalts, resins, cleaning materials, cosmetics, inks, leather substitutes, paints, paper coatings, pesticides/fungicides, plastics, polyesters and textile fibers.

Food grade soy protein was origiinally used as animal feed, which didn't pay all that well. So it was re-invented as a human food, and then as a health food, which was much more profitable. Think about the price of protein shakes, veg sausage, or veggie burgers, and you get the picture.

According to Wikipedia Soy protein is used in a variety of foods such as salad dressings, soups, vegetarian foods, meat imitations, beverage powders, cheeses, coffee whiteners, frozen desserts, whipped toppings, infant formulas, bread and rolls, cereals, pasta products, oriental foods and pet foods. I couldn't say for sure, but it seems likely that most processed health foods contain soy isolate.

Wikipedia: A soy protein health claim is allowed in the United States if a serving of the food meets the following conditions:

• More than 6.25 grams of soy protein
• Usually less than 3 grams of fat
• Less than 1 gram of saturated fat
• Less than 20 milligrams of cholesterol
• Less than 480 milligrams of sodium

Wikipedia: "There are conflicting studies concerning the phytoestrogens contained in soy protein that bind to estrogen receptors in the body and their effect on the risk of certain forms of cancer." There are no details here about those studies.

In 1995, the New England Journal of Medicine(Vol.333, No. 5) published a report from the University of Kentucky entitled, "Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Soy Protein Intake on Serum Lipids." It was financed by the PTI division of DuPont,"The Solae Co."[1] St.Louis.* This meta-analysis concluded that soy protein is correlated with significant decreases in serum cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein LDL(bad) cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. However, High Density Lipoprotein HDL (good) cholesterol did not increase. Soy phytoestrogens(isoflavones:genistein and daidzein)adsorbed onto the soy protein were suggested as the agent reducing serum cholesterol levels. On the basis of this research PTI,in 1998, filed a petition with FDA for a health claim that soy protein may reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

*SV Note: A Little Soy Protein History from Wikipedia::

"In 1935, African-American chemist, Percy Julian, designed and supervised construction, at the Soy Products Division, Glidden Paint Company, Chicago,Illinois, of the world's first plant for the "isolation" of industrial-grade soy protein....The plant's eventual daily output of forty tons of soy protein isolate made the Soya Products Division, Glidden's most profitable division."

"In 1958, Central Soya of Fort Wayne, Indiana acquired Dr. Julian's, Soy Products Division (Chemurgy) of the Glidden Paint Company, Chicago."

"In 1987, PTI became the world's leading maker of isolated soy protein." The above 1995 study was funded by PTI.

DuPont "in 1997 ... acquired Ralston Purina's soy division, Protein Technologies International (PTI), St. Louis, Missouri."

"On the basis of this research (funded by PTI), PTI in 1998 filed a petition with FDA for a health claim that soy protein may reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease."

"The FDA granted this health claim for soy: '25 grams of soy protein ' One serving,(1 cup or 240 mL) of soy milk, for instance, contains 6 or 7 grams of soy protein."

"Recently, Central Soya's (Bungee) Protein Division, in January, 2003, joined/merged with DuPont's soy protein (Solae) business." Which means that DuPont, the world's second largest chemical company, owns the world's biggest maker of isolated soy protein, and the next biggest."

Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it? And is TVP-TSP a health food? Well if the FDA says it is, on the basis of one study, funded by PTI, the world's leading maker of soy isolate, then it must be so.