As one of the most versatile proteins, soy protein can be processed and utilized as powder, whole beans, concentrates, isolates, and textured products. As the world faces declining animal protein production, many organizations consider soy a supplementary and complementary source of the needed proteins to fight global hunger. The versatility has led to a rapid uptake in the food industry interested in creating different soy protein foods for different needs.
As the demand for protein-rich foods increases, the food industry is expected to adopt soy as a key ingredient for various food for human and animal consummation. Most food processing companies also consider soy as one of the essential ingredients to meet the changing human dietary trends such as veganism, demand for weight loss foods, etc. Soy proteins perfectly fit into these nutritional trends and agendas due to their nutritional composition and benefits. Let’s analyze how soy is changing the food industry.
Soy Protein as A supplement
Due to global nutritional deficiency, there is a rise in the number of food industries specializing in manufacturing food supplements. These industries include human and animal food industries committed to manufacturing protein. The supplement industries manufacturing protein-rich supplements prefer soy as the ideal ingredient for various protein supplements.
These supplements target people in dire need of protein nutrients. There is a rise in the number of people needing protein for wellness programs and activities. Soy is ideal for people needing protein supplements for various processes such as muscle building and healing worn-out and damaged tissues and cells. Sustainable farming of soy also has the additional benefit of weight management and boosting immunity, an essential part of workout programs.
Athletes such as bodybuilders can benefit from the multiple benefits of soy protein. This includes muscle building, healing worn-out tissues, and boosting testosterone levels which can decline due to steroids. One of the most essential soy supplements is soy powders which have a higher protein concentration than other proteins and soy proteins. This makes soy protein ideal for the wellness and fitness food industry, manufacturing various protein supplements for athletes.
Besides protein supplements, soy can be used as a natural and organic source of certain elements, such as testosterone. As one approaches menopause or uses steroids, testosterone levels will likely decline. As testosterone levels decline, especially during menopause, women are likely to face the challenges of osteoporosis. On the other hand, men using steroids are likely to incur low libido and infertility due to low testosterone caused by steroids,
Such groups would need supplements to help boost testosterone levels. Instead of chemically manufactured drugs rich in testosterone products, soy can be an essential supplement to boost testosterone levels.
Vegan and Weight Management Food Industry
The veganism diet is fast gaining popularity due to the concerns about environmental pollution from animal farming for proteins. As a global nutritional trend, the population in need of animal protein and product alternatives is rising. To meet the demand, companies manufacturing vegan foods rely on soy as one of the most essential ingredients. Soy is essential since the protein concentration is nearly equal to animal products.
The vegan industry relies on soy protein to manufacture products such as milk, yogurt, powders, soy chunk meat, and other products to replace animal proteins. It is also ideal for industry since it is suitable for those who are lactose tolerant. Additionally, it has more health benefits compared to other protein products.
Another reason for one to switch to veganism is weight concerns. Vegans are also conscious about their body weight hence are likely to prefer low-fat proteins especially plant-rich proteins like soy. Therefore, those with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart-related conditions can benefit from the vegan culture.
Soy fits into the vegan culture and is suitable for companies manufacturing weight management foods since it has low-cholesterol fats and is rich in LDL, the good cholesterol for the body. It also contains other nutrients suitable for people with these illnesses, helping them increase their lifespan and live healthily.
Soy as a Protein Alternative
Soy is the perfect protein alternative due to its benefits and protein levels. It is an alternative for vegans who still need proteins after a pledge not to take animal proteins. In regions with low food supply due to climatic conditions and hunger crises, soy is the perfect protein alternative.
In such an environment, animal protein is in limited supply or expensive for the major population to afford. They are likely to face malnutrition or nutritional imbalance due to a lack of sufficient proteins. The best protein alternative they have is soy protein. Due to versatility, soy protein can be processed into affordable products such as soy chunk meats, drinkable products at lower prices than animal protein products.
As an alternative, other food industries are also considering soy as an ingredient for various products. Currently used to manufacture livestock and pet products, this has led to the increased adoption of soy within the animal feed industry. There is an increase in soy products for pets and livestock due to the benefits of soy on animal growth and development.
These feeds are also cheaper than other animal supplements and protein food sources. For young animals, it is an essential ingredient for supporting growth and development, thereby replacing the reliance on animal boosters and other chemically manufactured products. It is also the best organic protein source for organic farmers who aim to support their animals purely on organic foods.
Conclusion
Soy is revolutionizing the protein food industry due to its versatility. It is an ideal ingredient for new nutritional trends such as veganism and is essential for whole foods for those with conditions such as diabetes. As a protein alternative, it is critical to fight global hunger by providing cheap protein products such as soy-based meat.
