Soy-based products are gaining in popularity – and not just among vegetarians who look to soy products to provide protein in the diet.

The humble soybean boasts some extraordinary nutritional benefits. Soy is the only vegetarian source of complete protein. This means that soy supplies all the essential amino acids – the building blocks that must be supplied by the diet because the body cannot manufacture them. In fact, the quality of soy protein is as good as animal sources of protein such as meat, eggs or milk products.

Protein is vital to life – our bodies require protein to manufacture muscle tissue, hormones, enzymes and other essential materials to keep the body functioning properly. And, adequate dietary protein helps keep hunger at bay.

Like other plant foods, soybeans contain naturally-occurring, beneficial phytonutrients in the form of compounds called isoflavones. Isoflavones are found in other beans, too, but soybeans are the richest source of these substances which can function as antioxidants.

Since animal sources of protein contain cholesterol – and plant foods do not – soy products like soy milk, tofu, tempeh, soybeans (edamame) and soy meat substitutes provide high quality protein without cholesterol.

Isolated soy protein is a high quality protein that is derived from soybeans. All the fat and carbohydrate has been removed from the soybeans, leaving a protein powder that can be incorporated into a variety of foods.

In 1999, the FDA issued a health claim for soy which stated that “25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease”.

It has been observed that the risk of certain health conditions appears to be lower in countries where soy consumption is relatively high, and scientific research is ongoing to discover more about the health benefits of soy.

While the research continues, we can enjoy one of nature’s healthiest plants that has been a staple in the Chinese diet for over 5,000 years. A food that’s high in protein, cholesterol-free, and antioxidant rich - what more could you ask for?

Susan Bowerman is a consultant to Herbalife.

Herbalife Formula 1 shakes provide high-quality soy protein, healthy carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients to provide the cells of your body what they need for optimum health. You will be able to tell the difference from your usual breakfast after the very first shake.

Protein comes in the form of meat, soy products, cheese and dairy products. However, most of these are in the form of animal proteins, which add greatly to the bad cholesterol in our bodies. Therefore we need to look for high quality proteins, in our diet, from non-animal sources. That is vegetable proteins, in the form of soy protein shakes and bars an easy way to consume more protein as part of a healthy diet.

More Information at www.soyproteindiet.co.uk

And Herbalife have now launched Formula 1 as a meal replacement bar. Designed for ultimate portability, the new Herbalife Formula 1 Healthy Meal Bar has been scientifically formulated to have all the benefits of the Formula 1 shake, and is packaged for people on the move. So Herbalife clients will have a shake for breakfast and bar for lunch? High fibre and protein for sustaiend energy and to keep you fuller for longer. Low GI. Suitable for vegetarians. It’s not a snack, it’s not a treat, it’s an Formula 1 meal in a bar.

More details on Herbalife Formula 1 Meal Replacement Bars

Obesity often goes hand-in-hand with the Metabolic Syndrome - a cluster of five factors that include high blood pressure, a large waist circumference, elevated blood sugar and triglycerides, and reduced blood levels of HDL cholesterol.

    Weight reduction is one of the first lines of defense in treating the syndrome, and researchers from the University of Ulm, Germany, have found that increased amounts of protein in the diet lead to greater improvement in metabolic syndrome risk factors when compared to a standard level of protein.

    The study, presented this weekend at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society in Phoenix, enrolled 110 overweight subjects with the metabolic syndrome who were randomly divided into two groups, and were followed for one year.

    For the first three months - the weight loss phase - those in the high protein group were instructed to follow a diet that supplied about twice the protein obtained from a typical diet; they also replaced two meals a day with Herbalife’s European Formula 1, a meal replacement shake. The other group was instructed to eat a standard amount of protein from an all-food diet.

    For the remaining nine months of the study - the weight maintenance phase - everyone used one meal replacement shake a day as part of their meal plan, and both groups maintained the level of protein intake in the diet they had consumed during the previous three months.

    Everyone lost weight after a year, but the high protein group lost more weight (nearly 25 pounds, compared with about 14 pounds for the standard protein group) and more body fat, and preserved lean body mass. More significant, however, was the finding that at the end of the study, 64 percent of those in the high protein group no longer met the criteria for the metabolic syndrome, compared with 41 percent who
consumed the standard amount of protein.

    “We knew that weight loss would improve risk factors for the metabolic syndrome,” said Marion Flechtner-Mors, Ph.D., one of the researchers on the study and head of the Obesity Research Group at the University of Ulm, Germany, “but we found that more subjects showed improvement in these risk factors when we increased the protein in the diet.”

    Nearly 47 million Americans have the metabolic syndrome, and the numbers continue to grow - in parallel with the rise in the incidence of obesity. Flechtner-Mors added, “Effective interventions, such as the use of high protein meal replacements for weight loss, could improve the risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome and affect the lives of millions of people.”

    Flechtner-Mors is a member of Herbalife’s Nutrition Advisory Board (NAB). The NAB is made up of leading experts around the world in the fields of nutrition and health who educate and train Herbalife independent distributors on the principles of nutrition, physical activity and healthy lifestyle.  The NAB is chaired by David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Protein Diet without the extra fat and calories

ADD MORE PTOTEIN IN YOUR DIET FOR LESS FAT
If we don’t eat enough protein our bodies will steal it from our muscles and organs. In fact, protein is essential for the development of our muscles, which lead to an increase in the burning of calories. Our muscles could be described as fat furnaces as they keep our metabolism running high. And protein is very good at curbing appetite and balancing blood sugar in contrast to many “fast release” carbohydrate based foods and snacks.

DEFICIENCIES IN THE MODERN DIET INCLUDE PROTEIN, FIBRE AND NUTRIENTS, RARELY CARBS
Protein is an important component of every cell in the body. It is an organic compound, composed of 22 amino acids, otherwise known as the building blocks of life. Protein is stored in muscles and organs, and the body utilizes it to build and repair tissues, as well as for the production of enzymes and hormones.
Protein also makes it possible for blood to carry oxygen throughout the body. Along with fat and carbohydrates, protein is a “macronutrient,” meaning the body needs relatively large amounts of it. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences has concluded that our daily protein requirements should be 10 percent to 35 percent of our total caloric intake, with men needing slightly more than women.

A lack of protein can cause loss of muscle mass, decreased immunity, as well as weakening of the heart and respiratory system.

PROTEIN HELPS CONTROL HUNGER
The widespread popularity of a high protein diet due in large part to their ability to help manage hunger. When protein is absorbed, it sends a signal to the brain to decrease your hunger. Another benefit of protein is that it raises your resting metabolism by maintaining muscle mass. As we age, muscle mass decreases without exercise, so staying fit is a key to burning fat by keeping your metabolism high. Protein also leads to a much less rapid rise and fall of blood sugar and insulin, so you avoid the “sugar highs and lows” after eating sweets without adequate protein. Certain foods, however, provide a healthier resource for proteinthan others.

HEALTHY SOURCES OF PROTEIN
If you tried to get all the protein you need from foods such as meats, you would consume too many calories, because these protein rich foods come with extra fat calories. You can obtain healthy sources of soy protein without high levels of saturated fat. For example, soybeans, nuts and whole grains provide protein without much saturated fat and offer plenty of healthful fibre and micronutrients as well. If you’re looking for yet another great way to obtain healthy protein, vegetable sources of soy protein found in Herbalife’s Formula 1 shakes, are high quality and have lower calorie levels with virtually no added fat. Herbalife products personalize your daily protein intake to match your body’s needs. With a variety of protein shakes and snacks, Herbalife’s weight management programme helps you build or maintain lean muscle while providing healthy weight-management support. Now that you’ve increased your knowledge of protein, you can effectively enhance your diet and allow good health to take shape.

Find out more about Soy Protein shakes and Protein Bars.

1) Soy protein helps you feel fuller longer.Recent medical studies show soy protein helps you  feel less hungry, and helps you feel fuller longer.(1) Eating soy may
work by causing your stomach to send an “I’m full” messages to your brain.(2) This helps reduce the urge to snack between meals and late at night - two major causes of weight gain.

2) Soy protein is “low-carb.”

Soybeans are the only vegetable that contain more protein than carbs. As a naturally low-carb food, Revival Soy is the perfect supplement to any weight loss plan, including popular “low-carb” and “high-protein” diets.

3) Soy protein has a ”low-glycemic index.”

Not only is soy protein low in carbs and fat, but it also has a low-glycemic index which means it won’t cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels after consumption.(3) This prevents over secretion of insulin (insulin causes the unwanted effect of storing extra sugar in your bloodstream as body fat). Stable blood sugar and insulin levels mean fewer hunger cravings and fewer calories being stored as fat. Recent clinical trials conducted by Sydney University in Australia confirm Revival Soy has a low-glycemic index.(7)

4) Soy protein is a complete protein.

Soy protein is the only plant protein that is a complete protein, which means it contains all 9 essential amino acids in the right balance to meet your body’s needs. This means you get the highest quality protein available, with less fat and fewer calories than most meats. And, you don’t have to worry
about genetic modifications because Revival Soy is made from genetically-pure soybeans (i.e. non-genetically modified or “non-GMO”).

Soy Protein-USA

Soy Protein-Europe