A new FDA qualified health claim states that oils high in oleic acid, such as high oleic soybean oil, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
As the trade dispute with China accelerates, and a very good and slightly early 2018 soybean crop has become virtually assured, both soybeans and crude soybean oil futures…
To some extent, soybean oil is a residual commodity, secondary to soybean meal, in driving processing rates and influencing complex prices. Crush rates are driven primarily…
On April 4, 2018, soybean futures quotes suffered a highly volatile day upon China’s announcement of import tariffs on U.S. soybeans. Soybean futures dropped…
In late October, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decided not to move forward with reducing the biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuel requirements…
Global approval will advance the growth of U.S.-grown high oleic soybeans, leading to an ample supply for the food industry.
The October 2017 update focused on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) notification of reducing the biomass-based diesel and on the advanced biofuel volume…
The latest projection released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) promises a plentiful supply of soybeans through 2018 and projections show…
Food manufacturers can promote eligible soybean oil products as U.S. grown and now, heart healthy.
The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture recently granted approval for the import and food and feed use of Monsanto’s MON 87705 soybean, farmers will have access to this…
A new AHA Presidential Advisory reviews and examines the scientific evidence supporting this longstanding recommendation to decrease saturated fat intake, and increase polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat intake to…
While the mechanism behind the ability of soy protein to lower cholesterol levels in humans remains elusive, it has been observed that soyfoods can help to lower cholesterol levels by replacing…
High oleic soybean oil and shortening is now available to food companies.
High oleic soybean oils set to hit the marketplace in a big way.
Keep up-to-date with the latest QUALISOY and U.S. Soy news.
Soy protein lowers blood cholesterol levels according to years of scientific evidence1-10 and the conclusions of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and health agencies in Canada11 and 11 other countries.12
Nevertheless, the FDA recently announced it is proposing to change the existing heart health claim for soy protein. The possible change to a “qualified” health claim indicates that while the FDA believes the scientific evidence still supports consumption of soy protein as a means of lowering blood cholesterol levels, it recognizes there is some inconsistency in the results of recent clinical trials. However, no adverse effects were observed in these studies.
Such inconsistency is not at all unexpected as there is no nutrition research area where clinical studies have produced entirely consistent findings. This is true even for the effects of sodium on blood pressure13,14 and calcium on bone mineral density15,16 and yet reducing the intake of sodium is routinely recommended by nutritionists as a means of reducing risk of heart disease and increasing calcium intake as a means of preventing osteoporosis.
The Soy Nutrition Institute (SNI) intends to provide data and comment to the FDA during the 75-day comment period that was opened by the FDA with the announcement of the possible change to the soy protein health claim. In addition to commenting on the cholesterol lowering effects of soy protein, other benefits will be highlighted in SNI comments.
While the mechanism behind the ability of soy protein to lower cholesterol levels in humans remains elusive, it has been observed that soyfoods can help to lower cholesterol levels by replacing commonly consumed sources of dietary protein because of the favorable change in the fatty acid content of the diet.1 In fact, the cholesterol lowering effect of soybean oil was recently recognized by the FDA in the form of a heart health claim.17 Furthermore, there is intriguing evidence that there may be components of soybeans and soyfoods aside from the fat and protein that favorably affect a number of coronary heart disease risk factors.18-21
Soyfoods provide ample amounts of high-quality protein, so regardless of someone’s risk of developing coronary heart disease, adding soyfoods to the diet makes nutritional sense.22 Importantly, the nutrition community recognizes that to markedly reduce cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease risk requires adopting a comprehensive dietary approach. Because of their varied nutritional and health attributes, soyfoods and soy protein have been key components of comprehensive dietary approaches that have led to dramatic reductions in cholesterol.23-28
Therefore, from a public health perspective, regardless of any possible change to the existing soy protein heart health claim the clinical evidence indicates that soyfoods can make important contributions to heart-healthy diets.
For more information about the nutrition and health attributes of soyfoods visit www.thesoynutritioninstitute.com.
About the Soy Nutrition Institute
The mission of the Soy Nutrition Institute is to identify soy and health research priorities, provide evidence-based information on the impact of soybeans and soy components on human health through a variety of education and outreach efforts and, as funds may be available, facilitate the development and funding of targeted research projects.
The Soy Nutrition Institute is a collaborative organization begun in 2004 through the initiative of the United Soybean Board and soy industry leaders, including global corporations and national associations. Members meet at least twice annually to review and discuss research related to soy and health. Emerging issues are examined with presentations from experts in the field. Literature reviews and primary research are commissioned by SNI, as funding allows.
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