A complete source of vegetarian protein

Three days a week, one of us eats only vegetarian food. A well-balanced diet with a good source of plant-based protein on those days is very difficult to maintain. In addition, as food bloggers, we often get asked for recommendations on where to dine or what to order. And the most frequent request we receive is for vegetarian food that is NOT just paneer based.

Our answer to all these questions and more is soy. Vegans, vegetarians, and non-vegetarians can benefit from soy, a complete source of protein.

US Specialty Food Grade Soybean Workshop, Delhi

Soy in Indian cuisine has been around for a long time. It is used in a variety of forms, the most popular being the soy-chaap dish. Soy-chop is immensely loved by Indians especially people in Delhi.

Apart from this, the usage of soy milk and tofu became popular post the concept of veganism surfaced. Soy milk and tofu (commonly referred to as soy panner), are increasingly being used by people in cities. It is however surprising that an ingredient so beneficial and flavorful hasn’t found its rightful place in the Indian diet.

We attended the US Specialty Food Grade Soybean Workshop in August at Le Meridien Hotel in Delhi, where we learned about soy, the superfood. Here is why we should all go for it!

Soy health benefits

The programme included a number of seminars that covered topics including production and packaging. However, the session by Dr. Kavita piqued our interest the most as she discussed the advantages of soy in treating a variety of illnesses and inadequacies. The following are some of what we discovered:

• Regular consumption of soy food helps in controlling cholesterol and blood glucose
• Soy products, especially fermented ones, help treat anemia by boosting hemoglobin
• Soy foods are a rich source of isoflavones. Isoflavones are extremely good for bone health
• We were surprised to know that soy is especially recommended for autistic patients
• Given that soy products can be a substitute for milk, they make an excellent choice for individuals who are lactose intolerant
• As soy is rich in fibre it helps in digestion and boosts immunity
• Soy helps to maintain the balance of good bacteria against bad bacteria in the body
• Soy provides all the essential amino acids which makes it a unique source of plant protein

During one of the sessions, we also learned about Okara, a byproduct/waste from soy production units. Okara, used to make granola and energy bars, is a rich protein source and contains other nutritive elements.

Soy in Indian food

There were several startups present at the event who are doing great work with soy products. All different kinds of soy products from these entrepreneurs were on show at the location. These ranged from Indian desserts made with soybean powder, such as Gulab Jamun and barfi, to soy curd and soy lassi with mango flavour. We tried a few of these and really liked them.

It was a fitting way to round off this enjoyable and fruitful class.

We are BELIEVERS of soy. We will consciously work to include soy in our diet every day of the week.

Also Read: 10 Health tips for food bloggers