Soy Nuts Nutrition

Soy products are gaining in popularity, and soy nuts are no exception. They have a distinct taste, come in a variety of flavors and can add versatility to your menus. Knowing what soy nuts have to offer nutritionally can help you achieve balance in your diet and make informed, healthy choices.

Identification

• Soy nuts are actually whole soybeans that have been soaked in water and baked to achieve a crispy texture. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, soy nuts retain the health benefits of whole soybeans. The isflavones (plant chemicals) that soy foods contain, he says, "have been shown in hundreds of studies to help prevent heart disease and several forms of cancer."

Nutritional Information

• One serving of soy nuts provides 120 calories, 10 grams of protein, and 6 grams of fiber. Soy nuts have a minute amount of sodium (1 mg), 6 grams of fat, and no trans fat. The typical serving size is one ounce, or about 1/4 cup.

A Complete Protein

• Soy nuts provide all nine essential amino acids.

  According to the United Soybean Board, soy is a complete protein, meaning that soy nuts provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids. Soy can be a useful alternative to animal protein for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike since the quality of soy protein is comparable to animal protein.

Types

• Soy nuts come in a variety of flavors including unsalted, salted, onion and garlic, and honey mustard. Try soy nuts right out of the bag, toss them in a salad for a nutty crunch or enjoy them in a trail mix with dried fruit. Read labels carefully because some flavors have added sodium as well as added calories and fat.

Considerations

• Research suggests that soy offers both benefits and risks.

  Growing controversy over the relationship between soy isoflavones and tumor growth in breast cancer patients is worth considering. William Helferich, a professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, studied the effects of different soy foods and soy supplements on mice that had breast cancer. His findings suggest that whole soy foods had no effect on tumor size while soy supplements accompanied tumor growth. The Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation concludes from Helferich's study that "soy as food is probably safe for women with breast cancer, but the final answers aren't in yet."