April's National Soyfoods Month Provides Simple Swaps for a More Plant-Based Diet

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Whether you're a flexitarian, someone who goes meatless on Mondays, a vegan before 6 p.m. (like author Mark Bittman suggests), a full-fledged vegan or vegetarian, or someone who just wants to switch it up at the dinner table, April is your "swapportunity" to learn more about soyfoods. To celebrate April's National Soyfoods Month, the Soyfoods Association of North America is showing consumers how to add more plant-based protein to their diets with some simple swaps.

"As Americans look to add more plant-based foods and plant-based proteins to their diets, they're adding more and more soyfoods and foods with soy," said Nancy Chapman, executive director of Soyfoods Association of North America. "Providing consumers with 'swapportunities' to replace ingredients with soy-based foods will allow them to get high-quality, heart-healthy plant protein while still enjoying the great flavors of their favorite foods."

Soy is the only plant protein considered "complete." In other words, like animal protein, soy protein contains all nine essential amino acids in the ratios needed for health and well-being. Soy protein may reduce the risk of heart disease as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Using cost-effective soy in your favorite recipes may help reduce calories, cholesterol and saturated fat while adding iron, fiber, calcium, magnesium and zinc in your diet.

Soybeans are also more environmentally sustainable than other sources of protein. Soy-based foods deliver the higher protein per amounts of fossil energy, water use and land resource inputs than animal-derived proteins. Soybeans offer 941 pounds of protein per acre of land, compared to eggs, another efficient land user, which produce only 212 pounds of protein per acre.

From breakfast to dinner, beverages to desserts, soyfoods can capture the cook's imagination. With a flavor that blends well in many dishes, soyfoods easily swap for other items in consumers' favorite recipes or help them create entirely new recipes that will appeal to every taste bud in the family. 

Some simple #soyswaps consumers will want to explore include:

• Make a smoothie with soymilk, the only plant-based dairy alternative with an average of 7g of protein per serving.
• Choose a soy-based veggie burger instead of a hamburger and cut the fat in half. 
• Try marinated tofu in your next stir fry instead of beef steak and save about 6g saturated fat and 53mg cholesterol per serving.
• Swap the ground meat in chili dishes or lasagna with soy crumbles – or make them yourself by pressing firm tofu to remove water, then crumbling with soy sauce, soy or peanut butter, cumin, garlic and chili powder.
• Sprinkle edamame on a salad instead of nuts or croutons for a healthy crunch.
• Soy nut butter can replace the P in PB&J sandwiches to boost protein and eliminate peanut allergy concerns. Select chocolate soy butter in place of a chocolate hazelnut spread to double the protein and drop two-thirds of the sugar.
• Fill a pita pocket with soy-based deli slices and veggies instead of cold cuts for a high protein, no cholesterol lunch.
• Try plain cultured soymilk "yogurt" in dips, toppings and garnishes or as an ingredient in baked goods.
• Grab a soy-based nutrition bar to curb hunger pangs while on the go.
• Swap a 1oz snack bag potato chips or 1oz peanuts with 1oz of roasted soy nuts and save about 25- 40 calories and 2-3 g saturated fat.
• Save about 4g of saturated fat by swapping one serving of ice cream with a serving of a frozen soy dessert.

Throughout the month of April, soyfood swaps will be promoted in supermarkets across the U.S. via cooking demonstrations, coupons, in-store displays and discounts, and recipes. The Soyfoods Association of North America will also be encouraging consumers to share their #soyswaps online through their own and the associations' social media channels.

The versatility of soyfoods is evident in the brands and organizations that sponsor National Soyfoods Month. Industry partners include: Kellogg's MorningStar Farms veggie burgers and meat alternatives; Hain Celestial's WESTSOY soymilk and Yves Veggie Cuisine meatless crumbles; House Foods tofu; Silk soymilk; SOYJOY whole soy and fruit bars; Sunrich Naturals edamame; Wildwood SprouTofu baked tofu; Don't Go Nuts soy butter; TofuXpress tofu press; DuPont Nutrition & Wellness; and the United Soybean Board, Illinois Soybean Association, Maryland Soybean Board, and Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee.

For more information about April's National Soyfoods Month, including cooking tips, nutrition information and endless possibilities for recipes, please visit soyfoodsmonth.org, follow @socialSANA on Twitter, and like facebook.com/SoyfoodsAssociation.

About Soyfoods Association of North America
The Soyfoods Association of North America is a non-profit trade association that has been promoting consumption of soy-based foods and beverage since 1978. The Soyfoods Association is committed to encouraging sustainability, integrity and growth in the soyfoods industry by promoting the benefits and consumption of soy-based foods and ingredients in diets. More information is available at www.soyfoods.org.

The Soyfoods Association of North America
1050 17^th Street NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 659-3520
[email protected]
Contact: Andrea Albersheim

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SOURCE Soyfoods Association of North America

Related Links

http://www.soyfoods.org