Currently, 64% of
Americans are overweight or obese. According to the National Bureau of Economic
Research (NBER), Cambridge, Mass., and the Economic Research Service,
Washington, D.C., their caloric intake has increased 12%—about 300 calories
per day—since the 1980s. Americans have a net calorie imbalance of 100 to 150
calories daily, and the extra calories are coming from snacks, which contribute
about 20% of Americans' daily caloric intake.
Soy protein is a useful
ingredient for high-protein snacks such as bars and snack mixes. Understanding
the various soy ingredients enables developers to give consumers healthful,
high-protein snacks, while allowing the processor to optimize product nutrition,
functionality and cost.