December 8/New York/Women's Health Weekly -- According to the December 2010 Journal of Nutrition Supplement titled "Soy Summit: Exploration of the Nutrition and Health Effects of Whole Soy," consensus has been reached among leading soy science experts surrounding three main areas of debate: soy and women's health, soy and heart health, and soy and overall nutrient adequacy. Leading soy experts agree that including soyfoods in a balanced diet will have beneficial effects and improve nutrient intake among the U.S. population.

For years, soy has been touted as a healthy food option among health professionals, yet confusion remains within the public because, to date, there has been no clear consensus on the science of soy and its health benefits for Americans.

In order to find clarity and establish a consensus for soy's role in a healthy diet, a symposium titled "Soy Summit: Exploration of the Nutrition and Health Effects of Whole Soy" was held in New York City at Columbia University's Institute of Human Nutrition. Leading soy science experts convened to focus on the health benefits and risks associated with whole soy consumption, review past and current research, and assess how increasing whole soy consumption in the U.S. would affect dietary patterns. Whole soy, as opposed to isolated soy protein, is defined as the form of soyfoods in which the whole soybean and/or its nutrients are kept intact. Whole soy forms include soybeans (edamame or canned soybeans), roasted soy nuts, tofu, soy milk and soy flour.

From the December 9, 2010, Prepared Foods' Daily News
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