Soy Protein: What it is, Benefits and Properties
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Soy protein has become a competition for whey protein, which is possibly the best-selling supplement. Soy Protein powder is a source of protein of vegetable origin and lately is gaining more interest for its properties and benefits, since it can promote notorious results regarding the growth of muscle mass and even as support for health.
What is soy protein?
Soy Protein powder is an excellent source of protein derived from soybeans, being the strongest alternative to other types of products of animal origin. Soy Protein powder is a food that belongs to the family of legumes, and is the one that provides the most protein in the plant kingdom.
Often, soy is eclipsed by vegetables and fruits in terms of nutrient richness, but nonetheless, the truth is that it has an excellent nutritional profile, where we can find quantity of vitamins and minerals, with no cholesterol, and scarce saturated fats, in addition to a good supply of fibber. In this aspect, it has nothing to envy to the flesh, for example.
Soybean nutrients
The Soy Protein powder gathers a series of bioactive components, almost exclusive, in only one food. They present a series of properties in order to improve health. Among them we can highlight:
Flavonoids and isoflavonoids
These molecules are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, and of course, in Soy Protein powder, where there is maximum concentration.
Two types of bioflavonoids, genistein and daidzein, offer support for bone health and osteoporosis, and may reduce the risk of fractures.
Isoflavones can help reduce cancer, through the inhibitory activity of certain enzymes related to the development and increase of malignant cells. It is at the level of hindering that estrogen binds with the alpha receptors, present in breasts, testes, or liver, through phytoestrogens, who will replace them, and thus reduce the risk.
Phenolic acids
It is a type of phytochemical called polyphenol, which are found in a variety of foods of plant origin like in Soy Isolated protein powder. They are absorbed through the walls of the intestinal tract, and within the beneficial effects for health, they stand out: their antioxidant action, neutralizing free radicals, reducing cellular oxidative damage. They also promote the anti-inflammatory action of the organism. This phenomenon is the way in which the body fights any infection, injury, irritation case stress. It can lead to heat, pain, reddening of the skin, swelling ... If there is inflammation it means that the threat has been detected and a response is produced. But nevertheless, sometimes some type of this inflammation is not necessary, and does not correspond to the previous reasons, so it affects healthy cells. In this way,
Phytoalexins
It is another type of polyphenol, which plants segregate when there is a risk or aggressive factor, as an antimicrobial response, that is, it is a defence mechanism against external agents. In this way, we can take advantage of this phytochemical in our benefit.
Phytosterols
These components present in plants have a molecular structure similar to that of cholesterol, but without involving any type of health risk. There are several types, such as beta-sitosterol, campesterol.