Soy Protein Powder

Soy protein powder is a term to describe many products. Pure soy protein powder is powdered soy protein isolate or soy protein concentrate. This type of powder is mainly used in the food industry. However, soy protein powder is also used for powdered protein shakes, consisting of a complex mix of soy protein powder and other ingredients including thickeners, flavours, sweeteners, sugars, minerals and vitamins. It is an easy and efficient way to add soy protein to your foods and drinks. Compared to dairy-based protein powders, soy protein powder has some minor disadvantages. Soy protein powder does not dissolve that well (needs more shaking), may have a beany taste (can be masked with flavours) and can cause flatulence to people sensitive to soy sugars.

Health benefits

The health benefits of soy protein powders are coming from the soy protein and the associated isoflavones. A daily diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat and containing 25 grams of soy protein may reduce the risk of heart disease. The soy protein has a high biological value and contains all essential amino acids . Soy isoflavones have been recognized for many health benefits, including lowering the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer and osteoporosis. Soy isoflavones act as anti-cancer agents because they are antioxidant, inhibit the growth of blood vessels required to feed tumours and inhibit the protein production in cancer cells. Soy isoflavones are also beneficial for menopausal women because they may ease menopausal symptoms and help to maintain strong bones.

Isoflavones in Soy Protein Powder

The isoflavones content of the commercial soy protein powder is not always mentioned on the package. The isoflavones content can vary a lot and will depend on the method used to extract the soy protein.

Brands of Soy Protein Powder

There are many brands of soy protein powder. GeniSoy is a well-known brand of soy protein powder which can be blended with juice or other liquids to make nutritious shakes. One scoop of Genisoy protein powder contains 25 g soy protein isolate and 20 vitamins and minerals. Soy protein Supro Protein Powder contains similar amounts of soy protein (23 g) and is sweetened with stevia. Jarrow Iso-Rich Soy is made from water extracted soy protein isolate and is enriched with extra isoflavones.