How Soy Protein Benefits Athletes

By Edna Booker


Those who choose not to eat meat need to obtain the nutrients they are missing by eating other forms of them. Protein is one of the major elements of meat and fish and is needed by the body for basic functions such as cell construction. Eating soy protein benefits vegetarians and vegans in much the same way.

Proteins are made up of amino acids, they are the building blocks. Many types of amino acid are now known and it has been found that there are twenty two which are used by the human body. Most of these are made in house, so to speak in that the body can produce them with little help. However, there are nine others which must be included in the diet for good health.

Soy is a legume. They are a family of plants which have high levels of lots of things the body needs. High in essential amino acids, fiber, calcium, micronutrients and omega fatty acids they are a fantastic and healthy alternative to meat. They are also low in fat and cholesterol which makes them perfect for those looking to be extra fit.

Western scientists have been interested in the dietary habits of Asian people for many years as they have such excellent health. In the far east people live longer, more active lives with lower levels of disease. This has long been thought due to their lower consumption of meat and higher intake of soy and vegetables.

One of these is that a diet low in meat but high in beans and vegetables leads to lower cholesterol, less cancer and much lower levels of heart disease. Athletes and body builders have been able to use this research to improve their diets and overall performance. Use of supplements has also helped bring about this improvements.

Soy powders are used by more and more body builders and sports people to aid in recovery after a workout. It was maligned for many years as research suggested that maybe soy lowered testosterone levels but this has now been shown to be negligible. The benefits outweigh the negatives. Soy is really the only plant with complete proteins and so can be used to build muscle mass.

The most healthy way to consume it seems to be in fermented products. These are things such as miso and tempeh. The fermentation process starts to break down the parts of the bean which can be hard to digest and also encourages the growth of probiotics. These are the good bacteria which help digestion.

There are lots of ways to get soy proteins into the body. Drinking shakes after a workout is a great way to help the body recover and build mass. It is also easy to incorporate into the diet. Fermented soy foods are really great for the body as they contain probiotics in addition to the nutrients we have mentioned. These probiotics help with maintenance of the digestive system and absorption of nutrients so that the body gets the benefit of everything consumed.




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