Health Benefits

Soy and Child Health

Help your kids discover a variety of tasty and nutritious foods that can help them maintain a healthy weight throughout their life.

Why Soy?
Staying healthy and fit depends on kids choosing a variety of healthy foods and regular physical activity. The MyPyramid for Kids suggests children should eat 2-3 cups per day of fat free or low-fat milk or milk equivalent – depending on their age, 5oz. of protein a day, and two and a half cups of vegetables. Soyfoods offer high-quality protein and can easily help fulfill the meat, dairy, or vegetable requirement – depending on the soyfood chosen. Many fortified soyfoods are also good sources of calcium, vitamin D, fiber, and iron, which are important nutrients for growing children.

Soy-enhanced foods can add variety and nutritive value to children’s diets without sacrificing taste. Soyfoods are readily accepted and enjoyed by children and adolescents as tasty alternatives to meat and dairy. In addition, introducing soy early in life may help children develop healthy eating patterns that last a lifetime. Food preferences developed in the infant and toddler years tend to continue throughout childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood. Incorporating soy into meals helps decrease fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories, and increase fiber, while still providing children with key vitamins and minerals.

Soy contains many essential nutrients important for growth and development, and works well as a primary source of protein without contributing excess calories.

Did you know?

Soy blends well with other ingredients, even extreme flavours.

Soy can provide added fiber to kids diets.

Soy is a cost-effective ingredient.

Offering healthier meals and snacks is a top priority in preventing childhood obesity and reducing disease risk.

Save with kid-friendly soyfoods!

Serving up 4 soy nuggets in place of 4 chicken nuggets can save ~80 calories.

On the grill, try soy veggie burgers rather than regular hamburgers to save ~80 calories – and add 3 grams of fiber – per burger.

Fortified soymilk has almost 50 fewer calories than whole milk per serving. Soymilk can also be used to create a creamy, enhanced flavour to existing menu items.

Save ~70 calories when you replace a beef hot dog with a soy veggie dog.

Daily physical activity is important for children of all ages. The USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommends children and adolescents get at least one hour of physical activity on most—preferably all—days of the week. Help your children find an activity that they enjoy and participate with them!

Benefits of Soy for Children
In addition to being a tasty alternative in children’s meals, soy may also help prevent the development of certain adult diseases. Studies of soy in children and adolescents have shown that soy eases constipation, lowers high cholesterol, and may even decrease risk of breast cancer later in life.
Soy contains many essential nutrients important for growth and development, and works well as a primary source of protein without contributing excess calories.
A growing number of children have allergies, food intolerance’s, religious and cultural needs that require special dietary consideration. Most students who are allergic to peanut butter can enjoy soy nut butter. Most students with milk protein allergy, lactose intolerance, or religious/cultural food practices that prohibit milk consumption can get calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, and high-quality protein from fortified soymilk. Tofu and calcium carbonate fortified soymilk have been found to provide comparable amounts of absorbable calcium as cows milk. There are some children who have allergies to soy, but reactions are typically quite mild and most children outgrow their allergies by the age of three.

Consume a variety of foods and beverages packed with nutrients to meet your calorie needs.

Help kids make smart choices from every food group.

Make meatless pizzas using soy pepperoni, soy sausage crumbles, soy deli ham or soy bacon.

Use crumbled tempeh to make sloppy joe’s, tacos or burritos.

Make protein-rich smoothies with tofu, soymilk and a variety of fruits.

Make homemade trail mix by mixing honey-roasted soy nuts and chocolate-covered soy nuts in with whole-grain cereal, raisins and other dried fruit.

Add fortified soymilk containing calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D, and high-quality protein to the diets of children who do not drink cows milk.

Spread soy nut butter on whole wheat bread or celery, in place of peanut butter.

Use soyfoods such as tofu, tempeh, miso, soymilk, and edamame as teaching tools to introduce children to different cultural eating and lifestyle practices.

This article was provided by Soyfoods Association of North America. Visit www.soyfood.org for more information.

 

Soy and Pregnancy

Good nutrition is essential during pregnancy. In many cultures, pregnant women depend on soy foods for protein, fiber, and other important nutrients they need to nourish their developing baby. For centuries, people have shown normal growth and development while consuming soy foods as a part of their diet throughout their lifespan, including pregnancy and lactation.

Soy foods provide a complete source of protein, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids. The protein in soybeans is the only plant protein that is equivalent to animal protein, but with fewer calories, saturated fat, and no cholesterol. High quality protein provides the building blocks for all tissue and organ development and the growth and repair of cells. Soy foods also help pregnant women better manage their weight gain and maintain low cholesterol levels. Soy foods also help prevent the development of diabetes during pregnancy by controlling blood glucose levels.

The vitamins and nutrients contained in soy foods can also benefit pregnant women. Fortified soymilk (soy milk), soy yogurt, soy cheese, non-dairy frozen desserts, tofu, and soybeans; cooked, roasted, and canned, contain calcium, iron and zinc. For the pregnant woman and developing fetus, calcium helps build strong bones and teeth, iron helps prevent low birth weight and premature delivery, while zinc helps cell reproduction, promotes tissue growth, and regulates enzymes and hormones like insulin. Iron and zinc rich soy foods,particularly tofu, soy nuts, edamame, cooked soybeans, and soymilk from whole soybeans, are an excellent way to ensure both healthy fetal growth and development and the health of the mother. Many soy foods are fortified with vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin B-12.

The vast array of soy products; everything from hardy soy burgers to rich soy frozen yogurt to creamy soy nut butter, make it easy to find a soy food that fits your cravings. It is important to remember to eat a wide variety of foods while you are pregnant to help ensure you receive a plethora of essential nutrients. Soy foods help add nutrition to your diet without adding cholesterol or saturated fat. Make sure you consult your physician or dietitian about what foods to eat while pregnant to boost your health and the health of your developing child.

For vegetarians who are pregnant, please visit the Vegetarian Resource Group for more information.

This article was provided by Soyfoods Association of North America. Visit www.soyfood.org for more information.

 

Soy and Heart Health

Protect Your Heart Early Against Disease: Soy protein not only lowers blood cholesterol, but has been found to contribute to increasing good cholesterol (HDL) and lowering triglyceride levels.

Why Soy?
To help your heart stay healthy, exercise regularly, eat more fruits and vegetables, and choose foods lower in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. Soyfoods are low in saturated fat, are cholesterol-free, and contain high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, dietary fiber, and numerous other nutrients. As part of a healthy diet, soyfoods can replace less healthy foods that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, thus enhancing their impact on cholesterol lowering. Incorporating plant-based soyfoods into the diet may also improve blood pressure and other coronary heart disease risk factors. Check the label for sodium content to stay within healthy limits.

Soy can help you save calories, fat, and cholesterol. Try these simple suggestions:

Replace a 1oz snack bag potato chips or 1oz peanuts with 1oz of roasted soy nuts and save about 25- 40 calories and 2-3 g saturated fat.

Most soy yogurts have no saturated fat or cholesterol compared to dairy yogurts.

Frozen soy desserts offer all the flavour – but less than one gram of saturated fat – compared to regular ice cream, which may contain close to 5g saturated fat per serving.

Using 3 oz tofu instead of 3 oz of beef steak saves close to 6g saturated fat and 53mg cholesterol.

Soy veggie dogs have no saturated fat or cholesterol compared to beef franks that have almost 6g saturated fat and 25 mg cholesterol.

Save 4g of saturated fat by replacing one serving of ice-cream with a serving of a frozen soy treat.

Calcium fortified soymilk contains no cholesterol and little to no saturated fat.

Did You Know?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.
FDA Approved Health Claims related to soy include: “25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

Benefits of Soy for Heart Health
Soyfoods, containing no or low amounts of saturated fat, can help reduce LDL cholesterol. Research has shown that consuming a diet low in saturated fat, in conjunction with your doctor-prescribed therapies (i.e. statins) can significantly reduce LDL cholesterol. This underscores the importance of diet therapy in treating coronary heart disease and may help you avoid the need to increase doses of expensive prescription drugs that often cause unwelcome side effects. Besides reducing blood cholesterol, soy has been shown to raise HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides and blood pressure and increase blood vessel elasticity.

Displacing higher-saturated fat foods with soyfoods, which are high in good unsaturated fatty acids, offers additional coronary advantages. The American Heart Association reports that soyfoods should be considered beneficial because of their high content of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals and low content of saturated fat and no cholesterol. In addition, soy protein may help to improve blood vessel elasticity, a measure of how “hardened” your vessels are. Having blood vessels that are less “elastic” is considered a major risk factor for coronary heart disease. If you are on a low-sodium diet stick to unprocessed soyfoods such as tofu, edamame (green, raw soybeans), dry soybeans (rehydrated/cooked), and unsalted soy nuts.

Find your balance between food and physical activity.
In addition to a heart-healthy diet, physical activity plays a key role in keeping your weight at a healthy number, which can help to decrease your risk for CHD. At least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days of the week can help keep your heart healthy, and keep you feeling your best.
Eat a variety of soyfoods to achieve optimal benefits.

Replace high-calorie, high-saturated fat meats with soy meat-alternatives and soy/meat blends:

Pack a pita with soy chicken-style strips, spinach leaves and fresh veggies.

Make meatloaf or meatballs with soy crumbles instead of ground beef.

Grill kabobs made with tempeh or tofu chunks, vegetables, and pineapple chunks.

Vary your veggies

Steamed edamame (green sweet soybeans) is an excellent, easy snack.

Serve steamed edamame in the shell as an appetizer at your next party.

Accessorize your salad with soy nuts and/or steamed edamame.

Replace higher-saturated fat dairy

Add calcium fortified soymilk or tofu to fruit smoothies.

Spread flavoured soy cream cheese on bagels or English muffins.

Substitute soy “cheese-like” slices for cows milk-based cheese.

This article was provided by Soyfoods Association of North America. Visit www.soyfoods.org for more information.

(Endnotes)
1 Am J Clin Nurt 2005; 8:380-387.
2 Agency for Health Research Quality. August 2005. http://www.ahrq.gv/clinic/tp/soytp.htm.
3 J Nutr. 2002;132:566S-569S.
4 Annals of Int Med. 2005;143(1):1-9.
5 Circulation. 2006;113(1): 1-12.

 

Soy and Weight Management

To achieve a healthy weight, eat fewer calories, be more active, and make wise food choices.

Why Soy?
Soyfoods, as part of an overall healthy diet, can help you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. In general, soyfoods contain fewer calories, less total fat and saturated fat, and more fiber than other sources of high-quality protein. Low saturated fat, high-quality protein sources, such as soy, may play a key role in weight control and maintenance of lean body mass.
Continuing product innovations ensures that you can find a soyfoods that appeal to your taste buds and your waistline!

Delicious soyfoods can save calories and fat when eaten in place of similar products.

Save ~ 100 calories and 2g of saturated fat – and add 3 grams of fiber – by substituting a tasty soy veggie burger for a beef burger.

Save ~ 90 calories and 3g of saturated fat by substituting 2 soy links for 2 pork sausage links.

Save ~ 70 calories and more than 5g of saturated fat when you replace a beef hotdog with a soy veggie dog.

Benefits of Soy for Weight Control
Research suggests that plant protein, such as soy, in our diet may play a key role in controlling calorie intake. Protein may increase satiety or make you feel full for longer than if you ate mostly carbohydrates. This means that people who include more protein in their diets may eat fewer calories during the day. High-quality, lean protein from soyfoods can aid in weight control.

Achieving a healthy weight can have numerous benefits:

Improved blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity.

Decreased stress on bones.

Decreased blood pressure.

Increased stamina.

Improved self-image.

Practical Tips for Including Soy in Your Diet

Make a meatless sausage and egg burrito by using sausage-style soy crumbles – serve with salsa.

Make 3-Bean Chili using canned black soybeans, canned yellow soybeans and red or kidney beans.

Add seasoned edamame or soy nuts to salads.

Use baked tofu in a quick stir-fry.

Serve vegetables and marinara sauce over soy penne or soy rotini.

Substitute soymilk for cows milk in cream sauces, puddings, and gravies.

Use tofu to replace some of the mayonnaise and sour cream in Vitamin-A rich spinach dip.

Eating fewer calories while increasing physical activity are the keys to controlling weight.
Soyfoods can help you save 500 calories a day.

For example, swapping a soy burger for a regular beef burger saves nearly 100 calories. Drinking 8-ounces of unsweetened soymilk rather than 2% milk saves up to 40 calories, and 8-ounces of unsweetened soymilk rather than whole milk saves up to 70 calories.
Find your balance between food and physical activity.

To help manage body weight, reduce stress, and prevent gradual, unhealthy weight gain, be physically active for 60 minutes on most days of the week. Exercise also helps you burn extra calories each day.

This article was provided by Soyfoods Association of North America. Visit www.soyfoods.org for more information.

 

Why is Soy So Good To you?

Healthy Eating Starts with Smarter Choices!

Nutrition is a complex subject and one area of research that has exploded over the last decade. Now, in addition to the knowledge that we should eat a balanced diet to maintain a healthy weight, scientists have revealed that we can also make smarter choices that help fight or even help prevent diseases like cancer, heart disease, and even depression, allergies and arthritis. It is very clear that the right diet is the best prescription for a healthy life.

Building Blocks of Healthy Eating.

Healthy eating is all about making smarter food choices. Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating is a great place to start. It translates the complexity of science nutrition into basic, easy-to-follow guidelines for healthy eating. Foods are divided into four groups:

Grain Products

Vegetables and Fruits

Milk Products

Meat and Alternatives

What about the alternatives?
Alternatives are non-meat protein choices. They are lower in fat than meat products, while still providing protein, iron and B vitamins. Eggs, nuts and seeds are alternatives that you may already include in your diet. Legumes are another very important alternative, including beans such as kidney beans, navy beans and lentils. Another legume that is very important is soy.

The Power of Soy
Soy is sometimes hailed as a wonder food, or a miracle food. There is good reason why soy is considered one of the most nutritious and versatile plant foods available: soy is the only plant protein that approaches or equals animal products in producing a complete source of protein.

Your body requires 20 different amino acids to perform various complex functions such as transporting cholesterol through the bloodstream, building neurotransmitters and making hair and nails. Of these amino acids, your body can make. The other, called essential amino acids, must come from the protein you eat. Soy protein is unique because it contains ALL the essential amino acids you require. In addition to being a quality protein, soy is naturally low in calories and saturated fat. It is a good source of B vitamins, potassium, zinc and other minerals. What really sets soy protein apart is the fact that it also contains naturally occurring plant components that play a significant role in protecting against heart disease.

In addition, there is evidence that consuming soy protein lowers rates of breast, colon and prostate cancers, as well as reducing the incidence of osteoporosis and menopause symptoms. Research is ongoing and promises to reveal even more healthy benefits to eating soy!

For more information on soy and nutrition, visit the following websites:
www.hc-sc.gc.ca
www.soyfoodscanada.com
www.solae.com

 

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes interferes with the body’s ability to produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is essential for the proper use of the energy contained in the food we eat. This results in a series of malfunctions, which include an excess of a type of sugar called glucose in tests of the blood and urine. Over time, diabetes can lead to life-threatening and debilitating complications. For more information on diabetes or guidance on how to embrace life with diabetes, download A HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE.

Download PDF

 

What is Natural?

Natural ingredients are grown, harvested, raised and processed in an ecological manner. Natural products do not contain artificial, synthetic ingredients including colours or flavouring and do not contain synthetic chemical preservatives.

 

What is GMO?

The term “genetically modified” is used to describe the application of biotechnology to genetically alter certain traits of microorganisms, plants, and animals. A “GMO” is any organism that has been genetically modified. GMO Free products do not contain any genetically modified organisms.

 

What is Meat Alternatives?

Meat Alternatives are products that can replace ground beef, hamburgers, hot dogs, deli slices, and other favourite foods because, while they taste similar, they contain no meat. They are lower in fat than meat products, while still providing protein, iron and B vitamins. Yves Veggie Cuisine products are made with soy protein, a flavourful substitute!

Soy is sometimes hailed as a wonder food, or a miracle food. There is good reason why soy is considered one of the most nutritious and versatile plant foods available: soy is the only plant protein that approaches or equals animal products in producing a complete source of protein. Your body requires 20 different amino acids to perform various complex functions such as transporting cholesterol through the bloodstream, building neurotransmitters and making hair and nails. Of these amino acids, your body can make 11. The other 9, called essential amino acids, must come from the protein you eat. Soy protein is unique because it contains ALL the essential amino acids you require. In addition to being a quality protein, soy is naturally low in calories and saturated fat. It is a good source of B vitamins, potassium, zinc and other minerals. What really sets soy protein apart is the fact that it also contains naturally occurring plant components that play a significant role in protecting against heart disease.

In addition, there is evidence that consuming soy protein lowers rates of breast, colon and prostate cancers, as well as reducing the incidence of osteoporosis and menopause symptoms. Research is ongoing and promises to reveal even more healthy benefits to eating soy!

For more information on soy and nutrition, visit the following websites:

www.hc-sc.gc.ca (Health Canada – click on Healthy Living)
www.soyfoodscanada.com
www.solae.com

 

What is Kosher?

The Hebrew word kosher means fit or proper as it relates to kosher dietary law. Kosher foods are permitted to be eaten, and can be used as ingredients in the production of additional food items.

You may notice alongside the symbol some letters.

D – Implies the product has Dairy ingredients.

DE – Implies the product is processed on Equipment that processes Dairy ingredients.

M – Implies the product contains meat/poultry or processed on meat/poultry equipment.

P – Implies the products is kosher for Passover, but may not be Pareve (non-milk or meat).

See all Kosher products

 

What is All Natural?

Natural ingredients are…

• grown, harvested, raised and processed in an ecological manner.
• not produced synthetically.
• free of all petrochemicals.
• not extracted or processed using petrochemicals.
• not extracted or processed using anything other than natural ingredients as solvents.
• not exposed to irradiation.
• not genetically engineered & do not contain GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

Natural ingredients do…

• not contain synthetic ingredients.
• not contain artificial ingredients including colours or flavouring.
• not contain synthetic chemical preservatives.

 

What is Non-Dairy?

Millions of North Americans suffer from dairy-related intolerance or allergy. Some people who avoid dairy are allergic to the dairy proteins themselves and must avoid all dairy products, including milk, cheese, butter, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream, whey, or casein. Others avoid dairy because they lack the enzyme lactase, which digests milk sugar, lactose. People who are lactose-intolerant may choose to eliminate or reduce lactose-containing dairy products from their diet. There are many dairy substitutes available, such as soy, rice, and almond for those who need to avoid dairy products.

Remember to check for hidden sources. Dairy ingredients come in many different forms, several with names more difficult to pronounce than “milk.” The important thing is to be able to recognize them when they appear on a label. Look for: curds, whey, ghee, casein, rennet, lactose, lactulose, whey and casein hydrolysates, lactalbumin, and lactoglobulin.

For nearly 20 years Hain Celestial has been making delicious, all-natural non-dairy foods under the Dream brand for people with sensitivities to dairy. We understand the compromise you’ve had to make to feel good, and we say compromise no more! Treat yourself to our non-dairy varieties of some of life’s goodies – ice cream sundaes and non-dairy milk. We specialize in making foods that you’ll love for their taste and appreciate for their dairy-free benefits. So live it up! Indulge your cravings with a tall, cool refreshing beverage with Rice Dream and Soy Dream non-dairy Beverages. They’re all natural and free of dairy.

 

What is Gluten Free?

At Hain Celestial Canada we believe the need for a special diet should not mean sacrificing great taste or variety. That is why we are dedicated to providing an expansive array of gluten free products for those with gluten intolerance, also known as Celiac Disease. Whether it be our new Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix or our Dream non-dairy beverages, you can depend on Hain Celestial Canada to stock your pantry.

It’s easy being Gluten-Free, here’s a quick reference chart of foods those on a gluten free diet can enjoy and foods to avoid.

Products to Enjoy	Products to Avoid< /b>
Amaranth	Barley Malt
Arrowroot	Barley Protein
Beans	Breadcrumbs
Buckwheat	Modified Wheat Starch
Corn	Oat Flour
Dairy Alternatives	Oat-based Products
Flax	Oats
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables	Soy Sauce
Fresh Meats, Chicken, Eggs, and Milk	Spelt Flour
Millet	Teriyaki
Nut Flours	Wheat Germ Oil
Potato	Wheat Starch
Quinoa
Rice
Tapioca

See all Gluten Free products

 

What is Health Check?

Health Check is a not-for-profit food information program managed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and designed to help you make healthy food choices. When you see this symbol you can trust that the food has been reviewed by the Foundation’s dietician’s and is a healthy choice. Healthy eating contributes to overall health! Health Check makes healthy choices easier by helping you quickly identify products that can contribute to a health diet. Each Health Check food item has a brief statement on the package hat tells you why it is part of a healthy diet. You can trust that your choice meets specific nutrient criteria based on Canadas Food Guide.

See all Health Check products

 

What is Low Fat?

One of the most popular diets, people pursue low fat diets for many reasons, including weight loss and disease prevention. Typically, the North American diet derives 34% of its calories from fat. Low fat regimens usually prescribe fat intake of 10 to 20% of calories. According to regulations, a food must contain 3g or less of fat in order to be called “low fat”. Individuals watching their fat intake should also monitor their intake of saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.

See all Low Fat products

 

What is Vegetarian?

Broadly defined, a vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat, poultry, and fish. Vegetarians eat mainly fruit, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds, and nuts. Many vegetarians eat eggs and/or dairy products but avoid hidden animal products such as beef and chicken stocks, lard, and gelatin.

Lacto-vegetarian is used to describe a vegetarian who does not eat eggs, but does eat dairy products. Many Hindu vegetarians are lacto-vegetarians who avoid eggs for religious reasons while continuing to eat dairy.

Ovo-vegetarian refers to people who do not eat meat or dairy products but do eat eggs. Some people are ovo-vegetarians because they are lactose-intolerant.

Pescatarian is used to describe those who abstain from eating all meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish. More and more people are adopting this kind of diet, usually for health reasons or as a stepping stone to a fully vegetarian diet.

Yves Veggie Cuisine is the market leader in soy based, meatless products. Using spices and ingredients from around the world, Yves Veggie Cuisine products look, taste and feel just like the real thing, but with all the health benefits of soy.

See all Vegetarian products

 

What is Vegan?

Vegan Defined:

Those on a vegan diet do not eat meat of any kind and also do not eat eggs, dairy products, or processed foods containing these or other animal-derived ingredients such as gelatin. Many vegans also refrain from eating foods that are made using animal products that may not contain animal products in the finished process, such as refined white sugar and some wines. A vegan diet includes all grains, beans, legumes, vegetables and fruits and the nearly infinite number of foods made by combining and preparing them. Most vegans also avoid the use of all products tested on animals, as well as animal-derived non-food products, such as leather, fur and wool, whenever possible.

All Yves Veggie Cuisine products are vegetarian. Some products do contain egg or dairy ingredients – these are labeled clearly in the ingredient list. Vegan products that contain no egg or dairy products are labeled as Vegan on the front panel of the package.

Broadly defined, a vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat, poultry, and fish. Vegetarians eat mainly fruit, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds, and nuts. Many vegetarians eat eggs and/or dairy products but avoid hidden animal products such as beef and chicken stocks, lard, and gelatin.
Lacto-vegetarian is used to describe a vegetarian who does not eat eggs, but does eat dairy products. Many Hindu vegetarians are lacto-vegetarians who avoid eggs for religious reasons while continuing to eat dairy.

Ovo-vegetarian refers to people who do not eat meat or dairy products but do eat eggs. Some people are ovo-vegetarians because they are lactose-intolerant.

Pescatarian is used to describe those who abstain from eating all meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish. More and more people are adopting this kind of diet, usually for health reasons or as a stepping stone to a fully vegetarian diet.

Yves Veggie Cuisine is the market leader in soy based, meatless products. Using spices and ingredients from around the world, Yves Veggie Cuisine products look, taste and feel just like the real thing, but with all the health benefits of soy.

When products are made with 100% whole grains, it means that they contain all 3 parts of the grain: the internal seed, germ and bran – for maximum nutrition. Health professionals recommend eating at least three servings of whole grains per day.

See all Vegan products

 

What is Trans Fat?

Dietary fat comes in three forms: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Fat should comprise no more than 30 percent of total calories.

Saturated fat is found in animal foods such as cheese, whole milk, cream, butter, ice cream, fatty meats, chicken and turkey skin, lard, as well as coconut oil. Limit saturated fat to no more than 10 percent of your total calories as it can raise bad cholesterol levels.

Unsaturated fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated types.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in safflower, sunflower, corn and soybean oils, and in seafood. Monounsaturated fats include olive, canola and peanut oils. While these are “good fats” that can help raise your good HDL cholesterol levels, you should still limit the percentage of your calorie intake to 10 to 15 percent from monounsaturated fats; and about 10 percent from polyunsaturated fats.

Trans fat is formed when vegetable oil is hydrogenated, or turned from a liquid into a solid.
This type of fat can raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Partially-hydrogenated oils contain trans fat.

What You Can Do About It?

All packaged foods contain a list of dietary ingredients that indicate the various types of fat.

Read those ingredients carefully and choose foods with mostly unsaturated and non-hydrogenated oils, and limit those with high amounts of animal fat.

Most cookies, crackers, chips, and other snacks contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, and have saturated fats or trans fat. These can raise cholesterol. Using natural oils and natural vegetable substitutes, (like applesauce instead of butter in home-baked goods, for example), helps lower the fat content.

Additional Tips to Reduce Fat In Your Diet:

Choose whole-grain breads and cereals that are high in fiber.

Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.

Use herbs (in place of salt for seasoning) or natural vegetable oils, such as Spectrum olive oil.

Lower the amount of meat you eat, trim fat and remove skin.

Choose low fat dairy products marked as 1 percent or nonfat milk.

When you crave sugar, eat smaller amounts of sucrose (cane sugar) and natural fruit sugars. Stay away from foods that contain high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners, which have no nutritional value, can increase sugar cravings, and can store as fat.

See all TransFat Free products

 

What is Saturated Fat?

Dietary fat comes in three forms: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Fat should comprise no more than 30 percent of total calories.

Saturated fat is found in animal foods such as cheese, whole milk, cream, butter, ice cream, fatty meats, chicken and turkey skin, lard, as well as coconut oil. Limit saturated fat to no more than 10 percent of your total calories as it can raise bad cholesterol levels.

Unsaturated fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated types.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in safflower, sunflower, corn and soybean oils, and in seafood. Monounsaturated fats include olive, canola and peanut oils.

While these are “good fats” that can help raise your good HDL cholesterol levels, you should still limit the percentage of your calorie intake to 10 to 15 percent from monounsaturated fats; and about 10 percent from polyunsaturated fats.

Trans fat is formed when vegetable oil is hydrogenated, or turned from a liquid into a solid.
This type of fat can raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Partially-hydrogenated oils contain trans fat.

What You Can Do About It:

All packaged foods contain a list of dietary ingredients that indicate the various types of fat.
Read those ingredients carefully and choose foods with mostly unsaturated and non-hydrogenated oils, and limit those with high amounts of animal fat.

Most cookies, crackers, chips, and other snacks contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, and have saturated fats or trans fat. These can raise cholesterol. Using natural oils and natural vegetable substitutes, like applesauce instead of butter in home-baked goods, for example, helps lower the fat content.

Additional Tips to Reduce Fat In Your Diet

Choose whole-grain breads and cereals that are high in fiber

Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables

Use herbs (in place of salt for seasoning) or natural vegetable oils, such as Spectrum olive oil

Lower the amount of meat you eat, trim fat and remove skin

Choose low fat dairy products marked as 1 percent or nonfat milk

When you crave sugar, eat smaller amounts of sucrose (cane sugar) and natural fruit sugars. Stay away from foods that contain high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners, which have no nutritional value, can increase sugar cravings, and can store as fat.

See all Saturated Fat Free products

 

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is one of the many chemical compounds in our bodies. It is used to build and maintain cell membranes between other functions. We need cholesterol to be healthy but we need to keep in check the levels of cholesterol traveling through our body.

Excessive levels of cholesterol in your bloodstream can lead to health problems and are strongly associated with coronary heart disease -high cholesterol levels are a much more common problem than low levels. A low cholesterol diet might be advised for people with abnormally high circulating levels of cholesterol.

What to eat – good foods in a low cholesterol diet:
A low cholesterol diet begins by reducing the total intake of fats -especially saturated fats, as they encourage the production cholesterol in the liver. The total fat in your diet should not make more than 30% of the calories consumed in a day, and saturated fat should not amount to more than 10% of daily calories.

Good to include in your diet:

Oily fish – such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring and trout; oily fish is low in saturated fats and high in omega-3 fatty acids which help to thin the blood, preventing the formation of clots and plaque in blood vessels.

Fiber – It is good to increase your intake of fiber. Soluble fiber can bind to fats in the gut, slowing down their absorption and helping your body to manage fat more easily. Oats are a well known source of soluble fiber, as there are beans. Know your fiber facts.

Fruits and vegetables – bring the antioxidant factor into play. Fruits and vegetables are rich in a host of good chemicals, vitamins and antioxidants to start with, which fight inflammation and prevent clogging of arteries. Those chemicals come in the right combinations inside of fruits and vegetables. For instance, garlic is a wonderful blood thinner and a good addition to any low cholesterol diet.

What not to eat – foods to avoid in a low cholesterol diet:
Foods to avoid are all those naturally high in cholesterol, saturated fats and fat in general.

Avoid lard, butter, suet, hydrogenated cooking fats, margarines. As you need something to cook, choose monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats like olive oil or sunflower oil; rapeseed oil is being promoted as another healthy fat. Use these in moderation.

Avoid egg yolk, it is naturally high in cholesterol and you don’t want to compound the problem. Though its effect is not as high as previously thought, it still has some. If you have high cholesterol, it is good to revise how many eggs you have in a week. Egg yolk is an ingredient in some salad dressings, salad cream and mayonnaise; include those in your allowance or skip them completely.

Cream, whole milk, whole milk yogurt. An easy way to reduce your intake of fats is to skip cream and switch to fat free milk and yogurt.

Avoid meats such as duck, goose, offal, sausages, paté, salamis, and some deli meats. Choose lean meat instead.

Fish roe, prawns, shrimp, lobster are naturally high in cholesterol.

Avoid sweets, cookies, pastries, pies, packed desserts, toffee, ice cream, and packaged custards. Not only are they high in fat on their own, packaged meals might contain the wrong kind of fat, excess sugar is transformed into fat, as well, and adds to the problem.

Be extremely careful with avocado pears, coconut oil; both high in saturated fats, and nuts. All of those have antioxidants, mainly vitamin E, and anti-inflammatory nutrients; mainly monounsaturated fats, and might be beneficial but are also high in saturated fats and too much fat in general is a stress factor for the liver.

Be very careful with chocolate and chocolate products. Chocolate is high in saturated fat. Apparently dark chocolate does not raise LDL cholesterol levels and might even help to control it, but the amounts of chocolate required to achieve this effect would pile up the calories. Skip completely milk or white chocolate.

Exercise:
Exercise is extremely important in a diet aimed to lower cholesterol. The fat stored in our body can also be a source of cholesterol. Exercise burns body fat and regular exercise reduces the fat stored in our body. Apart from reducing the levels of harmful blood cholesterol, exercise will lower blood pressure, helps to keep blood vessels supple, reducing hardening and clogging, and improves the flow of blood to the heart.

If you are not an active person, start moving right now. Joining a group will make exercising more fun and help you to keep on with it. Start doing something simple, like walking or something very low impact like tai chi or yoga, but start.

See all Cholesterol Free products