Tip of the Week: #2

The Story on Soy

Soy can come in a variety of forms such as soy beans, tofu, miso, or tempeh; and this little bean can really pack a punch! Volume for volume, soy has more protein and iron than beef and more calcium than milk! In addition, soy contains estrogen-like compounds which are called isoflavones. Once in the body, these phytoestrogens act like a weaker version of estrogen which can help relieve hot flashes and other symptoms associated with menopause. However, only about 30-40% of Americans can convert isoflavones into the activated form.  If you don’t know if your one of them, you can take the surefire route by enjoying fermented soy products like miso and tempeh, which is already converted into the active form your body can use.

You can incorporate soy into YOUR diet by using soy flour when baking (remember to substitute for 1/3 of the flour called for), mixing soy milk with the milk for your cereal, or just snacking on edamame when that two-thirty hunger strikes!

The Plan

For one of my classes, I am assigned to write the nutrition tip of the week. It goes out to all of the participants in UCO's Employee Wellness Program. The program is run by the senior classes of the nutrition and kenesiology departments. Each participant gets a fitness coach and nutrition coach, that are exclusively their own until the semester runs out. (That means I get my very own teacher to coach!! Woot!) Did I mention that this program is free for employees? ...what a cool deal.

Anyway, in addition to coaching my person, I have an extra job in the class, and that is to send out that tip of the week on behalf of the nutrition department here at UCO. Well, I thought it would be fun to put those tips on my blog each week, as well. As a fun little project.

P.S. No, if you were wondering, I don't get graded based on if my teacher looses weight or not. That would just suck really bad and I would either end up stalking them to starvation or trying to find some way to give them the flu. My grade is just based on my end of the effort.

Well, be expecting that to start a couple weeks from now!!!!