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ASK DR. STEVE Download the complete white paper (PDF) THE BREAKFAST CHALLENGE In our fast paced world, people are continually stressed for time. Everything now has time constraints and people are reaching out to find ways to become more efficient. People today now value their time like they never have before. Some of the most obvious manifestations of this are the demand for speedy real-time communications, quick checkout lines, fast food, and even faster transportation solutions. This trend has some major implications for the breakfast foods category. Breakfast has long been touted as the most important meal of the day. However, people often skip this meal. Historically, we have seen a shift from traditional breakfast foods to faster options like dry cereals. Now, we have seen that cereals are no longer immune to these trends and we are seeing them replaced by breakfast bars and meal replacing shakes. Another trend that also factors into this equation is the consumer demand for healthy food alternatives. The scope of this market is huge and our challenge is to provide a quick, convenient, and healthy breakfast solution for the increasingly time conscious consumer. Soy based foods offer several benefits that help us meet this challenge. SOY—A HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN SOURCE Soy protein has distinctive performance and health benefits. Soy Protein is a high-quality, complete, plant-based protein that helps build and maintain lean muscle mass. It has also been shown that soy protein speeds up recovery after exercise. Long term intake of soy protein has also been proven in clinical studies to improve human health including heart, kidney, and bone health. Recent studies also indicate that soy consumption may reduce the risk of breast, colon, and prostate cancer. THE ROLE OF DIETARY PROTEIN Protein and their component part, amino acids, serve as building blocks for synthesis of proteins into skeletal muscle. Muscles need protein to repair, rebuild, and grow. The current recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram body weight. This is equivalent to 50-60 grams of protein for a 165 pound person. It is important to recognize that the RDA for protein was derived from both short and long-term nitrogen balance studies from subjects whose lifestyles were essentially sedentary. Exercising individuals may need more protein, up to 2.0 grams per kilogram body weight. |
