HEALTH & FITNESS EXPO

Created to promote good health and fitness, the Expo will feature a whole host of information & product booths, which include skincare, vitamin supplements, etc. While at the festival, take time out to enjoy one of the various massage therapies offered and make sure you take advantage of the free medical screenings that include various cancer screenings, chiropractic consultations, blood pressure screenings, etc.

TOFU FOR A HEALTHIER LIFE

Did you know that one out of every twenty new foods on supermarket shelves contain soy? Shoppers are buying soy products at a record pace, and with new research we continue to discover health benefits in soy foods like tofu.

Tofu comes from coagulated protein in soymilk that is pressed together into the familiar block you buy at your local market. With its different flavors and textures, it is versatile enough to be baked, smoked, marinated and crumbled.

Nutritionally speaking, tofu is rich in high quality protein and unsaturated fatty acids and low in saturated fat and sodium. Four ounces of firm tofu have about 100 calories and five grams of fat, but less than one gram of saturated fat. The same amount of extra lean ground beef has 20 grams of fat with seven grams of saturated fat.

Researchers have been studying how soy and possibly its isoflavones have been shown to reduce blood pressure, inhibit constriction of blood vessels, decrease oxidation of LDL bad cholesterol and increase vascular function improvements that cut the risk of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association recently added soy to its list of heart disease fighters.

The US Food and Drug Administration has also recognized the growing scientific consensus by authorizing the use of health claim that links soy protein to reducing risk of coronary heart disease. The approved health claim reads 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. Products must contain at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving to carry the claim.

Studies in the areas of osteoporosis, cancer and menopause are in the early stages and further work is needed, but signs are promising.

So add more tofu to your diet. Cut it into cubes and mix it with your next stir-fry or blend it with fresh juice for a refreshing midday shake.
Its delicious. Its inexpensive. But most important of all, it may improve your health.

Special thanks to Jennifer Webber at Soyfoods Association of North America for providing much of the above information. Additional information is from thriveonline.

Soybeans are:

• High Quality Proteins
• Low in Saturated Fat
• Lactose-Free
• Cholesterol-Free

Eating at least 1 serving of soyfoods a day has been linked to reduce the risk of:

• Cancer
• Heart Disease
• Osteoporosis
• Kidney Disease

Soybeans contain anticarcinogens.
Consumption of soy protein lowers blood cholesterol levels.
Soybeans may help to promote bone health.
Soybeans may reduce adverse symptoms of menopause.