Soybean products for feeding infants, children and adults under nutritional stress

Abstract

This review points out the good quality of well-processed soya products. Normal infants, children and adults are able to utilize the protein and other nutrients present in the soya, when fed these products in amounts that will cover their needs. Under nutritional stress, such as in infant malnutrition, soya products such as soya-milk have been shown to help in the children’s recovery. Clinical and biochemical data show that their recovery is similar to that obtained with cow’s milk. Milk- or lactose-intolerant children and adults, who present a public health problem in some developing countries, could benefit from the high nutritive value and low cost of soy milk. Soya products have been shown to decrease cholesterol and other levels of blood lipids. Considering the availability of the several soya products in the market, this possibility has to be further explored. The utilization of soya products in preparing liquid formulas for oral or tube-feeding opens new fields for the treatment of several diseases, insuring at the same time adequate nutrition for the patients. From a practical point of view, in spite of all that is known about soybeans and soybean products, its use as human food, even in countries where it is produced in large quantities, is very low. It seems that local governments are not aware of the importance of soya for the solution to their serious food and nutrition problems. What is known on the subject has to leave the laboratories, research centers and universities and be transferred as food for the mouths of the needy populations. This has to be understood as an urgent duty of national governments. There is no doubt that soya is the cheapest and one of the best-quality foods available to help solve the present hunger problem of the world today.