Firstly for those of you trying Soya to reduce cholesterol: - There has been some scientific research (by the soya companies) that suggests the soya protein as part of a low fat, low cholesterol diet, may help lower cholesterol. The aim would be for 25g soya protein per day. There is some debate about how the soya protein works. One argument is that you use soya to replace things high in saturated fat, e.g. soya milk in place of cows milk, tofu or soya chunks or mince in place of fatty meats.

Some of you have asked about soya flour for reducing cholesterol. The evidence above, suggests that although soya flour does contain the protein, wheat flour is not a no-no for those on low cholesterol or low fat diets. One has to ask in this instance, what would you gain?

Now, onto some controversy. Soya is in many foods and sometimes we may not know that we are eating it. For example, did you know that soya and soya-derived products are used in 60% of processed foods in the UK food industry? Soya flour in bread, soya oil in margarine, soya bean concentrate is used to bind foods and increase the protein content and soya lecithin (the emulsifier E322) is one of the most widely used additives. Having said this, the main use of soya in the UK is for livestock feed. Oil is extracted from the soya and the resulting product makes a high protein meal, which is then fed to intensively reared cattle, pigs and poultry. Soya is high in protein and has a full complement of essential amino acids so it would seem to be healthy food, but here comes the controversy.

Concerns have been raised over GM soya. This Gm soya and its derivatives may be in our food, but how do we know? It may also have been fed to animals that we subsequently eat, or products from those animals such as eggs, milk etc. You may believe we don't grow Gm soya in this country but most of the soya meal for animals is imported.

I wont go any further into this subject, if you require more information I suggest you visit the library or maybe surf the web. I will just say that the UK food industry is taking steps to source non-GM soya and that our two main suppliers state that their products contain no GM ingredients. If you are really concerned about this try to choose Organic wherever possible.

• 43g protein ) per 100g
• 19.5g fat ) per 100g
• 21g carbohydrate ) per 100g
• 432 Kcal ) per 100g

The protein contains all the essential amino acids in adequate quantities.

Soya is a good source of Thiamin, niacin, folic acid and a fair source of riboflavin.

All soya should be cooked thoroughly as it contains something, destroyed by heat, that inhibits the action of digestive enzymes. Soya also reduces iron absorption as compared to milk and eggs; taking vitamin C supplements can counteract this.

This is soya flour, processed and dried in chunks or mince and can be flavoured to imitate meat. Mix it with water or stock and leave to stand for a few minutes then use as meat. TVP is also incorporated into some Vegetable Burgers, Sausages and canned food. TVP is fortified with vitamin B12.

Tofu (Also known as Soya Cheese)

Tofu is soya bean curd made from coagulated soya milk.

It is formed in blocks packed in water. Silken tofu is soft and creamy or a firmer version is available smoked or un-smoked. As tofu is fairly bland, use it in recipes with stronger flavours. The firm type, which is the type we sell, can be used marinated, stir-fried, fried, deep-fried, sauted, or diced and added to salads or casseroles.

Tofu contains calcium, iron and vitamins B1, B2 and B3.

A fermented soybean paste with a chewy texture and a distinct flavour. Use it as a meat substitute and deep or shallow fry, bake or steam.

Miso soup is a very popular Japanese dish. A fermented condiment of soya beans, grain (rice or barley), salt and water. It varies in flavour, colour, texture and aroma. Use as a flavouring for soup, stews, casseroles and sauces. It is best added towards the end of the cooking time.

Genmai Miso is made from soya and rice, so is suitable for wheat free diets.

A true soya sauce such as Shoyu and Tamari is made from fermented beans with cracked roasted wheat, salt and water. Unfortunately not all soya sauces are true, they are made by chemical hydrosis, using defatted soy flour, caramel colour and corn syrup, with no fermentation at all.

Tamari is the one for those of you wishing to enjoy soy sauce but remain wheat free.

Compared to full fat cows milk, these are lower in fat, lower in saturated fat, contain no cholesterol, are low in carbohydrates, a good source of protein and some are fortified with vitamins. You can also obtain soya oil and soya margarine.

Mycroprotein (Quorn) This is the most meat-like soya. Made from fermented fungus and textured to imitate meat, sliced, diced or shredded. It is a good source of protein, fibre, biotin, iron and zinc. It is low in saturated fats.

These take a long time to cook. They need to be soaked for 8-12 hours, then boiled vigorously for 1 hour and then cooked for another 3 hours. You can reduce the cooking time by cooking in a pressure cooker, after soaking, for 50 minutes.

Soya beans can also be sprouted and this will increase the content of the vitamins B and C. Wash and soak a small amount in a jar with no top for 12 hours then rinse and drain the beans 4-6 times daily. Keep the jar in a warm, ventilated cupboard. The beans swell and the sprouts grow to about 8 times the initial volume. They are ready to use in 3-6 days and are best steamed or boiled for a few minutes before using in salads etc.

To finish this feature I have found a recipe that I hope you will enjoy: -

Blend everything together until it is smooth. Keep it in the refrigerator until required.

Add oil to make mayonnaise or use as a dip.

I hope you have found this feature useful.