Science Spotlight with Dr. Yael Vodovotz

April is National Soy Foods Month, a time to highlight the health benefits of this high-quality plant protein. You have worked extensively with soy as part of your functional foods research.  What inspired you to explore this topic?

Whole soy not only contains a variety of bioactives, but also the ingredients made from it (soy flour, soy milk powder etc), which are extremely versatile and can enhance food products when formulated properly. We have developed baked goods, such as bread and soft pretzels, that contain a significant amount of soy utilizing a combination of soy ingredients and optimized processing. Fermentation (a typical step in baked goods) and specifically selected ingredients (such as almonds) has allowed us to manipulate the isoflavone profile (increase the aglycone content) in the soy bread while maintaining high acceptability. One of our clinical studies compared the isoflavone uptake and metabolism in prostate cancer patients when they consumed a soy-almond bread (high aglycones) vs a soy bread (high in glycosides) demonstrating how food science can aid in developing foods with desired bioactive composition. Simultaneously, from a product quality standpoint, adding soy to a dough helped with its frozen storage stability and microwavability: key aspects desired by the food industry and consumers.

Based on your research findings, what are the most compelling health benefits of soy-based foods? 

Soy protein is a complete plant protein, a great alternative for those following vegan and vegetarian diets as well as others who want to enhance their protein intake from plant sources. Soy also contains the highest level of isoflavones, bioactives that have been associated with various health benefits including cancer prevention, decrease in inflammation, heart health etc. Another important component are the saponins (a phytochemical found in many plant foods) that have been associated with cholesterol reduction and cancer prevention amongst other health benefits. 

Are there specific populations – such as children, aging adults, or those with chronic disease – that benefit more than others from soy-based foods? 

Our soy baked foods have been geared for cancer prevention, obesity and athletes. Due to soy’s versatility as an ingredient, it can be used in various food types and incorporated into the diet of different populations that each can benefit in different ways. We have conducted trials with postmenopausal obese women and soy pretzels; men with prostate cancer with soy bread; individuals with chronic pancreatitis and soy bread; glycemic response in athletes and healthy individuals consuming soy pretzels; men with prostate cancer and soy tomato juice, and many others. These interventions involved a variety of age groups, both healthy and diseased populations demonstrating the breadth of impact soy can have. We have not had an intervention with children, but that is a cohort that may also benefit from soy consumption.

How does interdisciplinary collaboration enhance your research, and what fields of expertise have helped advance your work related to soy? 

All research in my laboratory is interdisciplinary. For me, the most exciting part of conducting research is collaborating with a variety of experts that enhance the understanding of the problem we are trying to solve. In the case of soy, I have collaborated with faculty, staff and students in horticulture and crop science, food science, human nutrition, the James Cancer Center, exercise science and others. It is due to these collaborations that we have advanced our understanding of how soy foods can be designed to deliver bioactive content while still being highly acceptable. The clinical studies conducted are a huge undertaking and their success is due to the dedication of our team of collaborators. Its been an exciting journey.

What should consumers look for when choosing soy foods to add to their diet?

Due to the different nutrients found in soy, consumers may chose soy-containing foods for various reasons. Some would like to increase their plant protein intake so tofu, tempeh and soy milk may be great options. Others, may want to consume foods with anti-inflammatory bioactives such as those found in soy. These foods should be easily integrated into their normal eating habits so that they can consume them for a long time. They should taste good and be enjoyable.

What is the next big question you’re hoping to answer in your soy research? 

I would love for the soy products we have formulated to reach the public. A lot of research and product development effort has gone into these products so it would be great to have them available to consumers. Our group would love to see more work with our soy baked goods and obesity prevention. The products we have developed are very satiating and have multiple bioactives. We have recently received funding for a study using the soy soft pretzels in obese men. We will look at inflammatory markers, microbiome changes and other biomarkers.

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