Supplement Facts

What is Soy Good For? What are the Ingredients and Content?

Research has shown soy products to be an excellent addition to any diet. Eastern cultures have traditionally consumed diets high in soy content, and the incidence of certain diseases have been significantly lower in Eastern cultures. Western cultures, which consume diets high in animal fats, appear to have higher incidences of certain diseases, as well as obesity. Although research is ongoing, scientists believe the isoflavone content of natural soy may be responsible for its health benefits. In fact, the FDA has approved a statement to be used in the labeling of qualified soy products:

Calculating the isoflavone content of any Soy product is fairly simple. Generally speaking, there are 2 mg of soy isoflavones per gram of Soy Protein. Take the protein content of a Soy product from NOW® and multiply it by two, then convert to milligrams. For example, if Soy Milk powder contains 9 grams of protein per serving, multiply 9 times 2 for 18, then convert to milligrams, for a total of 18 mg of isoflavones per serving.

Soy Protein is one of our most popular Soy products. We use the Supro® brand of Soy Protein Isolate, one of the highest quality forms of this nutrient. On the label of this product, it states that the product contains “90% Soy Protein”. The other 10% is composed of moisture and naturally occurring minerals. Each serving may contain up to 42 mg of naturally occurring soy isoflavones per serving, with the average falling in the mid-30 mg range. We do not add isoflavones to any of our Soy products – all isoflavones are naturally occurring. Soy Protein contains no gluten, wheat, barley, rye or oat-based fillers, and no chemicals are used in the extraction process - water only (hydrolysis). It is usually mixed into drinks or shakes, but can be used in baking applications if desired. Since it is a pure protein product, there are no carbohydrates in Soy Protein Powder.

The soybeans used to produce NOW® Soy products contain naturally occurring oxalic acid, but the levels are extremely low and do not pose a concern for persons sensitive to this compound. Avoid foods like spinach, cabbage, rhubarb, sorrel and black tea. These foods are generally high in oxalic acid.

Are your soy products GE-free?

Many of our Soy products are GE-free, and we are adding to this list often. All of our non-GE Soy products are clearly labeled as such on the principal display panel (front of label). If “non-GE” does not appear on the labeling of a Soy product, it is not free of genetically modified organisms. Do not confuse “organic” with “non-GE” – they are not the same. While organic products are GE-free, there are other factors that qualify a product as organic that do not apply to non-GE products. As with non-GE Soy products, organic Soy products are clearly labeled as such.

NOW carries an extensive line of regular and GE-free Soy products.

Research has shown soy to be an excellent addition to any diet. Eastern cultures have traditionally consumed diets high in soy content, and the incidence of certain diseases have been significantly lower in Eastern cultures. Western cultures, which consume diets high in animal fats, appear to have higher incidences of certain diseases, as well as obesity. Although research is ongoing, scientists believe the isoflavone content of natural soy may be responsible for its health benefits. In fact, the FDA has approved a statement to be used in the labeling of qualified soy products:

“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.”

You will find this approved statement on any applicable NOW® Soy product, along with the number of grams of Soy Protein per serving.