USB has issued two new RFPs for its Sustainability Initiative:
More information can be found at http://www.unitedsoybean.org/USBInternal/contractors.aspx.
Despite the wealth of scientific and practical evidence to the contrary, some old myths about biotechnology survive.
The evidence shows that biotechnology delivers multiple benefits:
Often overlooked in the discussion about genetic enhancements in crops are the tremendous environmental and energy benefits that farmers are able to achieve through sustainable farming systems that use biotechnology. Click here for a comparison of the environmental and safety performance of conventional and biotech crop systems. If you’re new to biotechnology, or you’ve only heard from biotech opponents, you’re in for a nice surprise about steps today’s soybean farmers are taking to protect our environment.
If you want to improve mental sharpness, eating soy foods may be the ticket to better brain health. Some studies indicate that isoflavones, which are found in soy, can improve cognitive function, especially in postmenopausal women.
The brain consists largely of fat, and a diet rich in unsaturated fats helps it function well. DHA, the omega-3 fatty acid found in some fish, helps brain development, and helps reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Soybeans are a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid, a plant version of omega-3.
One study that examined the effects of a dietary supplement of isoflavones on cognitive function in postmenopausal women tested how well participants could recall a story. The study found that “women in the treatment group did consistently better, both as compared with their own baseline scores and as compared with the placebo group responses at 6 months.” The study concluded that “isoflavone supplementation has a favorable effect on cognitive function, particularly verbal memory, in postmenopausal women.” To learn more about this study click here.
According to this isoflavone Web site the consumption of soy products has many other health benefits in addition to cognitive health improvement, “including protection against breast cancer, prostate cancer, menopausal symptoms, heart disease and osteoporosis.” Soy contains many types of isoflavones, and the highest amounts of soy isoflavone can be found in soy nuts and tempeh.
Want to learn more? Please click here.
During its presentation at the Food Processing Environmental Conference this week, USB covered three ways that LCA can help improve sustainability performance across the entire food industry supply chain.
