Evidence is mounting that adding soy to your daily diet has health benefits, said Barbara Klein, a professor in food science and human nutrition. Studies have shown that soy may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, play a role in cancer prevention, help prevent osteoporosis and ease menopause symptoms. These diseases are reported less frequently in Asian cultures where tofu, a curd made from soymilk, is a regular part of the diet. With some experts recommending at least one serving of soy daily, finding new ways to fit it into the American diet may be critical. To that end, Klein has developed a variety of tasty foods that have high levels of soy protein.
Bread is one type of soy-enriched food.
Klein has developed both a white and light-wheat bread. The greatest challenge in that project was that soy flour caused bread to collapse in volume, making it too dense. Klein solved the problem by using dough conditioners, which are commonly used in commercial breads. The bread structure is strengthened and softened. Now researchers will go a step further and create a whole-wheat bread with soy.