To meet that standard, soybeans would have to be 7 percent saturated fat or less. Burton worked with James R. Wilcox at the ARS Crop Production and Pest Control Research Unit in West Lafayette, Ind., to breed soybean plants specifically to reduce the beans' levels of a saturated fat called palmitic acid. Research has shown palmitic acid and other saturated fats can raise LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, contributing to heart disease. National dietary guidelines recommend limiting daily consumption of saturated fats to no more than 8 to 10 percent of total calories. In these new varieties the palmitic acid is replaced with oleic acid, which has some health benefits.
Soybeans are high in protein and other nutrients.
They also have isoflavones, which studies suggest have cancer-preventing properties. There's a lot of good nutrition in soybeans. Their unsaturated fatty acids are needed to help our cells stay healthy. N.C. Seeds of C1943 are available from Wilcox at the West Lafayette, Ind., laboratory. Burton said he will breed a commercial line of low-fat soybeans which should be ready for growers in about three years.