Continuing Professional Education Credit

SOY CONNECTION Newsletter Vol. 32, No. 3

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1. High Ultra Processed Food (UPF) consumption is associated with _____risk of a variety of chronic diseases and mental health disorders.

a. Decreased

b. Zero

c. Increased

d. Reduced

2. The Nova food classification system divides foods into four categories based on:

a. The micronutrient composition of the food and the number of ingredients

b. The macronutrient composition of the food and the number of ingredients

c. The extent to which the food(s) have been processed

d. The caloric content from fat and sugar and the number of ingredients

3. Marvin is committed to improving his diet by reducing UPFs and has replaced cow’s milk with soy milk due to lactose intolerance and has switched from beef to tofu. He reads an article about NOVA and is concerned that many soy foods are classified as UPFs. How would you advise Marvin regarding his concerns about consuming soy products?

a. You agree with Marvin that his concerns are valid and advise him to stop eating all soy and plant-based products because these foods are UPFs and can lead to adverse health outcomes.

b. You commend Marvin on his commitment to improving his diet and explain that a recent study showed that some subgroups of UPFs, including plant-based alternatives like soy, are nutrient dense and associated with a non-significant decreased risk of adverse health outcomes.

c. Because Nova evaluates both nutrient content and degree of processing, you advise Marvin to limit consumption of UPFs like soy milk and tofu and go back to eating beef and lactose-free whole cow’s milk.

d. You explain to Marvin that the vast majority of research studies support reducing plant-based alternatives in the diet because of the high degree of processing making these foods more likely to contribute to adverse health outcomes.

4. In several randomized controlled trials, the health effects of plant-based meat alternatives have been compared to meat, which is a Nova classified as unprocessed/minimally processed food, yet these studies have shown that positive health effects of plant-based alternatives are driven by:

a. The degree of processing

b. The amount of preservatives

c. The nutrient content

d. The amount of nitrates

5. ____________is recognized by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2020-2025) as the sole nutritionally comparable plant-based alternative to cow’s milk, and yet is classified as an ultra-processed food.

a. Oat milk

b. Almond milk

c. Coconut milk

d. Fortified soy milk

6. You attended the 2023 American Society for Nutrition Conference and inform your colleagues that according to the preliminary results from a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of soymilk vs. cow’s milk on cardiometabolic perimeters, adults replacing cow’s milk with sweetened soymilk experienced:

a. Large reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure

b. Increased triglyceride levels

c. Higher fasting blood glucose

d. Lower HDL levels

7. The common practice of adding _______to soymilk would disqualify it from meeting the Food and Drug Administration’s proposed definition of a “healthy” food.

a. Vitamin D

b. Fiber

c. Sugar

d. Vitamin A

8. The World Health Organization-endorsed ______________system labels plant-based alternatives as ultra-processed and suggest limiting consumption.

a. FOODMAP

b. Nova food classification

c. Glycemic index

d. Dietary guidelines

9. Ryan is a health-conscious active 25-year-old and views a social media video that says three ingredients in his daily smoothie, soymilk, peanut butter and Greek yogurt, are classified as ultra-processed foods according to Nova. He asks if he should stop making these smoothies and replace with something else. What could you say to Ryan?

a. Certain nutrient-dense, ultra-processed foods can make it easier to incorporate food groups and nutrients your diet. The nutrient quality of soymilk, peanut butter and lightly sweetened yogurt is high and therefor all three can be included in a balanced diet.

b. The video is right, all are ultra-processed foods and should be completely eliminated because consumption can result in poor health outcomes. You should replace soymilk with cow’s milk and add whole peanuts instead.

c. Soymilk is not as high in protein as cow’s milk and should be swapped out for cow’s milk. According to recent studies, doing so may also increase cardiometabolic health benefits associated with consuming cow’s milk.

d. Certain ultra-processed foods like soymilk while nutrient dense, also cause increases in blood pressure and higher blood sugar levels so soymilk should be avoided if you have a heart disease risk.

10. In a 2021 study, of 641 plant milk samples analyzed, only soymilk met the proposed nutrient standards for energy, sugar, calcium, protein, and vitamins A, D, and B12. With 7 grams of complete protein per cup, soymilk is the only plant-based milk recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and __________.

a. In a 2021 study, of 641 plant milk samples analyzed, only soymilk met the proposed nutrient standards for energy, sugar, calcium, protein, and vitamins A, D, and B12. With 7 grams of complete protein per cup, soymilk is the only plant-based milk recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and __________.

b. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

c. The American Academy of Pediatrics

d. The National Institutes of Health (NIH)

11. Maeve is a 65-year-old patient with mild hypertension. Her granddaughter told her to avoid certain foods because they are ultra-processed, and she is looking for suggestions on how to incorporate more plant-based foods into her daily meal plan. After explaining that some UPFs are nutrient dense, which of the following suggestions could you provide as examples of foods Maeve could include in her meal plan?

a. Start the day with fortified whole-grain cereal, a sliced banana, and soy or cow’s milk.

b. Stir pumpkin puree or microwaved frozen berries into instant oatmeal.

c. Spread nut butter like peanut or soy on a whole-wheat bagel or English muffin.

d. All of the above

12. According to Nova, a food or beverage is ultra-processed if it contains _______ _______processed ingredients. This broad umbrella may include foods high in saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium.

a. multiple industrially

b. one industrially

c. no industrially

d. several naturally