The information was released at the scientific conference "The nutritional role of soybeans and nuts for health and prevention of non-communicable diseases" organized by the Institute of Nutrition in coordination with the Vinasoy Soybean Application Research Center on June 26.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thanh Duong, Director of the Institute of Nutrition, Vietnam is strongly shifting from disease-curing thinking to proactive disease prevention. In which, nutrition is considered a foundation because this is a factor that can intervene early, have a wide impact and bring sustainable effects to community health.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), non-communicable diseases currently cause about 74% of global deaths. In Vietnam, this group of diseases accounts for about 80% of total deaths, mainly cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes.
Notably, many risk factors are still common such as eating too much salt, lacking green vegetables, fruits and little exercise. These are all factors that can be improved through changes in diet and lifestyle.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Truong Tuyet Mai, Deputy Director of the Institute of Nutrition, said that modern nutritional science not only focuses on eating enough nutrients but also cares about food quality and long-term health benefits. A diet rich in plant-based foods helps improve blood fat disorders, control blood sugar, and support the gut microbiome and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
According to Dr. Nguyen Song Tu (Institute of Nutrition), soybeans are one of the few sources of complete plant-based protein, providing enough 9 essential amino acids with a quality equivalent to animal protein. In addition, soybeans and nuts are also rich in unsaturated fats, fiber, isoflavones, lecithin and many micronutrients beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Many international studies also recorded the benefits of this food group. For example, the PREDIMED clinical trial in Spain showed that supplementing about 30 g of nuts per day in a Mediterranean diet helps reduce nearly 30% of the risk of cardiovascular events and 46% of the risk of stroke.
Another notable point shared by scientists is the role of natural prebiotic compounds in soybeans and oats. According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Minh Nhat (Da Nang University of Science and Technology), these components help nourish beneficial intestinal bacteria, inhibit harmful bacteria and promote the production of short-chain fatty acids - compounds that play an important role in the health of the digestive and metabolic systems.
Experts believe that in the context of the increasing rate of non-communicable diseases, building a balanced diet, prioritizing plant-based foods such as soybeans and nuts, combined with reasonable exercise is a sustainable solution to improve health and prevent diseases early.
