Is TVP One Of The Best Plant-Based Proteins To Lower High Cholesterol?

The recent years have seen a rise in people who are opting for plant-based diet, better known as vegan diet. When it comes to managing cholesterol levels, a plant-based diet is often recommended by healthcare professionals. Animal products like meat and cheese tend to be high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which can elevate LDL ("bad") cholesterol. On the other hand, plant-based foods such as oats, nuts, beans, and fruits contain fiber and other nutrients are believed to remove bad cholesterol from the arteries. For those who are transitioning from a meat-heavy diet, finding the right plant-based protein sources is key. While beans, nuts, tofu, and quinoa are well-known options, textured vegetable protein (TVP) offers another interesting alternative. TVP is a meat alternative for people who wish to enjoy meaty dishes as a vegan.

While the name TVP may have vegetable in it, it is actually made from soy! Nutritionally, a one-fourth cup serving of dry TVP has a similar calorie count to one-fourth cup of firm tofu. While tofu is a richer source of calcium, TVP has four times more potassium. One thing that is noteworthy is that TVP contains zero saturated fat and cholesterol. Its 4 grams of fiber can contribute to healthy cholesterol levels, and its 12 grams of soy protein may give additional cholesterol-lowering benefits. This makes TVP an attractive option for those who are seeking to improve their heart health through dietary changes.

People following vegetarian or vegan diets are likely familiar with TVP. In its dry form, TVP consists of dehydrated flakes that rehydrate to a chewy texture when water is added. Similar to tofu, TVP readily absorbs the flavors of accompanying ingredients, making it a versatile substitute for ground beef in dishes like marinara sauce. Its high soy protein content and absence of fat make it a promising protein source for cholesterol management. A 2019 meta-analysis published in The Journal of Nutrition, which analyzed 43 studies on soy protein and cholesterol, found that consuming 25 grams of soy protein daily for six weeks could lower LDL cholesterol by an average of 4.76 milligrams per deciliter and total cholesterol by 6.41 milligrams per deciliter.

Previously, soy had faced some controversy due to some research claiming that soy is linked to potential fertility issues and breast cancer concerns. But as quickly as these claims were made, they were also debunked by new studies, clarifying that soy's phytoestrogens function differently in the body. In fact, a 2022 review in Frontiers in Nutrition showed that soy consumption may actually reduce cancer risk by up to 10%, with a 4% risk reduction for every 25 grams of soy consumed daily. Soy was shown to be particularly effective in reducing the risk of lung cancer (by 33%) and prostate cancer (by 12%). Moreover, a 2017 review in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology connected soy intake to a 16% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, with tofu specifically linked to a 20% reduction.

Soy consumption has also been associated with lower risks of stroke (18%) and coronary heart disease (17%). While TVP is a convenient way to add more soy into your diet, it's important to note that it is also made by being processed from Soybean Oil. While there is a lot of research on how good soybean is, much of the research on soy's health benefits focuses on soy foods that have very little processing to make them available to people like edamame, rather than ultra-processed soy products found in meat alternatives like TVP.