Iso-Rich Soy - Protein Powders

Iso-Rich Soy
(Jarrow Formulas)

by Gary F. Zeolla

Soy protein was actually the first protein I used via Twinlab's Vege Fuel. However, I later switched to Jarrow's Iso-Rich Soy as the label indicates that the soy protein is “non-GMO” meaning it is attained from soy that had not been genetically modified. Since 90% of the soy produced in the USA is GMO soy, if a product does not specifically indicate it is non-GMO, then it is probably GMO soy. Such is the case with the Twinlab product and every other soy protein powder I've seen, except for the Jarrow product.

The Jarrow soy is also basically pure protein, containing no carbs or fat. It contains natural vanilla flavoring, but no sweetener. So you will probably want to add some kind of sweetener. I would recommend using liquid stevia, available from either MuscleSurf or WebVitamins. An eye-dropper full is enough to sweeten a quart of protein powder.

But I should mention that the consumption of soy is actually a very controversial issue. There are many proposed health benefits to soy consumption, but there are also potential drawbacks. I won't go into details here as I do so in the two-part article Soy: Health Food or Food to Avoid?. Here, I will just say that I stopped consuming soy altogether due to the potential drawbacks. But if I were to use it, I would only use non-GMO soy, hence I would recommend Jarrow's soy rather than Twinlab's or some other brand.

The reason this product is called "Iso-Rich" is that it is formulated in such a way as to be especially high in isoflavones. These are the substances in soy that are believed to be responsible for its purported health benefits. It is also high in IP6 (inositol hexaphosphate). IP6 is believed to be beneficial to the immune and cardiovascular systems. It can even be purchased separately as a supplement. But such supplementation is not necessary if one is using a product like this one.

As a general rule, soy protein is not of as high a quality as animal proteins. However, this product has been formulated in such a way that it's Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) is 1.00. This is the same as the PDCAAS for egg white and casein proteins.

And finally, one notable possible benefit for weightlifters from soy is that soy is high in the amino acid glutamine. This is the most abundant amino acid in muscle tissue, and many feel that a high intake aids in muscle repair and building.

The above protein powder is available at WebVitamins and MuscleSurf.

The above article was posted on this site May 9, 2004
and last updated June 11, 2005.

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