Celebrations take on a new meaning when it comes to Mexican Independence Day – as Hispanics, we start preparing food days in advance to ensure our favorite dishes are served and there is plenty of food for everyone.
While celebrations carry great importance for us, many of our dear relatives suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer. Knowing that Hispanics are prone to chronic disease, I thought it’d be nice to provide healthy dishes that are also incredibly delicious.1
One of my go-to ingredients that helps me make quick and delicious recipes, while also adding nutritional benefits is soy. Soybean oil and soyfoods are versatile ingredients that can work as a seamless addition to your Mexican Independence day fiesta! You can pair soy with a variety of delicious meals, from savory dishes, to desserts and much more.
The plant-based movement has given soy a platform to showcase its versatility and health benefits. Soyfoods provide several key nutrients including heart-healthy soy protein2 and antioxidants such as isoflavones that may provide protective benefits against chronic diseases such as heart disease and certain cancers.3-4
This Independence Day…let’s celebrate with soy! To help you get your menu going, I am sharing my fiesta recipes with you. Here’s what we are planning for our Mexican fiesta celebration; tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, empanadas, and buñuelos – all of which include soyfoods or soybean oil (commonly labeled as vegetable oil).
Heart-healthy soybean oil’s5 neutral flavor lets the delicious authentic Hispanic flavors shine, so you can enjoy the taste you already love with added plant-based heart-healthy soy protein2 and isoflavones3-4 from the soy in your dish. Celebrate Mexican Independence Day with one of our Hispanic recipes, and make it a Soy Mexican Fiesta – links to the full recipes are below.
I only endorse brands and products I love! All opinions expressed are my own. I received compensation to write this post in partnership with Soy Connection.
References
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “Hispanics’ health in the United States.” https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/p0505-hispanic-health.html. 2015.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Health Claims: Soy Protein and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease.” https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=101.82. April 1, 2018.
- Dietrich, Marion, Maret G Traber, Paul F Jacques, Carroll E Cross, Youqing Hu, and Gladys Block. “Does gamma-tocopherol play a role in the primary prevention of heart disease and cancer? A review.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 August; vol. 25; 292-99. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16943450.
- Ostlund RE, Jr. Phytosterols in human nutrition. Annu Rev Nutr. 2002;22:533-549.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Soybean Oil and Reduced Risk of Coronary Heart Disease.” https://www.fda.gov/media/106649/download. July 31, 2017.
