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New Dietary Guidelines for Americans Affirm Soy’s Uniquely Beneficial Role in the Diet

January 9, 2026

by SNI Global Staff

SNI Global recognizes the release of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (Dietary Guidelines), 2025-2030, which reinforce the importance of adequate protein intake—including high-quality plant proteins such as tofu and tempeh—and essential fats for optimal health—like those contained in soybean oil. Soy plays an important nutritional and cultural role in the U.S. diet and is well-positioned to help Americans meet their dietary needs and preferences. Soy foods support healthy dietary patterns and can be an excellent source of high-quality protein as well as sources of polyunsaturated fat (including both essential fatty acids), fiber and vitamins, and minerals.1-3

Soy foods are uniquely positioned to meet the challenge of increasing protein intake while delivering healthy fats. For example, 100 grams of edamame provides as much as 10 grams of complete, high-quality protein with less than one gram of saturated fat—about 39% of calories from protein and just 4.6% from saturated fat—along with around six grams of fiber. Similarly, extra-firm tofu delivers as much as 10 grams of protein at around 85 calories with minimal saturated fat.

“Few foods deliver high-quality, complete protein with all essential amino acids while also remaining low in saturated fat, and soy does exactly that,” said Julie Ohmen, CEO of SNI Global. “This unique nutritional profile allows soy foods to align seamlessly with the Dietary Guidelines.”

The guidelines also recommend healthy fats and prioritizing oils with essential fatty acids. The two main essential fatty acids are linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). Soybean oil—the most widely used edible oil— contains both essential fatty acids in meaningful amounts and is associated with health benefits because it is high in polyunsaturated fat and low in saturated fat.4,5 Health organizations and agencies, including the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines, call for limiting saturated fat intake to 10% of calories. Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated, especially polyunsaturated, fat is recommended by the American Heart Association, World Health Organization, and numerous other global health and governmental bodies. In 2017, the U.S. FDA approved a qualified health claim for soybean oil’s role in reducing heart disease risk by lowering cholesterol when substituted for saturated fat.6 Large, long-term population studies show that higher polyunsaturated fat intake is associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease7, diabetes8,9, and possibly lower cancer mortality.10

Soy foods are versatile and accessible – and many are very affordable. Soy protein is increasingly incorporated into products that contribute protein either as the sole source or in combination with other proteins from animals or plants. While soy itself delivers high-quality protein, it can also be used in combination with animal protein sources — contributing protein without the addition of saturated fat and cholesterol.

Many households buy both plant-based milks and dairy milk to accommodate different eating occasions and preferences, and to receive a range of benefits.11 In addition to supporting cardiometabolic health by favorably affecting blood pressure and blood lipids,12  soymilk provides a solution for delivering protein while limiting saturated fat. Whereas consuming the recommended “3 servings per day for a 2,000-calorie diet” of whole milk would equate to 13.8 grams of saturated fat (~6% of daily saturated fat intake), 3 cups of soymilk contain 1.5 grams of saturated fat (less than 1% of daily saturated fat intake) — while still delivering similar amounts of high-quality protein, calcium, and vitamin D.

Importantly, a food’s healthfulness is best measured by its nutrient content and how it affects health—not merely its processing level. Foods classified similarly by processing level can vary significantly in nutrient quality and health effects. Food processing can play a constructive role — enhancing nutrition (via fortification, fermentation), safety (through microbial control), and accessibility (offering shelf-stable, affordable options) — and optimal dietary choices should focus on nutrient composition and health outcomes rather than processing alone. Beneficial, nutrient-dense processed foods (such as soymilk, tofu, soy-based meat alternatives, and meal replacement products) should not be equated with nutritionally poor ultra-processed products. Soy foods are a prime example of how modern food processing can deliver nutrient-dense options. For example, plant-based meat alternatives provide high-quality plant protein, while potentially increasing fiber and decreasing saturated fat intake, which can help individuals transition to and maintain a plant-predominant diet.13

Soy foods and beverages are nutrient-dense options that can help consumers achieve and maintain a healthy dietary pattern that fits within a range of cultural preferences. Including a variety of soy foods in the diet is an easy way to deliver key nutrients.

About SNI Global

SNI Global is a global scientific voice of soy for human health and nutrition. SNI Global discovers, illuminates, and advocates for soy’s role in human health and nutrition using scientific evidence to promote consumption globally. For more information about the SNI Global, visit www.SNIGlobal.org.

United Soybean Board checkoff funding is not used to influence government action and policy.

References:

  1. Sacks FM, Lichtenstein A, Van Horn L, et al. Soy protein, isoflavones, and cardiovascular health: an American Heart Association Science Advisory for professionals from the Nutrition Committee. Circulation; 2006;113:1034-44.
  2. Jenkins DJA, Blanco Mejia S, Chiavaroli L, et al. Cumulative Meta-Analysis of the Soy Effect Over Time. J Am Heart Assoc 2019;8:e012458.
  3. Ma L, Liu G, Ding M, et al. (2020). Isoflavone Intake and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in US Men and Women: Results From 3 Prospective Cohort Studies. Circulation
  4. Messina M, Shearer G, Petersen K. Soybean oil lowers circulating cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease risk, and has no effect on markers of inflammation and oxidation. Nutrition 2021;89:111343 doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2021.111343 [published Online First: 2021/06/26].
  5. Tian M, Bai Y, Tian H, Zhao X. The chemical composition and health promoting benefits of vegetable oils-A review. Molecules 2023;28(17) doi: 10.3390/molecules28176393 [published Online First: 2023/09/09].
  6. Qualified Health Claim Petition – Soybean Oil and Reduced Risk of Coronary Heart Disease (Docket No. FDA-2016-Q-0995). https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjBrrmAqaLsAhWVcc0KHWziCnkQFjABegQIBRAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fda.gov%2Fmedia%2F106649%2Fdownload&usg=AOvVaw1OacdW5qPEJwAz-_0yxdGz.
  7. Li Y, Hruby A, Bernstein AM, et al. Saturated fats compared with unsaturated fats and sources of carbohydrates in relation to risk of coronary heart disease: A prospective cohort study. J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2015;66(14):1538-48 doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2015.07.055 [published Online First: 2015/10/03].
  8. Imamura F, Micha R, Wu JH, et al. Effects of saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and carbohydrate on glucose-insulin homeostasis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled feeding trials. PLoS Med 2016;13(7):e1002087 doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002087 [published Online First: 2016/07/21].
  9. Wu JHY, Marklund M, Imamura F, et al. Omega-6 fatty acid biomarkers and incident type 2 diabetes: pooled analysis of individual-level data for 39 740 adults from 20 prospective cohort studies. The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology 2017;5(12):965-74 doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(17)30307-8 [published Online First: 2017/10/17].
  10. Zhang Y, Chadaideh KS, Li Y, et al. Butter and plant-based oils intake and mortality. JAMA internal medicine 2025 doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0205 [published Online First: 2025/03/06].
  11. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, CFSAN Consumer Studies Memorandum (February 2023).
  12. Erlich, M.N., Ghidanac, D., Blanco Mejia, S. et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials of substituting soymilk for cow’s milk and intermediate cardiometabolic outcomes: understanding the impact of dairy alternatives in the transition to plant-based diets on cardiometabolic health. BMC Med 22, 336 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-024-03524-7

Messina V, Guest NS, Duncan AM, Mangels AR, Norris, J, Ruscigno M, Glenn AJ, Wolfram T, Marinangeli CPF, Messina M. Dietary guidance on plant-based meat alternatives for individuals wanting to increase plant protein intake. Front. Nutr. 2025;12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1641234