In the heart of Texas, the United States, a nutritional researcher is making waves in public health. Temitope Ibiyemi, a dedicated Doctoral Researcher in Community Nutrition at Texas Tech University, is at the forefront of a groundbreaking study that could revolutionize how we combat both undernutrition and overnutrition in developing countries and among malnourished communities. The secret weapon? High-protein soy snacks.
Ibiyemi’s journey into public health nutrition began with a genuine desire to address the persistent global health challenges of undernutrition and overnutrition. He completed his undergraduate in Food Technology at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Nigeria, before heading to Houston, Texas, to bag a master’s degree in human services and Consumer Sciences, focusing on food and nutrition. Armed with an unyielding commitment to make a difference, he embarked on his doctoral research to address under and overnutrition by utilizing a seemingly unassuming yet powerful and cost-effective source of nutrition: soy.
Soy, a versatile legume, has long been recognized for its nutritional benefits. However, Ibiyemi’s groundbreaking work in South Africa sheds new light on the potential of high-protein soy snacks to address the dual challenges of undernutrition and overnutrition in the developing parts of South Africa. Undernutrition remains a pressing issue in many parts of the world, with millions of people lacking access to essential nutrients for proper growth and development. Incorporating high-protein soy snacks into daily diets in these vulnerable populations can provide a cost-effective yet sustainable solution. Soy is a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids the human body requires. This makes it an invaluable resource in combating protein deficiency, which significantly contributes to undernutrition.
On the flip side of the coin lies the growing epidemic of overnutrition, characterized by excessive calorie intake and the consumption of calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods. This phenomenon has led to a surge in diet-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions in several developing countries and among malnourished communities. As a way to address this under and over-nutrition in malnourished communities, Ibiyemi’s research developed ten high-protein soy snacks that could serve as a healthier alternative to common calorie-dense snacks in the South African market. This research to develop nutritious and healthy soy snacks was funded by the Oilseed Advisory Committee of South Africa, and the developed snacks were sensory tested at the Sensory Lab at the University of the Free State in South Africa.
The developed high-protein snacks will launch and be market-tested in December 2022. The potential impact of Ibiyemi’s research extends beyond nutritional possibilities. Small, medium, and micro-entrepreneurs have been contacted in South Africa and will receive training on manufacturing high-protein soy snack products. In addition to its nutritional and economic prowess, soy cultivation is environmentally friendly, requiring less land and water than other protein sources. This makes soy a sustainable option for addressing global nutrition challenges, aligning with broader efforts to promote ecological balance.
As Ibiyemi continues to unravel the nutritional mysteries of the underutilized soy, his work, utilizing high-protein soy snacks to address under and overnutrition, holds the promise of transforming lives suffering from the burden of malnutrition on a global scale. High-protein soy snacks may well be the bridge that spans the nutritional divide, offering a beacon of hope for malnourished communities grappling with undernutrition and a lifeline for individuals seeking to break free from the shackles of overnutrition.
