Benefits of soya as alternative crop

MANILA, Philippines - A US-based Filipino doctor has urged the Department of Agriculture to promote soya as an alternative crop to traditional farming because of its medical benefits.

Research scientist Dr. Alfredo Galvez said soya is fast becoming in demand both here and abroad.

It contains peptides, a compound that links amino acids with other elements in the body, preventing diseases, he said.

In 1996, Galvez discovered the many properties of soya at the University of California Berkeley and formulated super food lunasin.

Lunasin has since become one of the most heavily researched and scientifically supported nutritional compounds, with over 50 published papers from more than 25 research institutions.

It has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, can reduce cholesterol, control diabetes, bolster weight loss, and promote the heart’s cellular health.

Galvez was recently in the country for a “medical-scientific road show” to share his discovery and promote developments in epigenetics and cancer research.

He capped his road show with his presentation at the Bureau of Agricultural Research last Jan. 29 where he not only highlighted the medical benefits of extracts from soya beans but also encouraged soya farming.

Reliv is the first company selected by the Missouri Plant Science Center and its managing tenant, Soy Labs, for a joint research-and-development partnership.

This gave Reliv greater access to soy and plant biotechnology research and benefit from exclusive ingredient innovations like lunasin.

The partnership resulted in its first product called lunarich, a soy powder containing five to 10 times more lunasin.

Lunasin has gained popularity in the US and was named winner of the People’s Choice Stevie Award for Favorite New Consumer Product in the 2013 Annual American Business Awards.

Galvez, who received the award, finished his undergraduate and Master’s degree at the University of the Philippines Los Baños and got his doctorate at the University of California Davis.

He is a recipient of the 2010 PhilDev Award, given to outstanding Filipino-Americans in science and technology.