IPB Researchers Combine Soybean and Red Rice to Lose Weight

Nutritional problems such as overweight and obesity have become a global problem and increased every year. This problem illustrates an imbalance of energy associated with food intake and energy spending. This happens due to dietary changes that tend to prefer fast food with high content of calories, sugar and fat.

One strategy that can be done to reduce obesity is to change the diet by eating foods that can increase satiety and restrain appetite. Protein is one of the nutrients known to have a stronger satiety effect than other nutrients.

Higher protein intakes have been found to be more effective in weight loss processes. In addition to protein, there are also dietary fibre that can be useful in supporting weight loss and preventing weight gain.

This underlie the team of researchers from the Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Human Ecology (FEMA), Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), namely Dr. Budi Setiawan and Bernadette Victoria, to conduct a study by developing an instant soup cream formula made of soybeans and red rice that can be a functional food with high protein and fibre.

"Soybeans are selected because they contain high dietary fibre and are a source of vegetable protein. Soybean protein has a biological value that is almost equivalent to animal protein. Unfortunately, soybean contains low amino acid of methionine and cystine. However, it can be overcome by complementary of two or more types of food," said Budi.

Red rice becomes a complementary material with soybeans because it contains high dietary fibre and are a source of vegetable protein. In addition, it can also supplement amino acid deficiency in soybeans, because red rice can provide methionine. Lack of amino acid lysine in red rice can also be supplemented by soybeans.

The research stages consisted of formulation, instant cream making, organoleptic test, determination of selected formula, analysis of nutrient content and dietary fibre, calculation of energy contribution, nutrient, and dietary fibre.

The results showed that the selected formula was a product with a ratio of soybeans and red rice to 60:40.

The instant cream soup formula can be claimed to contain high protein and fibre. The contribution of energy and nutrition per serving to AKG (general) is 3% energy, 6.1% protein, 3.3% fat, 2.3% carbohydrate, and 9.2% food fibre.

"Thus, it can be concluded that instant soup made of soybeans and red rice is expected to become alternative interlude food," he said. (TK)