The humble soy bean is enjoying plenty of health related hype these days. Its claim to fame? It can lower blood cholesterol, ease hot flashes, prevent osteoporosis and protect against cancer.

Here are suggestions for incorporating soy into your eating regime.

• Substitute soy flour for one-quarter of the all-purpose or whole wheat flour called for in muffin recipes and other quick and yeast bread recipes.

• Replace kidney beans with cooked soybeans in recipes for soups, chilies, stews, burritos and wraps.

• Substitute diced extra-firm tofu or crumbled tempeh for the cooked ground meats called for in recipes for lasagna and meat sauce.

• For variety or if lactose-intolerant, consider trying fortified soy beverages over breakfast cereal, in café au lait and milk shakes and in puddings, cobblers and quick breads.

• Can't get into the daily habit of consuming tofu? Try a handful of roasted soybeans for a crunchy nutritious snack. Look for plain, salted and flavoured soy snacks (sometimes called soy nuts) in health food shops.

• Try fresh soybeans as a tasty snack or appetizer: Steam or boil fresh soybeans for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain; sprinkle pods lightly with salt. Shell and serve warm as a vegetable dish; or to serve as a snack, let guests shell beans themselves to eat warm or at room temperature.

Here are 10 tasty soy recipes:

• Cumin Carrot Tofu Patties
• Vegetable Tofu Salad
• Sort of Hot and Sour Soup
• Vegetable Miso Soup
• Golden Stir-Fry Noodles
• Sesame Soy Trail Mix
• Sesame Soy Bow Ties
• Fruity Tofu Smoothy
• Tofu Asparagus Stir-Fry
• Teriyaki Tofu with Mushrooms and Cabbage