Soybeans are members of the pea (legume) family of vegetables and have been a staple of Asian cuisines for thousands of years. Soy and soy foods are popular especially for people following vegetarian and vegan diets. This is due to their high-quality (“complete”) protein content, and their ability to be processed into milk and meat substitutes.
Soybeans contain hormone-like substances called phytoestrogens that mimic the action of the hormone oestrogen and have been associated with beneficial health effects. Eating soybean-based foods may reduce the risk of various health problems, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), some cancers and improve bone health.
Evidence also suggests the consumption of soy and soy foods is beneficial for peri-menopausal and postmenopausal women and is linked to fewer and reduced severity of hot flushes.
In this article, we are providing you with 15 important and interesting facts that you must know about soybean:
Soybeans are a good source of vitamins and minerals including molybdenum, folate, copper, phosphorus, manganese, and vitamin K.
Soybeans create some of their own fertilizers; they have the ability to take nitrogen from the air. Microorganisms present on soybean roots can convert that nitrogen taken from air into the usable form of plants.
Soy-based oils are used as lubricants and can withstand higher temperatures than petroleum-based oils.
Soy oil is the second most important vegetable oil, after palm oil.
Soybeans grow from seed as an annual crop; they produce and die in a single growing season. And take 90-120 days from the day of sowing to harvesting.
Nutrition profile of soybeans
Soy is a high-quality protein. It is one of the few known plant foods (the other is amaranth seed and to a lesser degree, quinoa) to contain all the essential amino acids, like those found in meat.
The soybean is:
- high in fibre
- high in protein
- low in saturated fat
- cholesterol free
- lactose free
- a good source of omega-3 fatty acids
- a source of antioxidants
- high in phytoestrogens.
Soy products
Soybeans can be consumed in many ways.
Foods made from soybeans can be divided into unfermented and fermented foods. Unfermented foods include – tofu, soymilk, edamame, soy nuts and sprouts, while fermented soy products include – miso, tempeh, natto and soy sauce.
Some soy products are sources of calcium and iron – such as tofu or tempeh (made with a calcium coagulant) and calcium-fortified soy drinks.
Health benefits of soy foods
Research suggests that soybeans and soy foods have a range of health benefits.
Coronary heart disease and soy
Having a diet rich in soy foods is linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and coronary heart disease.
Oestrogen may protect women against heart disease during their reproductive years, but rates of heart disease increase after menopause.
Soybeans have been shown to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, both known risk factors of heart disease.
An analysis of clinical trials suggests 14g to 50g of soy protein can significantly reduce total blood cholesterol levels, LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and triglycerides, while moderately increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
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