Soybean or soya bean (Glycine max) is an annual legume that belongs to the Fabaceae pea family. It is a widely cultivated crop in the United States and North America, but native to South East Asia. This nutrient-dense legume finds a prominent place in a vegetarian diet which is widely used as an alternative to meat.
Soybeans are healthful and rich in protein, giving them numerous nutritional uses. People can eat them, drink them in milk alternatives, and take them in the form of supplements.
What is Soybean?
Soybean (Glycine max), also called soya bean, is an annual legume of the pea family (Fabaceae) that has become one of the most widely consumed foods in the world. They are extremely useful for human health and are easy to cultivate as well. They are produced in the greatest numbers in the United States and South America, but they are actually native to East Asia.
Soybeans have become very important and popular in recent decades because of the rise of soy food’s popularity, including soy milk and textured vegetable protein. The high levels of protein make it an ideal protein source for vegetarians, and the wide variety of soy products has created a massive new market. ( Benefits of soybean)
Soybean Nutrition Facts
Soy is a complete protein. This means that it contains all nine essential amino acids. It is an important source of protein for many people, especially those who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100 grams (g) of cooked green soybeans without salt contains
- 141 kilocalories
- 12.35 g of protein
- 6.4 g of fat
- 11.05 g of carbohydrate
- 4.2 g of fiber
Soybeans are low in saturated fat and high in protein, vitamin C, and folate. They are also a good source of:
- calcium
- iron
- magnesium
- phosphorus
- potassium
- thiamin
The nutritional content of other soy products may vary based on how manufacturers have processed them and which ingredients they have added.
How does it work?
Soy contains “isoflavones” which are changed in the body to “phytoestrogens,” which are similar to the hormone estrogen.
8 Benefits of Soybean
1. Promotes Heart Health
Soya beans are a great source of healthy omega 6 fatty acids like linolenic acid and alpha-linolenic acids which aid in reducing LDL cholesterol and avert the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease. Regular addition of this protein and fiber-rich legumes facilitates smooth muscle function, increases the elasticity of arterial walls, and keeps the blood pressure under control which helps to enhance optimal cardiac functions.
2. May Boost Digestion
One of the most common elements lacking in many people’s diets is dietary fiber, which is present in high quantities in soybeans. Fiber is an essential part of a healthy body, particularly in terms of the digestive system. Fiber bulks up your stool, making it move through your digestive system smoothly. Furthermore, it can stimulate peristaltic motion, which is the contraction of the muscles that push food through your system. Soybeans also contain the carbohydrate known as oligosaccharides known to help stimulate the production of healthy bacteria in the intestines, thus serving as a great source of prebiotics.
3. May Improve Bone Health
As per a research report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, isoflavones in soybeans can help protect against spinal bone loss. Another study showed how soy isoflavones also may help in preventing postmenopausal osteoporosis and improving overall bone strength, thereby reduce the risk of fracture. However, further research on this is still required. Soybeans are also a rich source of calcium, which may help in bone growth.
4. May Reduce Blood Pressure
Research data suggests that soybeans may be hypotensive, which is to say they can help in reducing blood pressure. This may further reduce the risk of stroke and other coronary heart diseases.
5. Reducing breast cancer risk
Soy can help reduce the risk of hormone-associated cancers, including prostate cancer and some breast cancers. Soy can help reduce the risk of hormone-associated cancers, including prostate cancer and some breast cancers.
6. May Lower Cholesterol
Some research suggests that soy products can lower LDL cholesterol (aka the “bad” kind) by a small percentage. However, it’s important to note that you’d probably need to eat quite a large amount of soy to make an impact. ( Benefits of soybean)
7. Compatible With Many Special Diets
Soybeans find their way comfortably into many specialized eating plans. People on low-sodium, Mediterranean, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, or vegan diets can all dish up these beans
8. Helps relieve sleep disorders
One of the primary benefits of soybean is that not many know that soybean can help relieve the symptoms of sleep disorder. According to health professionals, soybeans can help in reducing the occurrence of insomnia along with other sleeping disorders. ( Benefits of soybean) Since soybean contains magnesium in high amounts, which is linked to increasing the quality, restfulness, and duration of your sleep, it would be beneficial that you add it to your daily diet.
Soybean Price
Product Description
We are one of the trusted suppliers of the best quality Soya Bean Meal. This is extensively used as a filler and source of protein in animal diets, including pig, chicken, cattle, horse, sheep, and fish feed. The range of Soya Bean Meal we offer is also very rich in protein and is made available in varied package sizes at very reasonable pricing.
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Soy Beans Price List in India on 23rd August 2021
- Soy Beans Products List Price
- Organic Delight Textured Vegetable Protein Soy Beans (1KG) ₹ 205
- FARM UP Soy Beans ₹ 304
- Jai Jinendra Food & Grocery Product Soy Beans (1KG) ₹ 309
- Neotea Soy Beans (250GM) ₹ 449
- OrgaQ Organicky Premium Quality Soy Beans (500GM) ₹ 107
- Nature Vit Premium Quality, High Protein Soy Beans (1.8KG) ₹ 449
- Magic Whole Soy Beans (500GM) ₹ 191
- TATHASTU Keema Premium Quality Soy Beens (1KG) ₹ 119
- Arena Organica Soy Beans (1Kg) ₹ 298
- Nature Vit Premium Quality, High Protein Soy Beans (900GM)
Recipes
(A) Soya Kebabs
Ingredients:
Soya granules (soaked in water) – 2 cups
Vinegar – 1 Teaspoon
Brown Bread – 2 crumbled
Garlic paste – 2 teaspoons
Powdered black pepper – 1/2 teaspoon
Chopped onions – 1/4 cup
Chopped green chilly – 2 teaspoons
Chili powder – 1 teaspoon
Vegetable oil or any cooking oil of your preference
Salt to taste
How to make:
- Take a bowl and mash all the ingredients together (except cooking oil) and give desired shapes with your hands
- Heat the pan and grease with oil
- Put the kebabs and cook on both sides till golden brown, brushing with oil if needed.
- Garnish with lemon slices and serve hot
Soybean Plant
5 Types of Soybeans and Their Uses
1. Yellow Soybean
It is the most produced soybean in Japan. Most processed foods such as tofu and miso are made from yellow soybeans. Although the name comes from the color of
soybean skin, it’s simply called “soybean” most of the time.
Breeding of yellow soybean to meet each processed food need has been developed these days.
2. Green Soybean
It’s mainly used for making Kinako (roasted soybean flour). Although Kinako is usually made from yellow soybeans or black soybeans, that made from green soybeans is often used for guest
3. Black Soybean
It’s not an everyday use product, but very popular to put in Osechi box during the New Year’s holiday. Osechi is a box containing various kinds of auspicious side dishes. Sweetly boiled black soybeans are one of them.
4. Red Soybean
It’s reddish-brown soybeans that are similar to adzuki beans. But, it’s totally different type from the adzuki beans and red kidney beans.
It’s sometimes called “visionary soybeans” because that has very low production.
5. Brown Soybean
It’s brownish soybeans, and it’s very rare beans that you have never seen in grocery stores. When peeled, the inside has a yellow chestnut-like color. The feature is that the skin is thin and soft, and it has less bean odor characteristic to soybean. It tastes great if you boil in salt and eat as it is.
Possible Side Effects
Long-term use of soy has not been studied sufficiently enough, but as long as you don’t have a soy allergy, eating whole soy foods in moderation (a few times a week) will not have any side effects. Its nutritional profile can help increase the amount of protein and decrease the consumption of saturated fats, which can improve overall health.
Despite estrogen-like actions some of the isoflavones (otherwise known as phytoestrogens) found in soy, it is not currently believed that soy products increase the risk of gynecological cancers in women. There is also some evidence that consuming soy-based foods may actually decrease the risk of breast cancer, especially in women who live in Asian countries, where soy consumption is higher than in the United States. ( Benefits of soybean)
There is also no harm in men consuming soy products in moderation. While both men and women produce estrogen, men produce less amount of this hormone.
Also read: Ash Gourd: Health Benefits, Nutrition, Uses For Skin And Hair, Side Effects
Can I eat too much soy?
Go ahead and enjoy soybeans and soy-rich whole foods like soymilk and tofu. They may help improve HDL “good” cholesterol levels and lower total cholesterol, LDL “bad” cholesterol, blood sugar, and insulin levels. With long-term use, they may also lower cancer risk. Women with a past history of breast cancer should consult their physicians regarding the controversies of soy use.
Keep in mind, too, that the health-promoting chemicals in soybeans that have gotten so much attention lately – the isoflavones – are plentiful in all beans: pinto beans, black beans, lentils, red beans, you name it. And these beans generally derive a mere three to nine percent of their calories from fat. Soybeans, by contrast, are 37% fat – and therefore more likely to promote weight gain.
But all beans, including soybeans, are full of nutritional riches – and are a very healthy, protein-packed alternative to meat or poultry. Instead of increasing cholesterol, like animal protein, beans lower it.
Also read: Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight Fast
Who should avoid soy?
Additionally, soy can be problematic for people with thyroid conditions. Everybody needs to get iodine in their diet. The body does not produce it naturally. Iodine is crucial for the production of thyroid hormones.
Soy contains goitrogens, which can reduce the absorption of iodine, says Cowan. And without enough iodine, this can lead to worsening of hypothyroidism. Iodine deficiency can result in symptoms like enlarged thyroid, and possibly an inability to think clearly.
Therefore, Cowan says people with severe thyroid conditions should avoid soy. If you have a mild thyroid condition, it can be okay, but check with your doctor first.
There’s also controversy surrounding whether children should consume soy. A 2016 study published in Nutrition Research examined almost 400 subjects and found that children who consumed soy, and therefore isoflavones, were two to two-and-a-half times more likely to get
Kawasaki disease
than those who did not consume soy. Kawasaki disease causes inflammation in the arteries and lymph nodes. It’s more common in children than in adults.
However, a 2017 review published in Nutrition Reviews concluded that isoflavones in soy don’t have adverse effects on puberty, however, research is limited.