LET’S GET TO KNOW SOYBEAN

Soy, or soybean, also known in Latin as Glycine max, is a genus of  legume Fabaceae. It is the most important bean in the world due to its role as an important source of vegetable protein for millions of people and is the main ingredient of hundreds of products.

Soybean is believed to be found in China almost 7000 years ago. It has then been used in China, Japan and Korea for thousands of years as food and part of medicine. Soybean was introduced to the United States in 1804 and has become an important commodity in the southern United States and the Middle West in the mid-20th century. The United States, Brazil and Argentina are currently the major soybean producing countries in the world.

Soybean is the richest and most inexpensive source of protein, making it the main food in the diet of people and animals in different parts of the world. In Asia, it is widely consumed in the form of soy milk and tofu. Soybean can also be consumed as a snack after roasting or as a vegetable after adding to dishes. Young soybean, called edamame, can be consumed directly after steaming or boiling. Soy can also be consumed after fermentation, for example in the form of Tempe in Indonesia, miso and natto in Japan. Soy sauce is also a processed product of soybeans after fermentation with salted water.

Soybean seeds contain 32% protein and 17% fat. Soybean contains only 15% of available carbohydrates, so it is a good source of protein for diabetics. Soybean has also been used as a substitute for meat in baby food and for vegetarian due to its high protein content and the ground meat like texture. In addition to being used as a cooking oil, soybean oil can also be processed into margarine, shortening, and vegetarian cheese.