category: food/groceries: vegetables: pulses/legume
Soybean, Soya bean,
bot.: Glycine max,
de.: Sojabohne,
fr.: soya, saja,
es.: soia
The soybean is a
vegetable
that belongs in the group of
legumes
and the botanical family of
Faboideae
(subfamily of Leguminosae). Their origin lies in China. Some experts think
that it has been cultured as early as 2700 BC. Other sources date the first cultivation
to about 800 BC.
Today soybeans are the economically most important vegetable crop in the world.
Towards the end of the 18th century soybeans were brought to Europe and the Americas.
Nowadays they are grown everywhere in the world. The most important growing areas
are China, India, Indonesia, Africa, the Philippines, South and Middle America
and Russia. Soybeans have many different uses and can be processed into many different products,
which made them the most important crop worldwide.
Soybeans grow mostly as a bush of up to 1 meter height.
Some varieties may grow prostrate though or reach up to 2 meters.
Their pod is yellow, grey or brown to black and hairy. It contains up to 5 seeds.
These differ in form, size and colour, depending on the soybean variety.
Most are cream coloured but green, red and black seeds are also available.
In Europe soybeans are best known dried. In Asia and America they are mostly processed fresh.
The seeds are removed from the pods and processed like
peas.
Ripe beans that are harvested shortly before their pods burst are almost non-perishable
if stored correctly.
High amounts of basic nutrients and valuable minerals make soybeans an
important food crop. In many developing countries they ensure the supply
with basic nutrients for people that cannot afford meat.
100 g soybeans contain:
-
Protein
36,8 %
-
fat
23,5 %
-
Carbohydrates
23,5 %
-
Sodium
4 mg
-
Potassium
1750 mg
-
Calcium
260 mg
-
Phosphorous
590 mg
-
Magnesium
250 mg
-
Iron
8,6 mg
-
Fluoride
0,3 mg
-
Vitamin A
0,095 mg
-
Vitamin E
13,3 mg
-
Vitamin B1
1,0 mg
-
Vitamin B2
0,3 mg
-
Niacin
2,5 mg
-
Vitamin K
0,19 mg
-
Purine
380 mg
-
Folic acid
94 mg
-
Zinc
1,0 mg
-
Manganese
2,8 mg
-
Copper
0,11 mg
-
Selenium
0,06 mg
-
Iodine
0,006 mg
(See also:
vitamins,
minerals
and
nutrients.)
Soybean products
Soybeans are used in the production of many processed foods.
Soybean oil
is one major application produced by pressing or solvent-extraction.
It is sold as vegetable oil or further refined and often processed for hydrogenated
spreadable fats.
They contain the essential
fatty acids
linoleic acid
and linolenic acid. A by-product of soybean oil production is
lecithin.
It is used as an
emulisifier
by the food industry. Soybean meal that is left over from the oil production
is used for the production of
tofu,
miso
(soybean paste and a base for Japanese
soups
and
sauces),
soymilk,
soy flour,
soy yoghurt,
soy pasta
and
textured vegetable protein.
A popular product of the soy plant is bean sprouts. They go well with fresh
salads and are essential in many Asian cuisines. (See also:
mung bean
and
sprout vegetables)
Soy beans are the main ingredient for the production of
tofu.
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