Soybeans were popular known as a rich protein food source, especially to the vegetarians. The protein level in soybeans is compared as in meat or milk, that’s why these beans are used widely around the world.
Related to soybeans and soybean plants
Soybeans or Glycine max are a member of the genus Glycine in the Fabaceae family. These beans are native to East Asia and was grown there around few millennia BC. Latterly, from 13th century CE, soybeans ware spread alternately to Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, Australia and all other areas.
Soybean plants could be grown well in tropical climates, with the temperature from 25-30 C degree and rainfall about 500-700 mm. The plants grow from seed and the mature plants are rarely over 2 m high. The fruits with seeds inside (3-5 seeds/ fruit) are both green when young and would turn to yellow when ripen. The ripe soybean seeds are small and hard with green, grey, brown, black and yellow color and round, flat, oval, long round or flat round shaped.
Soybeans were same with other beans in the bean list, they were used to produce food for human and animal also.
Soybean as food
Soybeans are rich in nutrients especially protein. The nutritional content of this bean could be listed beside protein is essence, dietary fiber, vitamins (B, K, C…), minerals (zinc, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron…), and other substances. They are also free of cholesterol.
High level of nutrition and low cost of producing make soybeans to be an important food source of the world.
Soybeans are joined in many kind of food for human and animal. As food for human, there could be accounted of tofu (very popular in Asia), soybean sauce, soy milk, soybean flour, soybean oil, soy meat, soybean’s butter…Soybeans are also used to produce livestock feed and many other industrial products as soaps, cosmetic, plastics, inks, clothing…
Soybeans – small beans and big story
As mentioned above soybeans are very important to the vegetarians. They are considered the main source for many recipes in their plate. If meat is the big story to all people who do not follow the vegetarian, they are the main story in food consumed in the vegetarian life. There are many factors, studies related to soybeans. And of course there are many topics to talk about these beans such as soybeans are good truly, soybeans and genetically modified organism (GMO) etc. There are still there many debates related to them kept going while consumers who and used them as the main source of food and give the question also doubts.
