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Soy-beans
Soy-beans
These delicious, slightly nutty flavored super beans have been cultivated in China for over 3,000 years but the good news about soy's culinary versatility and exceptional health benefits is a relatively recent phenomenon in the West.
Different varieties of this truly amazing legume are available throughout the year.
The soybean is the most widely grown and utilized legume in the world and one of the most well researched, health-promoting foods available today.
Health Benefits
Soy is one the most widely researched, health-promoting foods around.
Soybeans' key benefits are related to their excellent protein content, their high levels of essential fatty acids, numerous vitamins and minerals, their isoflavones, and their fiber.
A Health-Promoting Meat Replacement
Soy-beans are regarded as equal in protein quality to animal foods.
Just one cup provides 57.2% of the Daily Value (DV) for protein for less than 300 calories and only 2.2 grams of saturated fat.
Plus, soy protein tends to lower cholesterol levels, while consuming protein from animal sources tends to raise them, since they also include saturated fat and cholesterol.
In addition to healthy protein, some of soybeans' nutritional high points include a good deal of well-absorbed iron: 49.1% of the DV for iron in that same cup of soybeans; plus 37.0% of the DV for Nature's relaxant, magnesium; and 41.2% of the DV for essential omega-3 fatty acids.
Soy Packs a Double Punch to Knock Down High Cholesterol
A recently discovered bioactive peptide found in soy-beans, lunasin is likely to be a key actor in soy's cholesterol-lowering actions.
A study in which lunasin was added to human liver cells demonstrated the compound's potential to significantly lower cholesterol two ways, by inhibiting the expression of the gene responsible for our body's internal production of cholesterol, while also increasing the expression of a gene that reduces levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood.
Special Benefits for Women's Hearts and Bones
Soy foods may offer special benefits for the hearts and bones of premenopausal women, suggest two studies conducted at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and presented at the 2004 annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society, Washington, D.C.
The results of these studies indicate a beneficial synergy between isoflavones, the weakly estrogenic compounds in soy, and the body's own estrogen in decreasing cholesterol and increasing bone mass.
Soy Nuts Lower Blood Pressure and LDL Cholesterol, plus Decrease Menopausal Symptoms in Postmenopausal Women
Soy nuts have a lot to offer postmenopausal women, suggest two studies conducted by Francine Welty and her team from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston.
Enjoying a half-cup of soy nuts as one source of protein in a healthy diet can reduce blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels in postmenopausal women by as much as 10% in just 8 weeks.
Protection against Prostate Cancer
The incidence of prostate cancer is much lower in Asian than Western populations, and soy foods may be one important reason why.
A 9-year Japanese study involving 43,509 men ranging in age from 45 to 74 years found that those eating the most soy food and miso (and therefore consuming more genistein and daidzein, the isoflavones found in soybeans) had a significantly lower risk of localized prostate cancer.
Among the men who were older than 60, the protective effect was strongest.
Men whose diets provided the most genistein had a 48% reduced risk of localized prostate cancer compared to men food delivered the least of this isoflavone.
Similarly, men consuming the most daidzein and soy foods showed 50% and 48% reduced risks of localized prostate cancer, respectively, compared to men consuming the least daidzein and soy foods.
Practical Tips: Protect your prostate health by making soy foods a staple part of your healthy way of eating.
Not a fan of tofu?
Soy milk is now an available option, even at most coffee shops.
You can take packets of miso to work with you, just as you would any dehydrated soup mix.
Miso not only makes a delicious broth on its own, but can be sprinkled like seasoning over brown rice or any grain, any soup, or sauted vegetable to add great flavor.
Promote Optimal Health
The fiber in soy-beans also provides preventative therapy for several other conditions.
Fiber is able to bind to cancer-causing toxins and remove them from the body, so they can't damage colon cells.
High-fiber soy-beans may be able to help reduce the risk of colon cancer.
As a matter of fact, in areas of the world where these super beans are eaten regularly, rates of colon cancer, as well as some other cancers, including breast cancer, tend to be low.
A Healthy Transition through Menopause
One of the more popular uses of soy-beans lately has been in the treatment of menopausal symptoms.
Soy legumes contain active compounds called isoflavones that act like very weak estrogens in the body.
These phytoestrogens bind to estrogen receptors and may provide enough stimulation to help eliminate some of the uncomfortable symptoms that occur when natural estrogen levels decline.
Studies have shown that women who consume soy foods report a significant reduction in the amount of hot flashes that they experience.
There's also some evidence that soy foods may even be able to help reduce the bone loss that typically occurs after menopause.
And as women's risk for heart disease significantly increases at menopause, soybeans numerous beneficial cardiovascular effects make it a particularly excellent food to consume frequently as menopause approaches.
Description
The Chinese name for soybeans means "greater bean" and this amazing legume could not deserve a more fitting title.
After all, what could be greater than a bean that offers such a wealth of nutritional value in addition to its culinary versatility?
Like other beans, soybeans grow in pods, featuring edible seeds.
While we most often think of them as being green, the seeds can also be yellow, brown or black.
How to Choose and Store
Store dried soybeans in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place where they'll keep for up to 12 months.
If you purchase soybeans at different times, store them separately since they may feature varying stages of dryness and therefore will require different cooking times.
Cooked soybeans will keep fresh in the refrigerator for about three days if placed in a covered container.
Fresh edamame should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within two days.
Frozen edamame will keep fresh for a few months.
A Few Quick Serving Ideas:
Replace some of the wheat flour in your favorite baked goods recipe with soybean flour and increase the protein content of your cookies, cakes, muffins and breads.
Mix sprouted soybeans into salads or use as toppings for sandwiches.
Frozen edamame is simple to prepare and makes a great snack or appetizer.
Just add the soybean pods to slightly salted water and boil for approximately 10 minutes.
Add soy-beans to vegetable stews and soups.
Use soymilk in place of cow's milk as a beverage and cereal topper.
Nutritional Profile
These super beans are an excellent source of molybdenum.
They're also a very good source of protein and manganese.
In addition, soy-beans are a good source of iron, phosphorous, dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, copper, vitamin B2, and potassium.
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