Soybean, Tofu, Edamame

Soy, in its many forms, is a hot topic these days.  It's said to be a very healthful choice for some people although others shun it.  It's instrumental in feeding the world's livestock but we humans often enjoy it as soy sauce on our Asian-inspired foods.  Soybean is the basis for tofu, enjoyed in Asia for millennia but gaining popularity in the Western world as well.  It's also an important agricultural stimulant, planted as part of a crop rotation system to increase the soil's nitrogen content.

The soybean is a legume, often written as soyabean or soya bean.  The bean itself is enjoyed in Japan, where it is known as edamame.  This way of eating the bean (as a bean and not a bean product) is also becoming more popular in the United States as the bean's healthful benefits are becoming more well known.

Soybeans are one of the only plant foods that contain all eight essential amino acids required for optimum health.  The protein from most meats and eggs have these eight essential nutrients and plants usually have some, but not all, of them.  It's the absence of all eight essential amino acids that makes a vegetarian diet so tricky.  Proper food-combining strategies are required for optimum health for vegetarians.

These amino acids are said to be essential because the human body does not manufacture them from the foods we eat.  Therefore, it is essential we consume them from outside sources.  Substituting soybean products for animal-based foods will better ensure a vegetarian diet provides maximum nutritional value.

The full spectrum of the eight essential amino acids makes soybean-based infant formulas ideal foods for babies who are lactose intolerant.  Soy milks, sour creams, and other dairy products can be enjoyed by older children and adults who suffer from lactose intolerance.

The soybean is high in omega-3 fatty acids, is thought to be helpful in reducing the risk for colon cancer, and many women rely on it to relieve the symptoms of menopause.  Soybeans contain small amounts of phytoestrogens, or chemical compounds found in plants that mimic the estrogen humans produce.  Normal consumption is generally safe for everyone but some people are particularly sensitive to any hormone fluctuations, no matter how small, and should consume soybean products with caution.

About 35% of all the soybeans consumed in the world are produced in the American Midwest.