Origin

Soya, or soy as known in the US, is native to Asia. Soya has been cultivated in China for thousands of years. According to the ancient Chinese, in 2853 BC the legendary Emperor Shennong (ÉñÅ©ÊÏ)named five sacred plants ¨C soybeans, rice, wheat, barley, and millet.

Soya was first introduced to Europe and what is now the US in the 1700s. Today only 45 percent of soyabean production is located in east Asia, the other 55 percent of production is in the Americas. Cultivation is most successful in climates with mean temperatures of 20 °C to 30 °C.

Use

Soya makes yummy food products such as tofu, soya milk, miso soup, vegetarian chicken, soy sauce etc. You have probably tried it, especially if you frequent Asian and health food restaurants. Soya is also used as non food ingredient for making candles, bio-diesel, high quality textile fibres etc. 

Soya beans can be broadly classified as vegetable or oil types. Vegetable types cook more easily, have a mild nutty flavor, are larger in size, higher in protein, and lower in oil than oil types. The soya beans we eat are usually this type. 

Health Benefits

These health benefits are mainly from the soya proteins and from the isoflavones genistein and daidzein.

Soya is an excellent source for protein. Actually soya is the only vegetable with a complete protein, because it contains significant amount of all the essential amino acids humans need. These acids must be applied in our diet as they can not be synthesized by our body. Animal-based foods also have complete proteins but tend to contain more fat, especially saturated fat.

Soya reduces cholesterol level. British Heart Foundation recommends eating at least 25g of soya protein daily as part of a balanced low fat diet to help reduce blood cholesterol.

Eating soya-rich foods could reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer.  It had been suspected that the high consumption of foods such as tofu and soya beans or milk in countries such as China and Japan contributed to the countries' low breast cancer rates. The benefit could from isoflavone in soya which mimics the action of the female sex hormone oestrogen.

Soya improves bone health. Several studies have suggested that soy isoflavones may be a factor in helping to prevent bone loss. The isoflavone genistein seems to inhibit bone breakdown and may have similar effects to estrogens in maintaining bone tissue. Replacing animal protein with soya protein may also help to prevent calcium loss from the bones. This is because diets which are high in animal protein cause more calcium to be excreted in the urine.

Soya relieves menopausal symptoms. Some symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats are caused by low estrogen levels. Soya isoflavones can control these menopausal symptoms through their estrogen-like effect. Japanese women, who have a higher intake of soy protein compared to Western women, suffer less from hot flashes and night sweats during menopause.

Cow Milk vs Soya Milk ---Soya milk can replace cow milk, ideal for people who have lactose intolerance.

It is clear from the chart that, compared to cow milk, soya milk contains 11% more Protein, over 100% more Iron, 40% more Natrium, 7% more Kalium, 55% more Vitamin A and 333% more Vitamin B1.  It also contains 227% less fat than cow milk!

However cow milk has 82% more calcium than soya milk. So you should eat more foods containing calcium if you substitute cow milk with soya milk. Easy options are the green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and chinese leaf. Nuts, breand and other things made with fortified flour are good source too. 

Cow milk contains 76% more Vitamin D and 53% more Vitamin B2 than soya milk. However I would not worry about that too much. The info below is from Food Standards Agency:

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means you don't need it every day because any of the vitamin your body doesn't need immediately is stored for future use. Most people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from their diet and by getting a little sun. However, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding you should take 10 micrograms (0.01 mg) of vitamin D each day.  

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is found in small amounts in many foods. Good sources include milk, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, rice and mushrooms.You should be able to get all the riboflavin you need from your daily diet. This is approximately: 1.3 mg a day for men and 1.1 mg a day for women.

Cooking soya beans
You can not eat raw soya beans as they contain a natural toxin that can stop you digesting food properly. However this toxin can be destroyed easily during cooking process. 

To boil dried soya beans:
1. soak the dried beans for at least 12 hours
2. wash the beans then cover them with fresh water
3. boil them vigorously for 1 hour, then simmer for 2-3 hours for tender taste

Immature soybeans may be boiled whole in their green pod and served with salt.

Storing soya beans
Just like any other high protein products, bacteria can grow quickly in cooked soya beans. So don't leave them out at room temperature for more than two hours. If you don¡¯t eat them straight away, put them in the fridge or freezer.
To refrigerate: consume within two days.
To freeze:  should be safe to keep them for a long time, providing they stay frozen.

Make Tofu & Tofu Mold at home 
You can find instructions on Tofu Recipes page, or click here.  

For more independent information about soya, please visit soya.be.