Soybeans are a variety of edible bean also known as soya beans or Glycine max. Soybeans are also sometimes referred to as edamame, although this term is usually reserved for immature soybeans or the dish comprised of steamed immature soybeans. This bean is native to East Asia, but is now widely cultivated and consumed across the globe. Soybean products are used for human consumption, animal feed, and a variety of non-food consumer and industrial products.
Raw soybeans are toxic to humans due to naturally occurring trypsin inhibitors. These chemicals are destroyed by heat, so soybeans must be cooked with moist heat (steaming, boiling, poaching, etc.) prior to consumption.
The oil and protein content together account for about 60% of dry soybeans by weight; protein at 40% and oil at 20%. The remainder consists of 35% carbohydrate and about 5% ash.
Soybean cultivars comprise approximately 8% seed coat or hull, 90% cotyledons and 2% hypocotyl axis or germ.
The principal soluble carbohydrates, saccharides, of mature Soya beans are the disaccharide sucrose (range 2.5–8.2%), the trisaccharide raffinose (0.1–1.0%) composed of one sucrose molecule connected to one molecule of galactose, and the tetrasaccharide stachyose (1.4 to 4.1%) composed of one sucrose connected to two molecules of galactose.
It also contains saponins. Soybeans, as a major source, have a saponin content of five to six percent by weight. Saponins bind cholesterol and bile acids in the gut, lowers the cholesterol. Also they appear to inhibit or kill cancer cells without killing normal cells. It also contains phytiacid acid which has the chelating property of phytiacid is seen with zinc, iron and calcium. The deficiency of zinc, iron and calcium ratio increases hypercholesterolemia.
PHARMACEUTICAL ATTRIBUTES
- The levels of antioxidants in soybeans make them good for preventing the onset of various cancers.
- Soybeans are an effective method of prevention and management of diabetes.
- Soybeans have a high vitamin and mineral content and the impressive levels of calcium, magnesium, copper, selenium, and zinc are very important for a variety of processes in the body, most importantly for bones.
- Soybeans are a very good source of isoflavones, which are essential components of the female reproductive system.
- Soybeans are a source of healthier, unsaturated fat, which helps you lower your total cholesterol. This allows you to prevent conditions like atherosclerosis, which can easily lead to heart attack and stroke.
- Soybeans contain high fiber quantity which is essential in digestive system.
— ATTRIBUTES FOR OTHER NON-CONSUMABLE GOODS INDUSTRIES
- Use for biodiesel production. Soy biodiesel is cleaner burning than petroleum-based diesel oil.
- Use in manufacturing bio-composites materials e.g. particleboard, laminated plywood and finger-jointed lumber, carpet, and in auto upholsteries.
- Soy is an ingredient in many industrial lubricants, solvents, cleaners and paints.
- SoyInk is superior to petroleum-based inks because soy ink is not toxic, renewable and environmentally friendly, and it cleans up easily.
- Candles made with soybean oil burn longer but with less smoke and soot.
- Soy crayons made by the Dixon Ticonderoga Company replace the petroleum used in regular crayons with soy oil making them non-toxic and safer for children.
- Soy is use in mattress and car sit cover coating.