Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
The protein rich soybean story
|
Soybean and its by-products are a rich source of protein
|
High protein Tofu is now used to replace paneer in dishes like palak paneer, malai paneer etc
Soy is central to Chinese cuisine. First domesticated during the Shang dynasty (c.1700-1100 B.C.), the soybean travelled ancient trade routes to Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Nepal and India.
European travellers first encountered the soybean in the 16th century AD. Francesco Carletti, the Florentine, visited Nagasaki, Japan in 1597 and his memoirs describe misol - the Japanese soy sauce for fish dishes. In 1665, Friar Domingo Navarrete described tofu thus: “They drew the milk out of the Kidney-Beans and turning it, make great Cakes of it like Cheeses . . . All the Mass is as white as the very Snow . . . Alone it is insipid, but very good dress’d as I say and excellent fry’d in Butter.”
Soy sauce was a common trade item between the East and the West. Europe grew soybeans in the 18th century, but only as cattle and chicken feed.
Benjamin Franklin was among the first to introduce soybeans to America.
Versatile
Soymilk, soy sauce, soy nuggets, miso, tempeh, soy vegetable oil and tofu are common soy products. Soy flour is a common ingredient in bread, cereals, meat products and baked foods.
Soy is a plant marvel because it alone matches meat in amino acids. It is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fibre, calcium, and B vitamins.
Soymilk, however, contains little calcium, and is not a good alternative to milk unless calcium substitutes compensate. According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), 25 to 50 grams of soy protein a day help lower LDL cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of acquiring coronary artery disease.
Soy is rich in calories because it contains a lot of fat.
However, most of this fat is actually heart-friendly. Defatted soy flour, mixed with wheat flour in a ratio of one part to four, packs protein into chapattis without increasing too many calories.
The isoflavones in soy may lower the risk of cancer, increase bone density and decrease the symptoms of menopause, but more research is necessary before these claims can rise to the level of guidelines.
RAJIV. M
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
