Soybean ( Glycine max , L.) has been part of Southeast Asia culture for almost 2 millennia. However, only in the second half of the 19th century has it started being used in the Western world coinciding with the Chinese migration to the USA. Today, USA, South America, especially Brazil, and Northwestern Europe, account for almost 90% of the world total soybean production. At first, the nutrition value of soybean was attributed to its high quality protein content thus attracting considerable interest for its use in human diet. Nowadays, it is known that soybeans are a rich source of phytochemicals, and many of those compounds have important beneficial effects on human and animal health.
Among the important phytochemicals in soybeans for human health, phytoestrogens, mainly, isoflavones (genistein and daidzein) and lignans, are the most widely studied. Nevertheless, saponins and phytosterols have also been the subject of research on soybeans. This chapter will discuss these phytochemicals compounds, their chemical structures, and their relationship with the major biological functions, scientifically proved, and their health benefits.
Soybean and soy based products were attractive topics of great interest in the early 2000’s, due to its protein and isoflavone content. While a conclusive direction came up with the fact that consuming 25g of soy protein food shall provide isoflavones sufficient for good health. During my research i did study on many supplements, protein drinks, soybeans, tofu etc etc. Today soy products have been consumed all around the world, and with meat analogues preparation, it is another opportunity towards a new field of development using soybean.
It might be hard to understand from people that have never resided in the middle east where dates are the prized food item.Bedouins can survive such harsh environment by consuming mostly dates as food.
In fact I had verified it myself when I was working there more than 2 decades ago when during a long holiday traveled across the dessert with Arab friend and co workers .
I realize how filling are dates as food.;its a complete food by itself . I consumed nothing but dates and water for nearly two weeks and I remain healthy and strong .
I did not experience flatulence, like what I experienced by consuming soy based foods like soymilk and tofu .
Dates require no preparation, its robust, whether freshly picked from a date palm or dried…
Food professionals there will argue , that dates should be a functional food as its laden with nutrients and phytochemicals.
Yes, i totally agree with you.
Dates is probably eaten as a complete food though at this point its not just about every nutrient (composition) of the dates itself.
It pumps energy, and the no preparative aspect of it makes it very attractive. Many healthy uncooked recipes are also evolving around dates (along with other nuts to prepare nutrition balls etc) that is coming from those region too.
While in SE Asia, it is still a costly item. Soy being easily available in this region, more focus is currently given to it. Soymilk is mixed with oats, quinoa etc as well, hence several drink varieties have popped up in the market. In Chinese, korean, Japanese (others like Taiwan, Hongkong, Indonesia) tradition, tofu is an approved and accepted food. Slightly different approach in India probably, with dates being used more than soy/ soyfoods due to some aversion towards the chalky mouthfeel of soymilk, however its market is increasing (due to its health status).
