Oncology & Cancer

Does soy increase breast cancer risk?

It has sparked numerous debates. Is there a connection between soy and breast cancer? Soy contains isoflavones, which are plant estrogens. High estrogen levels have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. However, ...

Health

Cow milk vs. alternative milk: Which one's right for you?

With a wide variety of dairy and nondairy milks on the market, consumers have endless options when it comes to choosing milk to quench their thirst, make their morning coffee smooth and velvety or enhance their cereal and ...

Health

Study recommends improving gut health with okara biscuits

Soy milk and tofu are common in Asian diets. However, the production of these soy-based products results in a solid by-product known as okara. About 4 million tons of okara are produced each year in China, Japan, and Korea ...

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Soybean

The soybean (U.S.) or soya bean (UK) (Glycine max) is a species of legume native to East Asia. The plant is classed as an oilseed rather than a pulse. It is an annual plant that has been used in China for 5,000 years as a food and a component of drugs. Soy is a good source of protein because it contains a significant amount of essential amino acids. Soybeans are the primary ingredient in many processed foods, including dairy product substitutes. The plant is sometimes referred to as greater bean (China) or edamame (Japan), though the latter is more commonly used in English when referring to a specific dish.

The English word "soy" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of 醤油 (しょうゆ, shōyu), the Japanese word for Soya sauce; soya comes from the Dutch adaptation of the same word.

Soybeans are an important source of vegetable oil and protein world wide. Soybean products are the main ingredients in many meat and dairy substitutes. They are also used to make soy sauce, and the oil is used in many industrial applications. The main producers of soy are the United States, Brazil, Argentina, China and India. The beans contain significant amounts of alpha-Linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, and the isoflavones genistein and daidzein.

This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA