Friday, May 23, 2014

Soy


Soy is a subtropical plant, native to southeastern Asia. This member of the pea family grows from one to five-feet tall and forms clusters of three to five pods, each containing two to four beans per pod.







 Soy has been a dietary staple in Asian countries for at least 5,000 years, and during the Chou dynasty in China (1134-246 B.C.), fermentation techniques were discovered that allowed soy to be prepared in more easily digestible forms such as tempeh, miso, and tamari soy sauce. Tofu was invented in 2nd-Century China. Soy was introduced to Europe in the 1700s and to the United States in the 1800s. Large-scale soybean cultivation began in the United States during World War II. Currently, Midwestern U.S. states produce approximately half of the world's supply of soybeans. Soy contains protein, isoflavones, and fiber, all thought to provide health benefits. Soy is an excellent source of dietary protein, including all essential amino acids. Soy is also a source of lecithin or phospholipid. Soy isoflavones and lecithin have been studied scientifically for numerous health conditions. Isoflavones such as genistein are believed to have estrogen-like effects in the body, and as a result are sometimes called "phytoestrogens." Common sources of soy isoflavones include roasted soybean, green soybean, soy flour, tempeh, tofu, tofu yogurt, soy hot dogs, miso, soy butter, soy nut butter, soy ice cream, soy milk, soy yogurt, tofu pups®, soy cheese, bean curd, seitan, and soy noodles. Soybean flour is found in Spanish sausage products (chorizo, salchichon, mortadella, and boiled ham), doughnuts, and soup stock cubes. Although processed soy foods (e.g., veggie burgers, tofu pups®, meatless dinner entrees, chicken-free nuggets, soy "ice creams" and energy bars) are usually high in protein, they typically contain lower levels of isoflavones. Soy protein has also been investigated for benefit in terms of heart disease risk factors, reducing menopausal symptoms, weight loss, arthritis, brain function, and exercise performance. Dietary soy may decrease the risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men, as well as other types of cancers. In general, the supportive evidence for use of phytoestrogens as treatments for menopause, heart disease, bone disease, weight loss, and cancer is limited. The use of soy formula has been investigated in the treatment of diarrhea in infants and is an effective and safe alternative to cow's milk formula in most infants.





 Related terms




 Abalon®, beta-conglycinin, bioactive peptides, bowman-birk inhibitor (BBI), calcium, conglycinin, coumestrol, daidzein, daizuga-cha (Japanese), dark soy sauce, dietary soy protein, edamame, equol, Fabaceae, Fibrim®, fish oil, flavonoids, folate, fortified soymilk, frijol de soya, functional proteins, genistein, genistin, Glycine max, Glycine max AT, glycinin, greater bean, guar gum, haba soya, hydrolyzed soy protein, Hyprovit®, iron, isoflavone, isoflavones, isoflavonoid, Isomil®, kuromame-cha (Japanese), kuromame-cha Gold (Japanese), kuromame-soymilk drink (Japanese), lecithin, legume, lignans, magnesium, margarine, miso, Mull-Soy®, natto, Nursoy®, okara, phosphatidylserine, phosphorus, phytate, phytoestrogen, plant estrogen, potassium, Previna®, ProSobee®, PtdSer, Purina 660, shoyu, shoyu polysaccharides, soja, sojabohne, soya, soya-based food, soya protein, soya saponins, soya sauce, soybean, soybean-barley paste, soybean oil, soy concentrates, Soy Enfamil®, soy fiber, soy flour, soy food, soy isoflavones, soy isolates, soy lecithin, soymilk, soy nuts, soy oil, soy phosphatidylcholine complex (IdB 1016), soy phosphatidylinositol (PI), soy product, soy protein, soy protein isolate, soy sauce, S-PtdSer, Supro®, Supro 660®, Supro 675®, Ta-tou, tempeh, texturized vegetable protein, tofu, yuba.








 Note: Ipriflavone, a synthetic isoflavone, has been studied as a possible way to treat or prevent bone loss in post-menopausal women. This monograph concentrates on natural soy. Ipriflavone is discussed separately. Soy isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, have been studied as treatments for various conditions. This monograph concentrates on soy protein or foods containing soy protein. Isoflavones are discussed separately. Soy lecithin is derived from the processing of soybeans. It is a mixture of fatty substances separated from soybean oil and used as a food additive. Its chemical name is phosphatidylcholine and contains the constituents of choline, phosphoric acid, glycerin, and fatty acids. Soy lecithin is discussed in a separate monograph. Soybean oil and soy-derived sterols are not specifically discussed.

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