All About Soya Beans

There are three types of soyabeans - green soyabeans (my faves - frozen from my local health food shop), mature soyabeans and dried soyabeans.

Edamame beans are sold frozen in bags in some supermarkets and most health food stores while fresh edamame beans can be found at many Asian markets.

Mature soyabeans are light brown in colour and are harvested when they have reached maturity. These soyabeans are sold both in and out of the pod and are available all year round. Asian markets sell them in both varieties. Mature soyabeans need to be used within a few days - and kept refrigerated. To prepare these mature beans - boil them out of their pods until they are tender. Mature soyabeans can be served as a side dish, in a salad or as an ingredient to other dishes such as soups and casseroles.

Dried soyabeans are available at most health food shops and some supermarkets. The beans are pea sized and need to be soaked overnight before being cooked. To cook them - boil them slowly on the stove for a few hours. Three hours is the average time it takes for these beans to become tender.

You can also buy pre-cooked soya beans in tins or cartons at most supermarkets.

When I first tried tofu (a basic soya product found in most supermarkets), I didn't like it at all and didn't eat it in its basic format for another six months. You either like tofu or you don't. I personally only like tofu in certain recipes. and I still havn't learnt how to cook soya the way they do in Thai and Chinese restaurants. If you ever go to one of these restaurants and they offer bean curd dishes (tofu) - then please try it as they somehow make it taste totally delicious! It will usually be offered as a sweet and sour dish or served with black bean sauce, curry or similar.

You may already know this but the soya bean is one of the oldest vegetables around and has been used in eastern countries for thousands of years.

It contains all the essential amino acids (it is a complete protein) and is the closest vegetable protein to meat - which is why it is popular with vegans and vegetarians alike. Soya beans are an excellent source of high quality protein, containing all the amino acids found in milk and meat. But unlike animal products - soya is low in saturated fats and is cholesterol free. It is also rich in soluble fibre and high in the essential omega 3 fats.

In its basic format soya is quite tasteless - but it is also this blandness and tastelessness which makes it so versatile. It can soak up different flavours and can be made to taste like almost anything you want it to.

For example, a lot of vegan replacement products such as soya yoghurts, cheeses, meat replacement products, cream and milk are made from the soya bean of the soya bean plant. Obviously these items have other ingredients added to make them what they are but the soya makes up the bulk of these food items in most cases.

So what exactly are they and where do they come from?

The soya bean is a species of legume (other legumes include alfalfa, lentils, lupins, carob and peanuts) native to East Asia. It is classed as a vegetable and has been used in China for over 5,000 years - which makes me wonder why some corners talk about the health risks of soya. The Chinese are basically a healthy race.

Soya plants are mostly grown in fields in East Asia, America, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and China and are easily grown in a wide range of soils. The plants usually reach to around 3 feet high and take around 80 -120 days from sowing to harvesting.

Here are some popular soya protein products:

Tofu - This is the most commonly used soya product and can be found easily in supermarkets and health food shops. The soya beans are soaked, crushed and heated to make soya milk. It is then thickened up to different degrees by calcium sulphate or calcium chloride. The most common type is firm, which can be marinated, fried, deep fried, sauteed, roasted and stir-fried. The smoother tofu is called silken tofu and is used in sweet dishes, sauces, dips and spreads.

I actually like it just plain deep fried in salads and sandwiches, but it is also lovely used in recipes where the flavour seeps into the tofu from the other ingredients and I personally prefer it this way.

I also prefer to buy my tofu from Chinese and Thai supermarkets as it just seems to taste better to me.

Textured vegetable protein - TVP isn't tofu but is also made from soya. This is one of the first replacement meat products to come onto the market over 30 years ago. It is a by-product of the soya oil industry and is made from soya flour after the oil has been taken out. Very low in fat and a good source of fibre and protein, it comes in dried chunks, mince and flakes to which you add water before adding to a recipe. Unflavoured TVP is mostly fat free as it is defatted during the manufacturing process. It has no flavour but because of its sponge like texture, it soaks up flavours well.

I buy this from my local supermarket in the freezer section to make lasagne, bolognese, chille con carne and shepherd pie dishes. I also love those help yourself chinese buffet restaurants which have TVP dishes in all sorts of different flavours.

Tempeh - Tempeh is also made from soya beans but is made differently and has a rougher texture.

The fermentation of tempeh retains the whole of the soya bean and so it has a higher protein content compared to tofu and a firmer constitstency.

It is made by adding bacteria to beans or grains (or both) that have had their hulls removed, and then are boiled. The beans are then incubated at roughly 31 C for between 22 and 28 hours during which time the bacteria change the beans into tempeh.

Tempeh has a stronger flavour than tofu which has been described as nutty, meaty and mushroom-like. You can grate it on a cheese grater and use it in place of ground beef for recipes such as bolognese and tacos. You can also use it in stir-frys, soups, sandwiches and stews.

People say that tempeh is an aquired taste but I love it because I like the chewy texture which is "meatier" than tofu. You can buy tempeh in a few supermarkets and most health food shops stock it too.

Miso - Miso is a thick paste made from fermented soyabeans and barley or rice malt and is used as a condiment in Japanese cooking. Miso is made by combining soya beans with salt and sometimes rice and wheat. It is then placed in a mould and aged in cedar vats for one to three years.

Different types of miso are produced depending on the ingredients and also the length of fermentation. Miso is very nutritious as it contains isoflavones and soya protein. The only reason to watch your intake of miso is the salt content.

You can buy miso in health food shops or oriental supermarkets and it is great for adding flavour to sauces and soups.

Soya dairy products - Soya milk is made by soaking soya beans in water which are then strained. The resulting fluid is the soya milk. Soya milk is lower in fat than cows milk and with no cholesterol. It is also low in carbohydrates and provides a good source of protein. Soya milk may also be fortified with calcium, and vitamins D2, B12 and B2. It is an alternative choice for people who suffer from lactose intolerance.

Soya cheese is made from soya beans and vegetable oils. There are many different varieties, from cheddar style to mozzarella to soft spreadable cheeses.

Soya yoghurt is made using soya milk (again originated from the good old soya bean), and bacteria such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Sometimes additional sweetener is added such as fructose, glucose, or raw sugar. It is suitable for vegans, as the bacteria for shop-bought soy yogurt are usually not grown on a dairy base.

So - is soya healthy or a health risk? In a nutshell - the jury, it seems, is still out!

This is the big question. It all started off so well with foodists and the medical establishment raving about the health benefits of soya. But then it all went a bit pear shaped and it seems to me that the medical community is divided on this issue.

It would be irresponsible of me to tell you one way or the other. But if you are interested in the health benefits/risks of soya, then you might find this page useful.

Basically the report concludes that:

There is no evidence of significant benefit or harm based on the quality of evidence that exists today.

You may also find this artice helpful. It concludes that:

Based on the bulk of the evidence soy appears to be perfectly safe for nearly all healthy individuals when it is consumed in reasonable amounts. We would say that a reasonable amount of soy is two to three servings per day. Women who have had estrogen-positive breast cancer may want to be somewhat more restrictive in their soy intake but, if they are already eating and enjoying soyfoods, there is not enough evidence of any harmful effects to suggest that they need to avoid all soy.

You may also find this page very useful and interesting.

I am not a scientist so I cannot call it either way but my personal view is that soya is ok unless you are consuming it in huge amounts. Like I said above, I consume soya meals at least three times per week, plus I drink soya milk in my tea and coffee every day. I also know vegans who have eaten soya for 50 plus years and they seem ok.

Farm animals are regularly fed a diet of soya - surely if people are worried about the health risks of soya then they should perhaps stop consuming animal flesh and dairy (here's hoping)!!

Limit your consumption of processed soy such as soya ice creams and cheeses and eat only organic soya which hasn't been genetically modified.

The above applies to all processed foods and not just soya. You want your diet to be based on healthy whole foods with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

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