facts about the soya bean

soybean products

• The soya bean or soybean have become one of the most important vegetables grown in the world.
• The plant of the soybean is classed as an oilseed rather than a pulse.
• The plant of the soya bean was cultivated in China more than 4,800 years ago but it was not until 1908 that soya beans were first shipped to Britain and began to arouse world-wide attention.
• Fat-free soybean meal is a primary, low-cost, source of protein for animal feeds and most prepackaged meals.
• Soya beans are grown all over the world, principally in China, Brazil, Argentina, India, Manchuria, the United States and Japan.
• Soybeans produce much more protein per acre than most other uses of land.
• The soya bean produces oil and is made into flour, soya sauce, synthetic meats, milk and cheese-like products.
• The soybeans contain important amounts of alpha-linolenic acid, phytic acid, and the isoflavones genistein and daidzein.
• The soybean meat is rich in protein, costs less than meat and, for the production of the raw material, is less wasteful in space than the grazing of animals.
• The English word "soy" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of shōyu (soya sauce).