Soybean
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Soybeans (
Glycine max) are a high-
protein legume (Family
Fabaceae) grown as
food for both
humans and
livestock.
Soybeans may be boiled whole (in the green pod) and served with
salt, often under the
Japanese name
edamame. Soybeans prepared this way are a popular local snack in
Hawai'i where, like
Japan, the bean and products made from the bean (
miso,
natto,
tofu, etc.) are a significant part of the diet.
The beans can be processed in a variety of ways.\nCommon forms of soy (or
soya) include soy meal (often used as animal feed), soy flour,
tofu,
textured vegetable protein (TVP, which is made into a wide variety of vegetarian foods, some of them intended to imitate
meat),
tempeh, soy lecithin and
vegetable oil. Soybeans are also the primary ingredient involved in the production of
soy sauce (or
shoyu). Many traditional
dairy products have been imitated using soybeans, and products such as
soy milk, soy
yoghurt and soy
cream cheese are readily available in most
supermarkets. These products have the same texture and appearance as milk-based ones, however soybeans do not naturally contain
calcium (though soy products may be fortified with it). Most soy products must not be fed to
infants, although specially designed soy
infant formula has also been made in recent times. This formula has extra
vitamins and other nutrients added to it to make it compatible with the infant's needs. In some cases, infants fed normal adult soy milk on a long-term basis have become extremely malnourished and even died. In addition, soy allergies are one of the more common
food allergies.
Soybeans are also used in industrial products including oils,
soap,
cosmetics, resins,
plastics, inks, crayons,
solvents, and
biodiesel.
Soybeans are native to southeast
Asia, but 45 percent of the world's soybean area, and 55 percent of production, is in the
United States. The US produced 75 million metric tons of soybeans in 2000 of which more than one-third was exported. Other leading producers are
Brazil,
Argentina,
China, and
India. Much of the US production is either fed to animals or exported, though US consumption of soy by people has been increasing. Soy oil makes up 80% of the edible oil consumption in the U.S.
Soybeans are one of the crops that are being genetically modified, and
GMO soybeans are being used in an increasing number of products. Currently, 80% of all soybeans cultivated for the commercial market are genetically modified.
Monsanto is the world's leader in genetically modified soy for the comercial market.
