The soya bean belongs to the oldest legumes, i.e. pulses, that humans have ever cultivated. The soya bean is mentioned in Chinese writings from as early as 2,000 BC.
For a long time the soya bean, originating from central China, was practically the only protein source for people in large parts of Asia. Even today, many people in Asia and Africa still acquire the largest part of their daily protein content from the soya bean.
Ingredients
The soya bean is characterised by its exceptionally high protein content. Due to the missing starch, the soya bean differs significantly from our domestic pulses. The soya protein has a full nutritional value, meaning just like meat, eggs, milk and fish, it contains all amino acids vital to life. At the same time, however, the purine grains are missing, and that's why no urine acidification is triggered by soya.
The high mineral content exceeds that of most other important foodstuffs. For example, it is around seven times higher than milk, approx. five times higher than meat and eggs, approx. three times higher than cereal flours and vegetables and twice as high as pulses.
The fat of soya is 99% digestible. Thanks to the high share of unsaturated fatty acids (vitamin F) required for life, the fat is biologically valuable.
The high lecithin content of the soya mean makes soya one of the lecithin-richest foodstuffs after the egg.
A soya diet for diabetics can be recommended due to the lack of any starch in the carbohydrate share. The absolutely starch-free soya carbohydrates are mainly made from sugars (stachyose, arabinose, galactan) that can also be burned by diabetics. Only 5-6% of soya carbohydrates form sugar.
