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Podtastic!
By Anjela Boyd
served as a snack using the Japanese name edamame, most often with salt added, and is very popular in Hawaii with its popularity growing among US consumers. Today we can fin
d edamame in almost every grocery store and in some restaurants as well.
Soybeans are used to produce many other food items such as soy meal, soy milk, tofu, textured vegetable protein (TVP), which serves as a meat alternative that is used to make vegetarian items and of course, soy sauce.
Other products that soybeans are used for is soy nut butter, which is similar in taste and texture to peanut butter, but with far less saturated fat and no cholesterol. This form of nut butter also comes without the peanut allergy issues that affect many today. In addition, soy is used to produce infant formula and all sorts of dairy replacement products like butter and cheese.
From a nutritional standpoint, this magnificent bean filled pod is a most excellent form of protein and contains many essential vitamins and minerals with high levels of vitamins C. K and B2, as well as manganese, iron and dietary fiber.
The soybean is also believed to have key elements needed in disease prevention which includes consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids. Soybeans are a great source of Omega 3's and the oil is an event greater source of Omega 6 fatty acids. Some even believe that this magic bean contributes to lowering cholesterol.
Also in the realm of disease prevention are isoflavones which are considered by some practitioners to be beneficial in cancer prevention. In one published study it was reported that the isoflavone compounds found in soy help us humans to stay lean and mean by contributing to the production of fewer and smaller fat cells.
Other health benefits that are touted to be attributed to the soybean are the lowering of blood pressure in men, protection against arthrosclerosis by increasing blood levels of nitric oxide, stabilizing blood sugar levels, inhibiting bone loss in women, lessening of chronic inflammation and even promoting gastrointestinal health.
If you are a baker like me you can replace some of the flour in your recipe with soy flout to boost the protein of your baked goods. Also they can be used in sprouted form in salads and on sandwiches, and also in stews and soups to boost nutritional content and fiber in your meal.
Who knew this little bean was so powerful and did you know that this bean is also used in production of soaps, cosmetics and the like. It is everywhere. So the next time that you are looking for a little something new to add to your diet and to boost your health in a variety of ways, well…consider the oh so amazing, ever giving, wondrous, podtastic legume that we call the soybean.