Soy

Soy – a cultivated plant of family Bean. It is cultivated in Southern Europe, Asia, South and North America, in South Africa, Australia and some islands of the Indian and Quiet oceans.

Seeds of soy are known as "soybeans" and more than four thousand years are widely applied in cookery already. The popularity soy deserved thanks to existence of the following signs:

• High degree of productivity;
• High content of protein (to 50%) which structure is similar to proteins of animal origin (milk and meat);
• Structure, vitamin-rich groups B, microelements, polyunsaturated fatty acids;
• Possibility of use as medical and prophylactic at a number of diseases;
• Absence as a part of cholesterol and low percentage of saturated fats;
• Is a raw basis for production of the widest range of food stuffs, soy milk, soy meat, etc. are basic of which.

Such properties allow to use soy as inexpensive, effective and useful substitute of dairy products and meat. It is remarkable that quite often preference such products are given not owing to economy (though products from soy in some cases are really cheaper milk and meat), and on the basis of other reasons (veganism, for example).

Soy is also included in structure of forages for young growth of agricultural animals.

Historians claim that for the first time soy began to be cultivated in China from where later it got to Korea and Japan. Among the countries of Europe soy was tried for the first time by French at the end of the 18th century.

In our country the first references of soy belong to the 40th years of the 17th century. The feather of the Russian traveler V. Poyarkov who, having visited an expedition near the Sea of Okhotsk, described properties of this product possesses them. However only at the end of the 19th century in Russia there was a practical interest in this culture.

Recently the advantage of soy became a reason for emergence of disputes as even more often it is possible to meet genetically changed version of this culture as a part of this or that product.

Nutrition value, structure and caloric content of soy

The main component of soy is protein which content, according to various authors, can vary, remaining ranging from 38 to 50%. The structure of soy proteins is heterogeneous, however about 70% from them are well acquired by an organism.

The amount of fats in beans of soy can reach 27%, however this level does not fall lower than 16%. On the content of phospholipids soy bypasses other cultivated plants. Despite rather high content of saturated fatty acids (about 13-14%), their quantity nevertheless it is less, than in animal fats where reaches 60%. The percentage ratio of unsaturated fatty acids at the same time equals 87% of total number.

With soy irreplaceable linolic acid which is not synthesized by an organism, and also tokoferola by which quantity soy oil is a champion arrives.

Carbohydrates in soy are presented by soluble sugars and polysaccharides. Their mass fraction makes about 30 g on 100 g of a product.

Beans of this plant also contain rare products – the isoflavones having oestrogenic activity.

Micro and the macrocells which are a part of seeds of soy: phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, silicon, sulfur, chlorine, sodium, iron, boron, manganese, aluminum, nickel, copper, molybdenum, iodine and cobalt.

The vitamins which are contained in soybeans: E, B6, PP, B3, B1, B2, and also sincaline, folic acid and biotin.

Caloric content of soy differs depending on bean maturity degree. So, in 100 g of green beans of soy 147 kcal, and in mature – already 446 Kcal on 100 g contain.

The increased soy caloric content at mature age of beans is connected with the fact that seeds saved up enough proteins and carbohydrates.

Useful properties of soy

In spite of the fact that beans of this plant possess an enormous set of useful substances, the advantage of soy is not unambiguous.

Content of full proteinaceous connections, nutritiousness not inferior to proteins of animal origin, is combined with the low content of saturated fatty acids, than meat and dairy products is so rich. From this point of view soy is a fine basis for a diet.

The phospholipids which are a part of beans of soy participate in regeneration of cellular membranes and increase detoksikatsionny ability of cells of a liver, performing also function of antioxidants. Besides, phospholipids allow to reduce need of patients with a diabetes mellitus for insulin, considerably reduce probability of degenerative changes in nervous cells and muscles and strengthen vessels.

Content of lecithin promotes acceleration of processes of exchange of fats and cholesterol, helps excesses of fats to burn down with a liver quicker. Besides, this phospholipid has lipotropic and cholagogue effect.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids as a part of soybeans are peculiar predecessors of gormonopodobny substances which interfere with accumulation of cholesterol in walls of vessels that, in turn, could lead to formation of atherosclerosis.

Enormous content of tocopherol in soy increases protective potencys of an organism, slows down aging processes, and also raises a potentiality.

Surprising property of soy to have radio tire-tread effect allows to use it as the means connecting ions of heavy metals in an organism.

Specialists claim that the soy use considerably reduces risk of development of obesity, allergy, osteoporosis, and also heart troubles. The advantage of soy is invaluable also to the patients who had a myocardial infarction, having atherosclerosis, a hypertension, an ischemic disease.

Harmful properties of soy

Soy not always, unfortunately, brings only benefit to an organism.

Full replacement of animal protein with soy leads to development of insufficiency of functions of a thyroid gland and to a stunt at children. As showed researches, soy quite often causes hormonal changes in an organism. In this regard products on its basis are contraindicated to pregnant women.

The excessive use of products from soy involves developing of rhinitis, dermatitis, asthma, diarrhea, eczema and some other diseases.

It is necessary to be attentive to the fans of soy inclined to formation of stones in kidneys as the use of a product is capable to provoke palindromias and to worsen the general condition of kidneys.