Higher classification: Glycine
Rank: Species
Scientific name: Glycine max
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Common name: Soybean, Soya bean
What is Glycine max?
Glycine max, known as the soybean or soya bean, is a species of legume native to East Asia. Soya beans contain many functional components including phenolic acids, flavonoids, isoflavonoids (quercetin, genistein, and daidzein), small proteins (Bowman-Birk inhibitor, soybean trypsin inhibitor) tannins, and proanthocyanidins. Soybean seeds extract and fresh soymilk fractions have been reported to possess the cosmeceutical and dermatological benefits such as anti-inflammatory, collagen stimulating effect, potent anti-oxidant scavenging peroxyl radicals, skin lightening effect and protection against UV radiation. Thus, present review attempts to give a short overview on dermatological and cosmeceutical studies of soybean and its bioactive compounds.
What does Glycine max taste like?
Edible soybeans are particularly suited as a fresh vegetable because of their good taste and high nutritional value. Tests on 'Bansei' and 'Disoy' showed fat at 18 to 20% and protein at 38%. One use as a vegetable is to boil the pods whole, then shell, and enjoy the seeds. Edible soybeans also make excellent bean sprouts. In many restaurants, the bean pods are extremely popular as an appetizer and are known as edameme.
What are the culinary uses for Glycine max?
The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (Glycine max) is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu and tofu skin are made. Fermented soy foods include soy sauce, fermented bean paste, nattō, and tempeh.
Soy beans contain significant amounts of phytic acid, dietary minerals and B vitamins. Soy vegetable oil, used in food and industrial applications, is another product of processing the soybean crop
In China, Japan, and Korea, soybean and soybean products are a common part of the diet. Tofu is thought to have originated in China, along with soy sauce and several varieties of soybean paste used as seasonings. Japanese foods made from soya include miso, nattō , kinako and edamame , as well as products made with tofu such as atsuage and aburaage. In China, whole dried soybeans are sold in supermarkets and used to cook a variety of dishes, usually after rehydration by soaking in water; they find their use in soup or as a savory dish.
What are the health benefits of Glycine max?
Beneficial effects of soybean
Recent research of the health effects of soy foods and soybean containing several bioactive compounds received significant attention to the potential health benefits of Soybean are discussed under following heading headings:
1) Effect on relieving sleep disorders
2) Effect on managing diabetes
3) Effect during Pregnancy
4) Effect for healthy bones, osteoporosis and other symptoms of Menopause
5) Effect on Hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular diseases
6) Effect on Endothelial function
7) Effect on cancer
8) Effect on maintaining healthy weight management/obesity