Data source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 174270 (Soybeans, mature seeds, raw).
Fun facts
- Soybeans are the parent of a whole family of foods: soy milk, tofu, tofu skin, fermented bean paste, fermented tofu and soy sauce. Even edamame is simply soybeans picked while still green.
- The numbers here are for dry, uncooked beans: each 100g has 36.5g of protein, 19.9g of fat and 446 kcal. That is the most protein of any bean, nut or seed in this dictionary.
- Dry soybeans also carry 15.7mg of iron and 1,797mg of potassium per 100g. Keep in mind that beans soak up a lot of water as they cook, so the numbers per 100g of cooked beans are much lower.
- Soy protein contains all the essential amino acids, which is why soy is a pillar of vegetarian cooking. Whole soybeans appear in 17 kOBE recipes.
Choosing and storing
Choose round, even, bright yellow beans with taut skins, and no mold, weevils or shrivelled beans mixed in. Keep them in an airtight container somewhere cool, dry and out of the sun, and use them within a few months. In humid weather, the fridge is a safe bet. Cooked soybeans keep a few days in the fridge, or you can portion and freeze them.
Cooking it well
Soak the beans overnight, drain the soaking water, then cook until fully tender. Raw soybeans contain compounds that get in the way of protein digestion, and cooking switches them off, so never eat them raw or half-cooked. The same goes for homemade soy milk: after blending, bring it to a boil and keep stirring so it does not catch on the bottom. For ideas on building a vegetarian menu with enough protein, see How do vegetarians get enough protein?.
