Soya bean has a protein content of 43% as against 25% in dal, 18% in meat, 30% in eggs and 13% in cheese. Soya can be turned into hundreds of delicacies—making it a chefs delight. Apart from soya milk, one could use soya to make ice creams, chocolates, yoghurt, cake, bread, pies, milk shakes, paneer, etc.

Soya beans can rightfully claim the honour of being one of the most concentrated and nutritive foods known to man.

In the Indian context, soya assumes even greater significance. To make the best utilisation of agricultural land, here are some facts, which may surprise you.

One hectare of land used for different purposes will produce protein as follows:

Soya 500 kgs, Wheat 150 kgs, Meat 20 kgs, Milk 50 kgs, Corn 180 kgs

This is one of the reasons why experts studying the world food situation are virtually unanimous in their opinion that soya bean will be the key protein source in the future. Clearly as farmland grows more and more scarce, the above factor assumes even more importance.

Soya milk possesses all nutritional attributes of soya bean and offers a revolutionary, yet simple source of good quality products.Soya milk contains all the amino acids and is therefore a source of complete protein. Take a look at some of the other features which may not be so well known.

Soya protein allow better assimilation. Soya milk is a rich source of absorbable iron. Most Indian women are anaemic, and growing children also are generally lacking in iron. Unlike the iron present in leafy vegetables like spinach, soya iron can be easily absorbed by the human body. The absence of lactose (milk sugars) enables persons suffering from lactose intolerance to consume soya milk. Lactose intolerant people cannot digest dairy milk. Those suffering from high cholesterol levels can find remedy in cholesterol reducing effect of soya milk. Soya milk also offers easily digestible protein to those suffering from milk protein allergy. Soya milk suits diabetic patients being free from starch.

LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT SOYA MIIK

1. As many as 15% of the infants are allergic to dairy milk. There is no evidence of similar reaction to soya milk.
2. Many babies after weaning lose the ability to produce lactose, an enzyme capable of breaking down lactose in dairy milk. When such lactose intolerant people drink dairy milk they feel bloated, get stomach pains and even experience diarrhoea. Soya milk contains no lactose.
3. Soya milk is cholesterol free and rich in lecithin and linoleic and linoleinic fatty acids.
4. When soya milk is served with cereal grains it can boost the usable protein by 30%.
5. Soya milk also provides the much needed `B’ vitamins.
6. A study made by scientists at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, shows that soya milk, in fact brings down the cholesterol level. Soya protein addition to a person’s diet reduces the serum cholesterol levels irrespective of any other dietary considerations.
7. Soya bean combats nutritional anaemia caused by lack of haemoglobin in the blood.
8. Research in the United States has shown that soya bean help in retarding the ageing process and make a person look and feel young.
9. Half a litre of soya milk covers the daily requirement of essential amino acids of a child.

EVEN THE MAHATMA PROPAGATED SOYA

As far back as in the early 30s, Mahatma Gandhi realised the importance of soya for the Indian people. Undoubtedly, the high protein content and the nutritional value of soya was what made the Mahatma propagate its use.

In a letter of Harijans in October 1935, the Mahatma said “Soyabeans are a most nutritious diet.” He followed by saying “Soya beans stand at the top of all known articles of diet because of its low percentage of carbo¬hydrates and high percentage of salts, protein and fats.”
Even earlier, in July 1935 Gandhiji referred to Dr. H.V. Tilak’s book on balanced diets. The Mahatma drew the attention of the people to the experiments conducted in an orphanage of over 100 children, whose diet was made richer in protein and more balanced by the addition of soya beans.

THE SEXY SOYA BEAN

Research carried out in the United States has shown that soya beans help boost flagging sex appeal.

Soya beans have always been the staple diet of vegetarian diet but it’s a little known fact that they are also powerful sexual rejuvenators says Volker Frademacher, managing director of Harverd Foods.

Soya beans have a high lecithin content as well as being rich in protein. Lecithin, an unsaturated fatty acid is said to clean out veins and arteries and to improve circulation.

It also relieves heart complaints, soothes the liver and gall bladder and relieves kidney disorders and some forms of psoriasis notes Frademacher.

Soya beans are rich in protein and are a good source of minerals and vitamins.

It is believed that soya beans are especially potent when eaten with pumpkin seeds. The two taken together act as a tonic to pep up sagging energy.

DRINK A PINT OF SOYA MILK A DAY

Drinking soya milk helps to keep your cholesterol level down. This finding was made after scientists at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, conducted a series of studies on the effect of soya protein on cholesterol levels.

They also discovered that the addition of soya protein to a person’s diet will reduce serum cholesterol levels irrespective of any other dietary considerations.

The researchers at the Western Ontario University, Drs. Nina Mercer and Bernard Wolfe along with biochemist Ken Carroll and nutritionist Patricla Glovanetti tested the effect of soya protein on both animals and human beings. In the human study, volunteers were first put on a six-week cow’s milk course in which they drank a pint of cow’s milk daily.
Next they were put on another six week course, but this time drinking an equal amount of soya milk (which also contained 2% butterfat). No other dietary measures were taken. In their weekly reports they found that “both cholesterol and triglylceride values dropped substantially during the soya period.”

The director of this research team, Kenneth K. Carroll, said that the point of this research was to find out ways in which plant protein could be unobstrusively introduced in to a normal diet. Instead of the milk they could have tested the effects with either meat or eggs.

The milk test showed that North Americans who achieve a better balance in their intake of animal and plant protein by replacing only their milk intake with soya milk can “conveniently and comfortably reduce their coronary risk.”