Health benefits of soya beans

Introduction

Soya beans botanically known as Glycine max is also called soja beans and soybeans. It is an legume which grows annually. It belongs the pea family. It provides man with plant Protein and its benefits are majorly drived from this.

Health Benefits of Soya Beans

1. Soy beans help in improving bone health

• this benefit is attributable to the vitamins and minerals that it contains

2. Soy beans help to boost digestive health:

• this benefit is attributable to its high of dietary fibre. Dietary fibre is medically used to treat and prevent constipation. Fibre also stimulates proper peristaltic motion.

3. Soybeans help to boost heart health:

• this benefit is attributable to its high level of unsaturated fat. Unsaturated fatty acids help in lowering bad cholesterol in the body. Bad cholesterol are attributed to several cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis.

4. Soybeans help in preventing cancer:

• this benefit is attributable to its antioxidant property and its high fibre content. Antioxidants mops up free radicals in the body. These radicals it allowed to remain in the body destroy cells. They can lead to cells mutation. The high fibre content helps in the prevention of colorectal cancer.

5. Soy beans help to relieve menopausal symptoms:

• this benefit is attributable to its iso-flavonoids content. In menopausal women, the level of estrogen is low. This iso-flavonoids of soya beans mimic the estrogen thereby making the body feel that the menopausal women have the normal amount of it. Note that menopausal symptoms are as result of low level of estrogen.

6. Soy beans help in healthy weight gain

• this benefit is attributable to its high fibre content and low or no carbohydrate content.

7. Soy beans help in improving metabolic activity:

• this benefit is attributable to its high protein content

8. Soy beans help in preventing birth defects 

• Soyabeans contains folinic acid and vitamin B complex. These are essential for fetal health.

9. Soy beans help in blood production 

• this benefit is attributable to its iron, and folic acid content.

10. Soy beans help in controlling diabetes

• Soya beans are used as food by the diabetics. This is because it contains no or extremely low carbohydrate. Also, soybeans have shown an ability to increase insulin receptors in the body. All these help the diabetic patients tremendously.

11. Soy beans help in relieving sleep disorders 

• this benefit is attributable to its magnesium content. Magnesium is believed to increase the quality, duration, and restfulness of a person’s sleep.

12. Soy beans help in cell growth and regeneration 

• this benefit is attributable to all the components of it. High protein, unsaturated oil, vitamins and minerals.

Uses of Soya Beans

1. They are used in the production of milk. This product is locally called soya milk.
2. Being that it contains about 20% of unsaturated oil, it used in the production of cooking oil. Soya bean oil is very healthy.
3. Soya bean is equally used in the production of animal feed. Animals they’re fed with feed produced using soya beans are usually very healthy and they grow very fast.
4. Since soya beans contain a good quantity of protein, it is used in the treatment of malnourished children.
5. They are food to the diabetic patients. This is because the seed contains 17 percent oil and 63 percent meal, 50 percent of which is protein.
6. They are used as staple food locally.

Contents and Composition of soya bean

• Plant Protein
• Oil
• Calories
• Total Fat
• Sodium
• Potassium
• Total Carbohydrate
• Protein
• Calcium
• Vitamin C
• Iron
• Vitamin B-6
• Magnesium
• Omega-3 fatty acids,
• Dietary fibre,
• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin K
• Phosphorus

Problems with Soya Beans

• They contain goitrogens: this can be problematic especially in people with thyrotoxicosis
• They contain estrogen mimicking iso-flavonoids. This can negatively affect men who consume it much. This is because it will contract the effect of man’s hormone called testosterone.