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Soybean Composition and Nutrients


Soybeans are grown primarily for their protein content, and secondarily for their oil. But that is only the beginning of the story because processing of soybeans yields a number of other products as well.

In the main form of processing, or "crushing" as it is often called, the soybeans are cleaned, cracked, dehulled, and rolled into flakes. This ruptures the oil cells for efficient extraction. The "crude" oil is removed with solvents or screw presses, and after further processing the refined soybean oil goes into such products as margarine, salad dressings, and cooking oils.

After the oil is extracted, the flakes are toasted and ground to produce soybean meal, most of which is used as a high-protein component of animal feeds. However, some of it is also processed into products for human consumption. These include soy flour, soy protein concentrate, and soy protein isolate which can be incorporated into a wide range of food products. In recent years, we have learned that isoflavones and other phytochemicals found in the soybean meal portion have documented health benefits. These are now being extracted and marketed as nutriceuticals in functional foods.

The soy hulls removed in the initial crushing can be processed into fiber for use in breads, cereals and snacks. Lecithin, extracted from soybean oil, is used for everything from pharmaceuticals to protective coatings. It is a natural emulsifier and lubricant. Lecithin is used, for example, to keep the chocolate and cocoa butter in a candy bar from separating. Soybean oil is also a natural source of vitamin E. That portion of the vitamin E that is extracted as part of the refining process is recovered and marketed with other vitamin supplements. Nevertheless, refined soybean oil remains a good source of vitamin E.

Essential amino acid composition of selected soybean ingredients (mg/100g protein)

Amino acid
Whole bean

Soy
flour

Soy concentrate

Soy
isolate

Soymilk

Tofu
Isoleucine 35 46 48 49 46 48
Leucine 79 78 79 82 79 83
Lysine 62 64 64 64 60 61
Methionine
& Cystine
21 26 28 26 16 14
Phenylalanine
& Tyrosine
87 88 89 92 80 83
Threonine 41 39 45 38 40 40
Tryptohan n/a 14 16 14 n/a n/a
Valine 37 46 50 50 48 49

Fatty acid profile of soybean oil

Fatty Acid % Composition
Saturated
C12 (lauric acid) tr
C14 (myristic acid) tr
C16 (palmitic acid) 11.0
C18 (stearic acid) 4.1
C20 (arachidic acid) tr
Unsaturated
16:1 (palmitioleic acid) tr
18:1 (oleic acid) 22.0
18:2 (linoleic acid) 54.0
18:3 (linolenic acid) 7.5

 

NUTRIENT CONTENTS OF SOYFOOD
  Calories Protein Fat Carbo
hydrate
crude fiber Calcium Iron Zinc Thiamine Riboflavin Niacin Vitamin B4 Folacin
    (g) (g) (g) (g) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg)
Soybeans, boiled, 1/2 cup 149 14.3 7.7 8.5 1.8 88 4.4 1 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.2 46.2
Soybeans, dry roasted, 1/2 cup 387 34 18.6 28.1 4.6 232 3.4 4.1 0.4 0.7 0.9 0.19 175.9
Soy flour, full fat, roasted, 1/2 cup 185 14.6 9.2 14.1 0.9 79 2.4 1.5 0.2 0.4 1.4 0.15 95.5
Soy flour, defatted, 1/2 cup 165 23.5 0.3 19.2 2.1 120 4.6 1.2 0.4 0.1 1.3 0.29 152.7
Soy protein concentrate, 1 ounce 93 16.3 0.13 8.7 1.1 102 3 1.2 0.9 0.04 0.2 0.04 95.2
Soy protein isolate, 1 ounce 95 22.6 0.95 2.1 0.07 50 4 1.1 0.05 0.03 0.4 N/A 49.3
Soymilk, 1/2 cup 165 3.3 2.3 2.2 0.92 5 0.7 0.1 0.19 0.08 0.18 0.049 1.8
Miso, 114 g 284 16.3 8.4 38.6 3.4 92 3.8 4.6 0.13 0.35 1.19 0.297 45.5
Natto, 1/2 cup 187 15.6 9.7 12.6 1.4 191 7.6 2.67 0.14 0.17 0 N/A N/A
Okara, 1/2 cup 47 2 1.1 7.7 2.5 49 0.8 N/A 0.01 0.01 0.06 N/A N/A
Tempeh 114 g 165 15.7 6.4 14.1 2.5 77 1.9 1.5 0.1 0.09 3.8 0.25 43.2
Tofu, firm, raw, 120 g 118 12.8 7.1 3.5 0.1 166 8.5 1.3 0.13 0.08 0.31 0.08 23.7
Tofu, regular, raw, 114 g 88 9.4 5.6 2.2 0.83 122 6.2 0.93 0.9 0.06 0.23 0.08 0.06
N/A - data not listed or unavailable

 

 
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