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Nutrients in Dried Soy Beans

Soybeans are legumes that form the healthy basis for a number of protein substitutes such as tofu, soy milk, tempeh and veggie burgers. As dried beans, they can be boiled in water, drained and served as is or added to soup, meatloaf and other dishes. Though they can be eaten at any meal throughout the day, two to three servings per week provides enough of the rarer nutrients found in soybeans to improve your health.

  1. Protein

    • A single serving of soybeans is 100 g, or a little more than half a cup. It provides 20 g of protein, or one-third of a day's total need. It also provides 6 g of iron, or roughly 30 percent of the daily requirement, while offering nearly 1 g of omega-3 fatty acids.

    Vitamins

    • Soybeans contain no vitamin B12 or folic acid and only trace amounts of vitamins A, C, and E, but are loaded with other vitamins. One serving provides nearly 20 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and 25 percent of vitamin K.

    Enzymes and Amino Acids

    • Soybeans contain two very important nutrients---molybdenum and tryptophan. Molybdenum is an enzyme that eliminates toxic substances from the liver and prevents tooth decay, and soybeans contain an entire day's worth of this substance. A little tryptophan also goes a long way. That's an amino acid that helps the body synthesize protein. Soybeans provide 70 percent of a day's recommended amount.

    Staying Slim

    • Soybeans help people stay thin in several ways. First, they contain 8 g of dietary fiber, which helps cleanse the intestines. Secondly, soybeans have only 1 g of saturated fat, about half the amount found in a glass of milk. Finally, they contain an isoflavone known as genistein that suppresses appetite and lowers food intake, at least among menopausal women.

    Health Benefits

    • Isoflavones have an additional health benefit---they are anticarcinogens, thought to be particularly effective in fighting breast and prostate cancer. The high amount of omega-3 fatty acids in soybeans helps reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Soybeans also alleviate gastrointestinal distress and symptoms of menopause.

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