What are soybeans?
The soybean is a legume that comes from a leguminous plant (Glycine max) that grows pods with clusters of two to three beans. The colour of the bean varies from shades of brown to green and the shape can be oval or round. People began cultivating soybeans in northern China more than 3,000 years ago. Today soybeans are used in many food products, including soy beverages, soy cheese, soy yogurt and tofu. Back to top.
Soybeans are legumes which grow throughout much of the world and constitute one of the world’s major food crops. They are turned into a wide array of foods, including tofu, miso, soymilk and tempeh. Soybeans have been in use as a food crop in Asia for as long as history has been recorded, but didn’t make their way to the United States until the 19th century. In the modern world, the vast majority of soybeans are either turned into oil or used as feed for livestock. There are two major types of soybeans cultivated these days — the yellow and black varieties. There is no significant nutritional difference between the two.
