Uses of Soybean Pods
The soybean can be used either as a field commodity or as a vegetable, and both are prepared a number of ways. The soybean is noted for its nutty flavor and it bills itself as one of the most versatile vegetables in the garden. For consumers, the soybean pod is converted to several products that have significant value. Does this Spark an idea?
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Edamame
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The whole soybean can be boiled, then salted and served as a vegetable dish called edamame. The first to do this were the Japanese, followed by the Chinese and Koreans. It made its way to Hawaii where it is a very popular snack. Edamame can now also be found on the shelves of many grocery stores in the mainland United States.
Infant Formula
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Whole soybeans are transformed to formula that is a boon to babies who are lactose-intolerant. These babies cannot drink dairy products, so they drink soybean substitutes that have many of the attributes of regular formula. You can buy this formula in powdered or liquid form, as well as formula that's ready for your infant to ingest.
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Healthy Substitutions
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Over time, many dairy products that are made from soybeans have made it to your grocery store. There are products like yogurt, cream cheese and others that fit this dairy category. Manufacturers of soy products have duplicated the appearance, the texture and qualities of those products, save the calcium that is virtually non-existent in soybeans. They generally add calcium to their products before they are sold, except for tofu that is converted by using calcium salts.
Soybean Oil
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Almost 80 percent of the edible oil in the United States is made from soybeans. In addition, soybean oil is used in a variety of processed foods and there are new processes, annually, to increase the protein content of the product. Soybean oil is made from dehulled yellow soybeans and the hulls are subsequently used to feed farm animals.
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