Taking A Bite Out of Soyfoods and Ingredients

Did you know that soybeans are the most versatile and nutritious food you can eat? It's true. The soybean is a member of the legume family, which means that it is exceptionally high in protein.

Soybeans are the basis of a remarkably varied number of foods and ingredients. Many foods are made from the soybean itself — others are made from specially formulated soy-based ingredients.

Once you see the wide variety of soy-based foods to choose from, visit our Recipes and 25 Gram Planner for more helpful tips on how to incorporate soy protein into your diet — and your family's too.

 

 

 

 

Green vegetable soybeans, or edamame, are harvested when they are still immature. They are high in protein and fiber, and provide all the nutritional benefits of soybeans. Sweeter than mature beans, they can be served with or without the pod.

Usage
They can be served in any number of ways—as a main vegetable dish, as a snack or as a healthy addition to soups and stews. Try adding green soybeans without the pod to your salads too. To cook green vegetable soybeans, boil them in slightly salted water for 10-20 minutes.

Availability
Whole green soybeans, with or without pods, are commonly available in Asian grocery stores or health food stores. You may also find them in cans at health food stores.

Storage
Frozen, they will keep for several months.

 

 

 

If you've ever enjoyed a steaming bowl of miso soup, you've tasted this popular soy food. Miso is a rich, full-bodied, salty paste made by fermentation. Cooked soybeans are mixed with salt and a fermenting agent, which has been cultivated in a barley, rice, or soybean base. Traditionally this mixture is aged for one to three years. The "quick" types of miso that have appeared on the market are fermented for only 5-30 days and tend to have less flavor. It is easily digested and contains high-quality protein and B-complex vitamins. A basic condiment in Japanese cuisine miso is popular in many Asian countries.

Usage
In addition to being a base for soup, miso can be used to flavor other foods, such as spaghetti and barbecue sauces, stews, marinades, dips, and toppings. You can also substitute miso for salt in some recipes. Miso ranges in color from a creamy shade, often used in soups and sauces, to a deep brown. As a rule, darker-colored miso has a stronger flavor, which makes it preferable for heavier dishes.

Availability
Miso comes in two forms: paste and dehydrated. Try the Asian section of your grocery store or an Asian grocery store.

Storage
Miso paste has a shelf life of six months (you may want to store it in your refrigerator in a tightly sealed container). Dehydrated miso should last up to a year when it is stored in cool, dry surroundings.

 

 

 

Okara is the fibrous material left when cooked, ground soybeans are strained to extract soymilk. Although okara contains less protein than whole soybeans, the protein is of the same high quality.

Usage
Treat okara much like coconut — either in baking or adding it to cookies or sprinkling it over cereal. Some manufacturers add okara to sausage products.

 

 

 

As they mature in the pod, soybeans ripen into hard, dry beans about the size of a pencil eraser. The most common type of soybean is yellow; however, brown and black soybeans are available. Black soybeans have a milder taste than other varieties.

Usage
Soybeans can be cooked and eaten in many ways. Add soybeans to stews and soups or use them to increase the protein in sauces. Baked soybeans are a delicious way to up your protein intake. Make your own soynuts by soaking and then roasting soybeans.

Preparation
To prepare and cook soybeans:

1. Pick out any shriveled beans and debris before washing and draining the soybeans.
2. Soak the soybeans to shorten cooking time and improve flavor and texture. In the long method, soak soybeans for 8 hours or overnight, using 4 cups of water for each cup of beans. Or, try the short method-soaking the soybeans in boiling water for 2-5 minutes, allowing 6-8 cups of water for one pound of soybeans.
3. After soaking the beans, drain off the water and rinse them.
4. In a large pot, add 4 cups of water for each cup of beans you originally had and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and skim off the excess foam. Simmer for about 3 hours, adding more water as needed. Cook until the soybeans are tender, but somewhat firm. Black soybeans take less cooking time-about 1-1/2 hours.

A pound of raw soybeans-about 2 cups-yields 4-6 cups of cooked soybeans.

You may want to season your soybeans with onion, garlic, and bay leaf while they're cooking. Don't add salt or acidic ingredients (tomatoes, lemon juice, vinegar, etc.) to yellow soybeans until after they're cooked, otherwise the soybeans will take longer to soften. However, it's okay to add these ingredients to black soybeans while they're cooking since salt and acids actually help black soybeans retain their shape.

Availability
Try looking for soybeans where bulk beans are sold in your grocery store. If not there, look where other bagged dried beans are located.

Storage
You can store uncooked soybeans in an airtight container for long periods of time. Frozen or canned soybeans may also be available.

 

 

 

Soymilk is made by cooking a mixture of dehulled, ground soybeans and water. Once the solid matter is filtered out, the liquid remaining is soymilk.

Soymilk has several important health advantages. Plain, unfortified soymilk provides high quality protein , B-vitamins, and iron . In addition, soymilk contains no cholesterol or lactose and is naturally low in saturated fat. Some brands of soymilk are fortified with calcium, vitamin D, and/or vitamin B12.

Usage
Soymilk is a very versatile soyfood. Use it as a cold beverage, in your coffee, in cereal, in place of evaporated milk in desserts, and in all your cooking and baking. Try a frosty soy smoothie-cold soymilk blended with your favorite fruits.

Be careful mixing soymilk with acidic ingredients such as lemon juice or wine as it will tend to curdle.

Availability
Soymilk is available in regular and low-fat varieties and in several flavors. Look for soymilk in non-refrigerated containers on grocery shelves and/or in the refrigerated dairy case. Or, you may prefer to use powdered soymilk, which is mixed with water.

Storage
Refrigerated soymilk must be kept cold, and non-refrigerated types of soymilk will need refrigeration after they are opened. Once opened, a container of soymilk should stay fresh for about five days in the refrigerator. Always be sure to check the expiration date.

 

 

 

Commercial roasted soynuts are available in a variety of flavors. Although similar in texture and taste to peanuts, soynuts provide more protein (and protein of higher quality), less fat, and have the added bonus of containing bio active phytochemicals found in soybeans, such as isoflavones. To make your own soynuts, soak whole soybeans in water and then roast them until brown.

 

 

 

Tempeh is a soybean cake made by fermenting whole soybeans, sometimes mixed with another grain, such as rice or millet. This traditional Indonesian food has a smoky or nutty flavor. Tempeh provides high-quality soy protein, is low in saturated fat and contains no cholesterol.

Usage
Tempeh's chunky, tender, chewy texture makes it an excellent choice as a meat extender or alternative. And it can be prepared in many different ways. To grill tempeh, first steam it and marinate in barbecue sauce, then grill until brown. Tempeh can also be steamed, baked, sautéed, deep-fried, grated or microwaved. Try adding chunks of tempeh to spaghetti sauce, Sloppy Joe mix, soups, chili, and casseroles.

Availability
Tempeh is growing in popularity, so you might find it in the refrigerated case in the produce section or frozen foods case of your regular grocery store. If it's not, try an Asian or natural food store. When you buy tempeh, look for grains that are bound tightly together. Frozen and packaged tempeh will last for at least a year.

Storage
Once the package is open and thawed, however, tempeh will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about a month.

 

 

 

Textured vegetable protein or textured soy protein can be made from textured soy flour, textured soy protein concentrate, or spun soy fiber. Textured vegetable protein is 50% protein (based on dry weight) when made from soy flour and 70% protein (based on dry weight) when made from soy protein concentrate.

It is usually made by cooking defatted soy flour or soy protein concentrates and other ingredients. The mixture is then forced through small holes in an extrusion cooker to form granules. Textured vegetable protein can also be made by spinning fibers, which are then flavored, colored, and formed into chunks. Once rehydrated, the chunks resemble stew meat.

Textured vegetable protein is high in protein, calcium, and fiber, while low in saturated fat. The level of phytochemicals present in textured vegetable protein depends on how the soy protein ingredient used to make them was processed.

Usage
Textured vegetable protein becomes chewy when rehydrated with boiling water, making it ideal for use as a meat extender. You can replace up to 20% of the meat in a recipe with rehydrated textured vegetable protein without losing any flavor. When the dish is spicy, like chili, tacos, or spaghetti sauce, you can replace more than half the meat with rehydrated textured vegetable protein.

As a rule, textured vegetable protein triples in volume when rehydrated—1 pound dry yields 3 pounds rehydrated. To replace 2 pounds of ground beef in a recipe, hydrate 3 cups of dry textured vegetable protein with an equal volume of water.

Availability
Textured vegetable protein is commonly available as dehydrated granules or chunks—plain or colored, fortified or unfortified, and flavored to taste like chicken, beef, or pork. You'll find it in health food stores and it may be purchased through catalogs.

Storage
Should stay fresh for several months when stored at room temperature in a tightly closed container. However, once rehydrated, textured vegetable protein should be refrigerated and used within a few days. Once cooked, it can be frozen and stored for several months.

 

 

 

Tofu, or soybean curd, is the best known and most widely accepted of traditional soyfoods. It's made much like regular cheese. First, hot soymilk is curdled by the addition of a coagulant. These curds are then drained and pressed to remove excess liquid. The more liquid that's removed, the more solid the resulting tofu.

Tofu is similar in texture to custard or compressed cottage cheese. With a bland, slightly nutty flavor, tofu is adept at absorbing the flavors of foods and ingredients with which it's cooked. Tofu is available in several forms-firm, soft, and silken.

Tofu is an excellent source of protein and B-vitamins. It contains some fat in the form of soybean oil but, unlike dairy products, does not contain cholesterol. Tofu also provides calcium when a coagulant containing this mineral is used in its manufacture.

Usage

Firm tofu is dense and solid. Cube it to be grilled or stir-fried. Or use cubed tofu to increase the protein power of soups, stews, and casseroles. (For a more "meaty" texture, press out the water before freezing tofu. Be sure to thaw the frozen tofu before using it.) Firm tofu works great in recipes calling for cottage cheese, ricotta, or cream cheese. Try mixing firm tofu with lemon, garlic, vinegar, and honey to make a protein-powerful mayonnaise substitute. Blended firm tofu can replace eggs or dairy products in some pies and other desserts.

Soft tofu is ideal for blending into other foods. It gives a thicker, creamier texture to dressings and sauces. Try substituting it for sour cream or yogurt.

Silken tofu is creamy. Try using it instead of sour cream in dips and recipes. Mix silken tofu with fruits and juices to make a delicious smoothie with that "protein plus."

Availability
You may find tofu in the produce area, dairy case, deli, Asian or health food sections of your grocery store. If you get chilled, water-packed tofu, be sure to keep it refrigerated and check the expiration date to make sure it's fresh. Water-packed tofu tastes better if you drain away excess water before using it. Press the tofu between two flat surfaces (cutting boards, cookie sheets, plates, etc.) and tilt it to let the water run off.

Storage
Some types of tofu don't require refrigeration until the package is opened—read the label. Once tofu is opened, however, it should be stored in fresh water (changed every day) and refrigerated. When tofu is properly stored, it should keep for about a week. You can also freeze tofu for up to five months.

 

 

 

Soy-based infant formulas are made by adding carbohydrates and fats to isolated soy protein to achieve a formula that is similar in composition to breast milk. Soy-based infant formulas typically provide 20 calories per ounce. About one-fourth of all infant formulas are soy-based.

Usage
Soy-based infant formulas are often used in term infants:

• of vegetarian parents
• who can't tolerate lactose
• who have galactosemia
• who are allergic to the protein in cow's milk

Availability
You'll find soy-based infant formulas wherever infant formulas are sold.

1. AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics). Soy protein-based formulas: recommendations for use in infant feeding. Pediatrics 1998;101:148-153.

 

 

 

Meat alternatives, or meat analogs, are soy-based foods made to resemble various types of meat. While some meat alternatives contain tofu, most are based on textured vegetable protein, usually made from soy flour, soy protein concentrate, isolated soy protein, or a combination of these ingredients.

Usage
Can be used in place of meat in most any recipe. A 12-ounce package of soy burger-style crumbles, for example, can replace a pound of ground beef in dishes like spaghetti, chili, Sloppy Joes or casseroles.

Availability
Soy-based meat alternatives are readily found in many regular grocery stores. Often thought of as "veggie burgers," meat alternatives are sold in several forms-frozen, refrigerated, canned, or dried. They're often stocked near the product they resemble — look for soy based "burgers" near the hamburger patties in the frozen foods section.

Remember to read labels carefully. Meat alternatives can vary in nutritional content, and not all soy-based meat alternatives are low in fat.

Storage
Store frozen and refrigerated products accordingly. Canned and boxed products can be kept on your pantry shelves.

 

 

 

Nondairy frozen desserts typically are made from soymilk, soy yogurt, or tofu, and can replace that yearning for ice cream and conventional frozen yogurt. Be sure to read labels to find out the protein and fat content of these foods, as they may vary.

 

 

 

Soy beverages and shakes, made with isolated soy protein, come in a variety of delicious flavors. They can be formulated to be even higher in protein than soymilk. Read labels to find out the amount of soy protein in one serving of a soy beverage.

Availability
Some soy beverages are found on grocery shelves, while others are refrigerated. Convenient soy beverage mixes are widely available, too. If you can't find them in your regular grocery store, try a health food store.

A creamy food made from soymilk, available in many different flavors. Use soy cheese as a replacement for most cheeses, sour cream, or cream cheese, alone or in recipes.

Soy yogurt is a creamy product made from soymilk. It is available in a variety of flavors. Use plain soy yogurt as a substitute for sour cream or cream cheese.

Soynut butter is made from roasted whole soynuts that have been crushed and blended with soybean oil and other ingredients. It has a slightly nutty flavor, and its texture is similar to natural peanut butter.

Soynut butter provides all the superior nutrition and potential health benefits of eating whole soybeans, but in a form very familiar to Americans. It provides higher quality protein and generally contains considerably less fat than peanut butter.

Usage
You can substitute soynut butter wherever you typically use peanut butter. Use soynut butter to stuff celery or as a vegetable dip. It's a natural spread on sandwiches and even crackers. Even try a new twist on an old favorite-soynut butter cookies.

Storage
Store soynut butter in an airtight container, either in the refrigerator or in your pantry.

 

 

 

Isolated soy protein (also called soy protein isolate) is 90% protein (based on dry weight), making it the most concentrated form of soy protein. A water-based process is used in the manufacture of most isolated soy protein. When properly controlled, water processing retains the phytochemicals that naturally occur in soy.

Isolated soy protein often comes in powdered form. Another variety is soy isolate fiber, or structured protein fiber, a fibrous form of isolated soy protein that looks like crumbled ground meat when it is rehydrated.

Usage
Often used to add texture and juiciness to meat products and as a chief ingredient in commercial soyfoods. You'll find it in soy-based beverages and beverage mixes, soy protein bars, pasta, cereals, meat alternatives, infant formulas and foods, dairy alternatives (frozen desserts, whipped toppings, and coffee whiteners), bakery items, and dietary foods.

Can be used at home to give an easy protein boost to your orange juice, fruit smoothies, or shakes by adding a spoon (or scoop) of isolated soy protein. You can even sprinkle it on your cereal!

Availability
Although most isolated soy protein is used in commercial foods, you can buy it in many health food stores.

 

 

 

For years health experts have been talking about the importance of eating food fiber, a complex carbohydrate that your body is unable to digest or absorb. Soybeans are the basis of ingredients that can add fiber to other foods.

The outer covering of the soybean, its hull, is removed early in processing. A fibrous material found in the hulls can be extracted and refined for use as an ingredient called soy bran.

Soy flour is made by grinding roasted dehulled soybeans into a fine powder. Natural or full-fat soy flour is the result of grinding soy flakes that still contain soybean oil. Defatted soy flour is made by grinding soy flakes that have been processed to remove the soybean oil.

Soy flour is 50% protein (based on dry weight), making it an excellent source of soy protein. It also contains iron, B-vitamins, calcium, and fiber.

Usage
When using soy flour in baking, be sure to add a little more water than the recipe calls for. Also, slightly reduce either the baking time or oven temperature to prevent your baked goods from becoming too brown.

Adding soy flour gives bread a slightly nutty flavor and a dense, moist texture in addition to increasing its protein content. But soy flour doesn't contain gluten. Consequently, if you try to make yeast-raised bread with just soy flour, the dough won't rise.

The solution is to combine flours. For best results in yeast-raised baked products, put two tablespoons of soy flour in a measuring cup before filling it with all-purpose, whole wheat, or another gluten-containing flour.

When making quick breads that are not yeast-raised, you can replace up to one-fourth of the all-purpose or whole-wheat flour called for in a recipe. Since soy flour retains more moisture than other flours, it helps prevent your baked goods from becoming stale.

You can increase nutty flavor soy flour gives to foods by first lightly "toasting" it in a dry skillet. Then use that soy flour to thicken gravies and sauces or for baking. Be sure to "fluff" soy flour before measuring it since it tends to become packed.

Availability
Look for soy flour with other flours or check in the health food section of your grocery store or try a health food store.

Storage
Refrigerate or freeze full-fat flour in a tightly covered container. Defatted soy flour doesn't need to be refrigerated and, properly stored, should keep for about a year.

 

 

 

Soy protein concentrate is 70% protein (based on dry weight). It's made by removing much of the sugar from defatted soy flakes, leaving protein and fiber. The type of processing used to extract sugars in the manufacture of soy protein concentrate affects the levels of some bio active phytochemicals found in soy.

Usage
Soy protein concentrate is used to make a variety of products including: meat alternatives, surimi, bakery products, cereals, dietary foods, and some protein drinks, soup bases, and gravies.

 

 

 

Soybean oil is extracted from full-fat soy flakes, which are made from whole soybeans. It is the most widely used oil in the United States, accounting for more than three-fourths of the total intake of vegetable fats and oils. Soybean oil is a good source of polyunsaturated fat and is low in undesirable saturated fat.

Usage
Soybean oil is very bland and doesn't mask the flavors of other foods. But because it tolerates high heat without smoking, it's an excellent frying oil. It's often used alone or combined with other oils to make shortening and margarine.

Soybean oil is found in many commercial foods, including mayonnaise, salad dressings, frozen foods, and commercially baked goods, among others. It allows baked goods to retain their moisture and freshness longer.