Soy flour - the benefits and harm to health

In various professional circles, relatively recently, they began to talk about the dangers of wheat flour. Indeed, this product has many contraindications that force people to look for alternatives. It should be noted that there are quite a few such substitutes. On the shelves of modern stores you can find rice flour, buckwheat, corn flour. But soy flour is particularly popular with consumers in this category. Get it from the eponymous legume, which grows well on a variety of soils.

The beneficial properties of soy are highly valued in cooking, it is essential as a basis for the production of cosmetics, and is widely used in traditional medicine. Let's try to understand the unique characteristics of this, one of the most common on the planet, agrarian cultures.

Plant characteristic

For the first time began to grow soybeans in Asia about 6-7 thousand years ago.Its resistance to the adverse effects of the environment and the ability to self-pollination contributed to its rapid spread to other continents. It refers to soybean leguminous annual crops. The plant is relatively low, under favorable conditions can reach up to 70 cm in height. During the flowering period, white inflorescences appear on the hairy dense stem, and when it is time for fruits to ripen, small flowers are replaced by pods with yellow beans.

There are soybean varieties that give green and brown seeds. Soybeans tolerate drought well, but the lack of light has a negative effect on yields. With a lack of light, the yield is sharply reduced, because the fruits are reduced in size.

The virtues of soy

In many countries, soybean is the main crop. And this is not by chance. Thanks to its unpretentiousness, it is possible to get quite high yields. And taking into account the leading position of this representative of legumes in the gastronomic segment, manufacturers receive a huge income from the sale of beans. After all, soya flour has long been learned to make such staple food as meat, various nutritious pastes, cheeses, and butter.If we talk about the nutritional properties of soy, then in this regard, it has virtually no competitors. It is only necessary to get acquainted with the composition of the beans to ensure the correctness of this conclusion.

The fruits of soybean crops contain such valuable macro and trace elements:

• a complex of vitamins, among them such important for health as: vitamins B, PP, E;
• proteins make up 50%;
• polyunsaturated fatty acids;
• mineral salts;
• alimentary fiber;
• carbohydrates;
• starch;
• beta carotene.

Of course, a product with such a valuable set of nutrients is able to satisfy hunger, and positively affect health. But this is not the main advantage of soybeans compared to other cultures of the same family. It has a special structure that allows for various gastronomic experiments with its derivatives. Doctors appreciate soy, first of all, for its ability to have a positive effect on the structure of blood vessels and heart function.

Supporters of vegetarianism, for example, took soybeans as the basis of their diet, once they refused animal food. In any form, soy is perfectly absorbed by the body, greatly contributes to the digestive processes.

Useful qualities

To judge the usefulness of soy culture, it is necessary to study the properties of each component of the composition separately.

1. The protein in excess is present in soy. It is known that vegetable protein has a set of essential amino acids.
2. Calcium, which is present in soybeans, is more than the element contained in milk and strengthens bone tissues.
3. Zinc is necessary for strengthening the immune forces and muscle growth. Without this macronutrient, no important process in the body takes place. Zinc takes an active part in the synthesis of proteins, regulates metabolic processes, promotes tissue regeneration.
4. Phospholipids are found in large quantities in soybeans. In other legumes they are much smaller. These elements are responsible for cleansing the body of toxins, they contribute to the restoration of cell membranes, which is especially important for vascular tissues. Phospholipids can still reduce the body's need for insulin. This ability of theirs can help people suffering from diabetes.
5. Fatty acid. Unsaturated acids are present in soybeans that the body cannot synthesize on its own.These chemical components regulate hormonal functions, reduce cholesterol concentration.

Product types

The food industry produces three names of soy products:

• flour, skim or meal;
• non-fat product;
• flour, half-fat free.

Each category of flour products has its own characteristics. For example, meal, which is in great demand, is a by-product of soybean oil production. There is a lot of protein in the meal, for which it is valued by supporters of a healthy diet.

Experts advise in the diet to include wholemeal flour, because it has excellent taste and brings the most benefit.

Products from soy in cosmetology

Purified from fatty impurities, soy protein is widely used in the manufacture of cosmetic products. Means containing soy strengthen the hair structure, have a positive effect on the skin. Soy ingredient is added to daily care formulations. And such tools do an excellent job with their task: they smooth out wrinkles, moisturize the skin, nourish it and improve color.

When soy can be dangerous

Research scientists have shown that with prolonged use of legumes in the body can cause serious violations of important functions. But hormone failure is especially dangerous. Therefore, pregnant women in general should abandon dishes where there is soy. With care, this product should be used by women of childbearing age, soy children should not be given before 3 years of age. Diabetics also should not get too carried away with soy products, as their ability to reduce the concentration of sugar in the blood can lead to the opposite effect.

Some useful recipes

It is natural that the beneficial properties of soybeans did not go unnoticed by traditional healers. It is believed that the plant can even prevent the development of cancer pathologies. After all, phytic acids inhibit the growth of foreign structures. Therefore, as a preventive measure, soybeans are quite suitable.

1. For strong immunity. We must first sprout the beans. It will take 5 days. It is done this way: first, the grains are soaked in ordinary water, and after a day they are spread on a damp cloth. The mini-plantation should be kept in the sun, regularly wetting the beans.When the sprouts hatched from the beans reach 5 cm, they can be added to the salad or eaten in small portions fresh.
2. Soy broth helps to cope with overwork, and also eliminates anemia. Prepare healing nectar in the following way: Soy fruits (50 g) are boiled for 15 minutes in ½ liter of water. After cooling the solution, it is filtered. The resulting amount of broth to drink during the day.
3. Soy milk is used to normalize the condition during menopause. The product is recommended to drink three times 2 tablespoons for the whole month.

There is also a mass of useful compositions using soy products. There are many interesting recipes for the preparation of cosmetic compositions that can provide beauty and health. But we must remember that any tool will benefit only if it is used wisely.

Video: the benefits and harm of soy products