Soybean, Source of Nutritions

Processed soy products like tempeh and tofu has been so widely consumed by people in Asia, included of Indonesian, and even can be regarded as the main menu. However, there is still stigma that tempeh and tofu are the middle to lower food, although soy is a complete nutritional composition. Nutrient composition of soy is as follows:
Water:                          5 - 9.4%
Protein:                  29.6 - 50.3%
Fat:                        13.5 - 24.3%
Carbohydrates:     16.6 - 40.2%
Ash:                         3.3 - 6.4%
Calcium:                        220 mg
Iron:                                11 mg
Phosphorus:                   585 mg
Vitamin A:                      110 SI
Vitamin B1:                  1.07 mg
 
In 100 grams of soy.

Fat content of soy, mostly in the form of fatty acids (88.10%), phospholipide (9.8%) and glikolipida (1.6%). Unsaturated fatty acid content of 78.7% and 14.5% saturated fatty acids. Soybeans are a source of essential fatty acids oleic and linoleic. Unsaturated fatty acids in the know can prevent artherosklerosis blood vessels. In the body, unsaturated fatty acids serves to break free cholesterol into cholesterol ester.

The biggest soy protein globulin composed by 90%, 10% albumin. Soy protein containing 18 amino acids are 9 kinds of essential amino acids and 9 types of non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids include cystine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. Non essential amino acids include alanine, glycine, arginine, histidine, proline, tyrosine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid. This protein plays a major role in cell growth and repair.

Carbohydrates in soybean consists of 2 fractions, namely soluble and insoluble fractions. Soluble fraction consisting of hexoses, sucrose, raffinosa, stakiosa and verboskasa. Insoluble fraction consists of hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, pectin and complex carbohydrates. The majority of soybean carbohydrates are in the form of compounds raffinosa as oligosaccharides with low molecular weight. This carbohydrate group led flatulensi (bloating) in ruminants and humans, so before consumption, soy should be soaked several hours to reduce the content of this compound. Hemicellulose contained in soy is a food fiber that has a hypocholesterolemic effect, which is influential in lowering blood cholesterol.

Soybean is a good source of minerals, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mg and Na. Na serves as a diuretic to control hypertension. Vitamin content of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and carotene. As the type of legume, soy is also a good source of folic acid.