More is still to be learned on the chemical structure of soybeans. They are made up of protein, oil, fiber, carbohydrates, and minerals. The main protein is glycinin. The oil contains fatty acids, glycerides, and phosphatides. The carbohydrates include sugars and celluloses.
Soybeans are high in protein, fat, calcium, and phosphorous.
Soybeans were first in Europe around the 18th Century. Soybeans were first heard of in the United States in 1804, but were considered a plant, and not a food source. In 1890 the agriculture stations of the U.S. began experimenting with the plants. In the mid-1930's, researchers in the USDA began to develop improved soybean varieties. Soybeans are used to stretch meat, and in meat analogs.