Farmers are profiting from the blossoming consumer demand for soy products. By Betsy Freese Food Editor Richard Crane and his son, Tom, use this Flexi-Coil air cart to fertilize both corn and soybeans while planting. Soybeans, that is. You can't go wrong as a farmer or consumer with these little green gems. The consensus of these food experts is that edible soybeans are an interesting addition to many recipes.
Soybeans also contain phytoestrogens, which some experts think can reduce disease risks for women.
Research on the benefits of soybeans in human diets has only just begun. They are produced by SunRich, a farmer-owned food ingredient company in Hope, Minnesota. Besides Sweet Beans, SunRich produces waxy corn and soybeans for tofu and soy milk. It sells the crops to food processors in the U.S. and Japan. Reid Stransky of Owatonna, Minnesota, is in his third year growing edible soybeans for SunRich.