You can even get soy milk lattes at Starbucks. Soy also contains powerful plant chemicals called isoflavones that researchers believe show potential for fighting many chronic diseases. In The Little Soy Book you'll learn about soy's nutritional qualities and health benefits, the role isoflavones play in fighting disease, the many different types of soy foods and how to incorporate them into your diet, and finally, how to cook with soy. In the final chapter you'll find thirty recipes. But first, a brief introduction to the humble bean.
Soybeans are small, green, oval-shaped legumes that grow in pods, like peas, on the soybean plant.
The beans are harvested about four months after they're planted, when they have become hard, dry, and yellow. There are also brown and black varieties of soybeans. Every bit of the bean has a use. Whole soybeans can be fermented, curdled, and pressed to make traditional soy foods like soy sauce, tofu, and soy milk. Soy can also be processed to create a wide range of food and agricultural products.