Soybeans Soybean contains 8 essential amino acids and has a higher protein content than meat and milk. As well, soybeans are the highest natural source of dietary fibre. Soybeans are cleaned, cracked, dehulled and rolled into flakes. This process ruptures the oil cells which then can be extracted. Once the oil is removed, the remaining flakes can be processed into different various edible soy protein products, or used in animal feeds.
Soybean oil is high in polyunsaturated fats and is used in margarine, shortenings, and salad oils.
Lecithin, which is extracted from soybean oil, is used in everything from pharmaceuticals to protective coatings. One of the uses of lecithin is in milk chocolate to keep the chocolate and cocoa butter from separating. Soybean meal, and recently whole roasted soybeans, are used as a basic protein supplement for livestock feed. Soy flours and grist are used in the baking industry as they aid in dough-conditioning and bleaching. Also, the moisture-holding qualities helps keep the baking from going stale.