Soybeans

Soybeans are the seeds produced by Glycine max, legumes eaten fresh as edamame or dried for processing into oil, meal, tofu, miso, soymilk, and countless functional ingredients. They are uniquely rich among plant foods in both high-quality protein and oil, which is why they dominate global oilseed trade and underpin both human nutrition and animal feed. Raw soybeans contain trypsin inhibitors and lectins, antinutritional factors that interfere with protein digestion, so they must always be heat-processed, by cooking, toasting, or extrusion, before consumption. They are also one of the major food allergens.