National Science Popularization Day | Beans are also divided into different types. Are you eating soybeans or adzuki beans?

According to the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)", the daily intake of soy beans and nuts for adults is 25g-35g, and for children and adolescents it is recommended to be 105-175g per week. The recommended amount can be supplemented by eating soy products such as soybeans, soy milk or tofu.

There are many varieties of beans, and beans of different colors and sizes have different nutritional values. So do you know whether you usually eat soybeans or adzuki beans?

From a nutritional point of view, we can divide them into two categories: soybeans and miscellaneous beans. Miscellaneous beans include kidney beans and adzuki beans. The soybeans in our common soybean pork ribs soup, the black beans in eight-treasure porridge, and the very common green beans are all soybeans. This article mainly talks about the soybeans that are most frequently eaten in life.

Eating soy products regularly is nutritious and healthy

Soybeans have very high nutritional value. Mature soybeans contain very little starch, and their main components are protein and lipids. As a high-quality protein source, its protein content is higher than that of most cereals and even meat. The fat content of soybeans is much lower than that of meat, at 15-20%. They are rich in linoleic acid and phospholipids but have no cholesterol. If consumed appropriately, they have certain preventive benefits for chronic diseases.

Soybean oligosaccharides, saponins and soy isoflavones in soybeans have multiple health functions and also play a certain role in weight loss and immunity enhancement. Among them, soy isoflavones can inhibit the body's absorption of fat and are a good helper in the process of fat loss.

However, eating too much soybeans can cause bloating, so the recommended daily intake for adults is 30-50g of dry soybeans, or soy products made from soybeans of corresponding weight, which is approximately equivalent to 200g of tofu, 80g of dried tofu, 30g of yuba, and 800g of soy milk. There are also different recommended amounts for children and adolescents of different age groups.

Considering that soy products are easier to digest and absorb, wise people throughout the ages have developed thousands of soy products. Traditional soy products include fermented soy products, such as fermented bean curd and stinky tofu, as well as non-fermented soy products, including water tofu and dried tofu.

Emerging soybean products are divided into oil products, including refined soybean oil and salad oil. The second is protein products, such as defatted soybean powder used to supplement protein during fat loss. There are also whole bean products that can be seen everywhere in life - soy milk powder. For example, some lattes now replace full-fat milk powder with soy powder to avoid lactose intolerance.

Red beans have many varieties, and partners are healthier

Representatives of red beans include red beans in red bean soup and mung bean soup, mung beans, etc. Red beans, also known as red beans, red beans, and red beans, originated in my country.

In ancient Chinese agricultural books, there are also names such as red beans, bamboo beans, golden beans, golden red beans, Du red beans, and rice red beans. The colors of red beans are red, yellow, light green, gray, white, and brown, and the most common is red beans (red beans). Red beans are also rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins, but the fat content is less, much lower than soybeans.

The high content of saponin in adzuki beans can stimulate the intestines and have laxative and diuretic effects. Adzuki beans also contain a lot of fiber and a lot of soluble fiber, so they can help with diuresis and swelling, and can help our intestines move during fat loss and weight loss, speed up the removal of waste and garbage in the body, and achieve a better bowel cleansing effect.

The recommended daily intake of red beans is about 70g. They can be used as snacks, such as mung bean soup to cool off during the dog days of summer, and red bean soup made from red beans. They can also be made into red bean paste as pastry fillings or even ice cream. Red beans can also be used as a staple food in daily meals. Generally, red beans are added to 1/5 of raw rice to make mixed bean rice, or 5-10g of dried beans are added to mixed grain rice to increase the nutrition of the staple food.

Now do you know whether you are eating soybeans or adzuki beans?

Project source: Shanghai Science and Technology Commission Science Popularization Project Funding (Project No.: 21DZ2301800)

Author: Lin Qingyi Niu Yang | Department of Clinical Nutrition, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine