Sorry protein is one of the best vegan protein sources as soybeans with all the essential amino acids necessary for human nutrition. A soybean meal is an excellent choice as a supplemental protein and amino acid source. It contains a high level of protein compared to other plant-protein sources and has an excellent profile of essential amino acids that are highly digestible. This article looks at the amino acid profile of soybean and soy protein.
Amino acids in soybeans
Soybeans originated in China with a history tracing back to ancient times. It has been a staple source of protein in many diets for thousands of years. Soy is mainly used to improve lipid levels and can affect bone health, prevention of cancer, and menopausal symptoms. It contains many biologically active compounds like saponins, Omega-3 fatty acids, isoflavones, phenolic acids, phytosterols, protease inhibitors, lecithin, and phytates. A soybean meal has the highest lysine digestibility of any commonly available protein source.
A soybean meal amino acid profile depends on a variety of factors. For example, climate conditions, fertilization, maturity, and plant breeding also affected the amino acid content. Additional factors like the origin of the raw materials, processing methods, and storage conditions can also influence the amino acid profile and soybeans.
When you consume soy protein, it breaks down in the digestive system into amino acids that are absorbed into the bloodstream. Sometimes, these amino acids integrate with others to form various types of protein that structure the organs and tissues and can play a role in several body processes. For example, some amino acids in soy protein function as enzymes and hormones in the body.
How many amino acids are in soybeans
A human body needs up to 20 amino acids to build proteins required for growth and health maintenance. Nine amino acids are considered essential because the body cannot make them. These essential amino acids must come from your diet.
The best way to estimate the estimated total or digestible amino acids in soybean is to look at the label. Most companies producing amino acid supplements have programs to adjust the amino acid composition.
Soybean can be processed into several food types like soy milk, soy flour, fermented soybean paste, soy sauce, and soybean curd. You can also find refined soy components as nutritional supplements in isolated soy protein and soy-derived isoflavones. The amino acids in soy proteins are found in varying amounts and combinations.
Essential amino acids
A protein’s essential amino acids are the components that a human body cannot biosynthesis and must get from a food source. The term essential refers to the amino acid requirements in dietary ingredients. In most cases, the protein quality depends upon the essential amino acid content. For example, soybean has an excellent lysine-to-protein ratio.
The essential amino acids present in soybean include the following: Leucine, isoleucine, histidine, lysine, Methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Soybean contains all these essential amino acids. However, the two critical amino acids, Methionine, and lysine are present only in small amounts. Any deficiencies in the soybean’s essential amino acid profile require supplementation. To resolve the issue, you can also use the ratio to other food sources, like synthetic amino acids to resolve the issue.
Non-essential amino acids
The non-essential amino acids are still necessary for the human body. The human body can biosynthesize the non-essential amino acids, meaning you don’t have to get them from food. However, you might still need to provide the non-essential amino acids through food sources to compensate for the amino acid needs.
The standard non-essential amino acids in soybeans include Proline, serine, glycine, glutamine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, asparagine, alanine, arginine, cysteine, and tyrosine. Some non-essential amino acids like arginine are considered essential for fish and poultry. Sometimes, the amounts of essential amino acids in a protein source can affect some non-essential amino acids.
Proteinogenic sulfur-containing amino acids
Methionine and cysteine are two proteinogenic sulfur-containing amino acids critical to evaluating soybean meal as food. For example, Methionine is an initiating amino acid for protein synthesis and has hydrophobic properties when incorporated into proteins. Cysteine’s ability to form disulfide bonds is essential for tertiary protein structure. While they are in soybean, these amino acids are inadequate for consumer needs.
Is soy a complete protein?
Most people ask whether some foods have a complete protein. Research papers have shown that soy protein is complete because it contains a sufficient amount of all essential amino acids. The sheer amount of protein in soybean is considered more important.
The amino acids in soy are critical for proper growth and development. Soybean is a complete protein because it contains all the essential amino acids for adequate nutrition. Amino acids like lysine, threonine, Methionine, and tryptophan are crucial to the body’s functioning. If a diet has inadequate amounts of essential amino acids, protein synthesis cannot proceed beyond the rate at which the amino acid is available.
However, while soybean is a high-quality and relatively balanced amino acid profile for a plant protein source, you don’t want to rely solely on it. Despite being a complete protein, get protein from other sources throughout the day to complement soy protein.
Bottom line
Soybeans are one of the most nutritionally picked legumes on the market. It’s a great source of isoleucine and a valuable source of amino acids for the human body. Soybean is a palatable source of supplemental protein. It can serve as the sole source of supplemental protein, providing 80% of the dietary amino acids.
Leave a Reply