Soy Foods

Only in recent times have Americans in any significant numbers begun to consider eating soy in its many forms, which is fascinating because American farmers produce more than half of the world’s supply of soybeans. The bulk of these are used for animal feed, processed into “vegetable” oil (most vegetable oil is soybean oil), or exported to Asia, where they’ve been an important part of the diet for about three thousand years. The Chinese, who were probably the first to use soybeans, also mashed and strained them for soy milk and tofu, sprouted them, and pressed them for cooking oil.