Embrace Legacy Of Soybeans

An authentic meal reflects the cultural practices of the land. Food habits today are challenged by a surge in enticing food choices. With the increasing time constraints of a challenging work life, consumers today are propelled towards incorporating packaged foods into their daily diets. Traditional meals, which are normally nourishing, are now confined to festivities. Soybean is one such nutritious food that needs revival in Nepal. 

While unravelling the traditional food heritage, soybean stands out as an integral part of the culinary history. Its cultural entwinement, especially with the indigenous communities, is noteworthy. An important physiological function of food is to nourish the soul. Some food brings joy and helps one heal. The pleasant beany aroma of freshly roasted soybean often triggers nostalgia for childhood days for many Nepalese. 

Research across the globe validates the nutritive aspect of soybeans. While it is a common snack in rural Nepal, the majority of the young urbanites do not fancy eating whole roasted soybean as a snack alternative. Often listed among super foods in nutrition reviews, it cannot be denied that the goodness of this power bean is underrated in Nepal. Its amalgamation with the modern-day food regime is a way forward to preserve the soybean legacy in Nepal.

Nutritious food 

Soybean (Glycine max), also known as the “golden bean," is a major oilseed. Often referred to as “poor man’s meat," it is a good source of protein, dietary fibre, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. As per the Food Composition Table issued by the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control of the Government of Nepal, 100 grammes of black, brown, and white soybeans provide 393, 432, and 411 calories, respectively. The nutritional aspects of soybeans surpass most pulses in the context of superior protein quality. Soybean varieties in Nepal contain approximately 33 to 43 per cent protein. The isoflavones in soybean are known to prevent any impairment in cognitive functions or dementia, improve skin health, and prevent cancer of the breast, lung, and prostate. It also helps strengthen muscle mass, reduce blood pressure, and aid heart function. 

Soybean oil, soy butter, soy protein isolate, soy flour, lecithin, and soy sauce are important commercial extracts of soybean. Soybean is also a valuable component of feed formulations for fish and poultry. At the household level, soybean can be consumed as delicious snacks (roasted, boiled, or fried), fresh sprouts, curd (tofu), curry, paste, and pickles, to name a few. Soy milk is often consumed as a milk alternative for lactose-intolerant people. 

In Nepal, soybean is a common crop, mostly grown in backyards and kitchen gardens in villages. On a large scale, it is mostly intercropped with rice in the Tarai and maize in the mid- and far-western mid-hills. 

Near-to-natural foods

With a rise in the occurrence of lifestyle-related health disorders, the focus on a healthy diet is unprecedented. Over the years, market demand for traditionally processed cereals like “Chakki Atta," rolled oats, brown rice, or hand-pounded rice has been gaining momentum. 

While an array of soy-based processed foods is already on the menu, the goodness of consuming whole beans is unparalleled. Till a few decades ago, soybean was a part of daily food in Nepal. A roasted mix of soybean and maize, "Makkai-bhatmas," is still an afternoon snack in some parts of rural Nepal. 

Except in cases of clinical advice, children, sick, or geriatric populations, the inclusion of whole grains in meals is known to incorporate a greater amount of nutrition per serving than its refined counterparts. 

Chewing soybean

Consuming whole soy beans would require chewing; however, this aids digestion. Research findings relate chewing to improvements in the secretion of digestive enzymes, facial muscular movement, and oral health. The chiselled jawline was a distinct feature of ancient humans. Anthropological research relates a shrinking jaw line to a progressive decrease in chewing habits. Undoubtedly, most foods nowadays are either crispy or soft, which is in stark contrast to ancient foods, which mostly required chewing. 

Soybean and Newari culture

Soybean has a deep-rooted cultural significance among the Newars, an indigenous community in Nepal. Black soybean is an integral part of religious offerings at major festivals. Soybean is an inevitable component in “samay," a traditional offering for deities, and in festive meals. The importance of the nutritional value of soybeans is also reflected in some Newari traditions. 

Gufa is a Newari ritual of confining a girl to isolation in the absence of sunlight for 12 days immediately after she first attains puberty. Here, visitors, only women, greet her with “Chusiya Musiya," a grain mix that includes roasted soybeans. The grain mix is supposed to replenish the nutrient requirements during her confinement. Likewise, soybean is also offered to the Moon God on “Chhath Puja '' by the Newar community. Soybean, along with other whole-grain cereals, is also offered during “Shivratri Puja'' by Hindus. 

Soybeans in authentic foods 

The food heritage of Nepal is shaping out to be a major tourist attraction. Visitors are now increasingly seen hunting ancient alleyways across Nepal to have a taste of traditional foods. One of the most authentic soybean snacks in Nepal is “Bhatmas Sadeko," a dry roasted soybean mixed with seasonings. Here, slit pieces of garlic, ginger, salt, chilli, and virgin mustard oil are used to enhance the flavour of the assort. This is often eaten with beaten rice as a midday snack. In fact, many peasants still carry this snack along while leaving to work in the fields. 

"Kinema," a traditionally fermented soybean product, is popular among many ethnic clans in the hills of eastern Nepal. Wrapped in fresh green banana leaves tied together by bamboo strings, this traditional food is a much sought-after purchase in the local markets, or "Haatbazar." “Kinema” is rich in vitamins, proteins, and minerals. With its unique flavour, taste, and texture, this delicacy is often close to the hearts of many who have grown up relishing it. 

"Natto," a fermented soybean product characterised by sticky, slimy-textured beans and a distinct flavour, is a traditional Japanese food. “Miso” paste, another traditional Japanese delicacy, is made from soybean and is widely used to flavour soups. "Tempeh," a fermented soybean product with its origins in Indonesia, is slightly firmer and has a more neutral flavour profile than Natto. 

"Tofu," a soybean-based curd, originated in China but is an inherent part of the daily diet in Japan, Korea, China, and many adjacent countries. Apart from the goodness of protein and fat in “tofu," it is rich in vitamin B, iron, magnesium, potassium, and selenium and low in sodium. “Tofu” has always been famously attributed to the longevity of Japanese natives. In Nepal, a range of “Tofu” brands are now available in supermarkets, grocery stores, and vegetable markets in major cities. With its semi-cooked form, soft texture, and unique taste, it can be conveniently incorporated into a wide range of meals, like vegetable platters, curry, soups, fritters, or barbecues. It is time we endorse such nutritious products and integrate them into our regular meals.

Way forward

The essence of authentic food lies in its legacy. While adopting new food habits for convenience and a change of taste buds, the food heritage of the land should not be left behind. Soyabean, with its myriad of nutrients ingrained, is intertwined with Nepali culture. To preserve its worth, there is a need to enhance public awareness of the benefits of its consumption and the goodness of eating whole grains. 

At a challenging juncture where a wide array of tasty processed foods is well within reach, concerted effort from all stakeholders is needed so that upcoming generations can also savour the goodness of this valuable crop. A way forward is to integrate soybeans into our regular meals. With its bounty of nutrition, authentic taste, affordability, availability, and grain stability, regular consumption of soybean can go a long way in boosting nutritional health in Nepal.

(The author is a Food Technologist and can be contacted at monicakpg@yahoo.com).