What is soy protein?

Surely you have read or heard about the innumerable benefits of this grain from Southeast Asia, and its different ways of consuming it, however, lately a process has been taking place with this grain, called ''texturization''. Textured soy consists of modifying its physical structure so that when chewing it, we have the sensation of eating ground meat or chicken. It is a much more complex process, and one that continues to improve over the years. Currently we can find textured soybeans with coarse orfine grain, in pieces , slices , hydrated or dehydrated, with additional or natural flavors, etc. It is an ingredient widely used in vegan and vegetarian diets , it has an appearance reminiscent of cereal , with a lot of volume and little weight. Dehydrated presentations are generally available in flakes or pieces, which are made from flour and soy concentrates . Preserving dried vegetable protein is very easy, since it can remain for a long time in a dry place away from sunlight. The amount of water must be added to the soy for its hydration, more or less equivalent to two parts of liquid for each part of soy, once it is hydrated, it takes on the appearance of beige ground or minced meat, which resembles more to the ground chicken, so it can be stewed, baked, formed into hamburger-type fillets, added spices, flavorings, and endless options. There are countless recipes currently on the Internet to prepare textured soy, which gives us quite interesting options to vary the menu at home.

Discover this recipe to make the filling for dumplings with textured soy and vegetables

The properties and benefits of soy protein

Textured soy protein, which has at least 50% vegetable protein, is a favorite food for vegetarians or vegans, as it is generally the number one source of protein for their nutritional requirements. Provides vitamins A and B12, as well as potassium, iron and calcium , the latter two minerals help maintain bone health and energy level. Likewise, it is used by people who follow diets to lose weight , since it does not contain fatty acids because it is a plant source, it has a high nutritional value and provides satiety due to its fiber content. To have a clearer idea, 1/4 cup of dry textured vegetable protein provides 7 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of fiber and about 30gms of vegetable protein, without any fat content and only 80 calories, quite tempting. . . So here we have one of the main reasons why we have heard so much about textured soybeans.