I've always heard that all kinds of beans are very nutritious. But I found that in the new version of the Dietary Pagoda, soybeans have been separated from the bean category and placed on the same level as meat, eggs, and dairy, while mung beans, red beans, etc., are classified with staple foods. Could the nutritional differences between these beans be that significant? Can different beans be used interchangeably?
Zhai Fengying, Secretary-General of the Chinese Nutrition Society: As this reader mentioned, in the previous Dietary Pagoda, all beans were grouped together. However, in this revision, soybeans have received special treatment. This is because beans like mung beans, red beans, and kidney beans contain more starch, and their nutritional composition is more similar to the staple foods we eat daily, such as rice and flour. Nutrition emphasizes a balance of refined and coarse grains, and both coarse grains and miscellaneous beans should be part of our meals. Soaking the beans a day in advance and adding them to congee or rice is an excellent way to prepare them.
On the other hand, soybeans possess many "characteristics" of meat. The protein content in dried beans exceeds 30%, and like the protein in meat, it is high-quality protein, which is beneficial for the body's digestion, absorption, and utilization.
Furthermore, the fats contained in beans are all unsaturated, which compensates for the drawback of excessive saturated fat in meat. Beans and bean products also contain dietary fiber, phospholipids that promote brain development, soy isoflavones that can alleviate menopausal symptoms, and a wealth of B vitamins.
Bean products, except for soy milk, are also very high in calcium. In addition to the calcium naturally present in beans, processing methods like coagulation also contribute to the calcium content in bean products. 100 ml of milk contains 100 mg of calcium, while 100 grams of soybeans contain 191 mg of calcium. In 100 grams of southern tofu, northern tofu, and tofu shreds, the calcium content is 116 mg, 138 mg, and 204 mg, respectively. Knowing these little-known benefits of beans, start adding a tofu dish to your table every day from today!