“Soybeans are the Meat of the Fields”
The soybean, the raw ingredient used in the making of tofu, is attracting more and more attention in recent years as a source of vegetable protein. The phrase “Tofu is the meat of the fields” was coined by the Austrian scientist Professor Friedrich Haberlandt. When the composition of soybeans exhibited by Japan and China during the Vienna World Exposition of 1873 was analyzed, western scientists of the time were astounded to discover a plant that rivaled meat in protein content.
So, let’s compare nutrients in soybeans and meats.
100g of soybeans contains 35.3g of protein; easily top of the class in the plant kingdom. 100g of cotton (momen) tofu contains 6.6g, so 1-Cho of tofu (about 300g) contains 19.8g. 1-Cho is the standard commercial unit for tofu.
Meanwhile, protein in comparable animal products is 20.7g for horse mackerel, 19.3g for pork and 16g for beef. Looking at this data, it is easy to see that the soybean is a protein rich food.
| Amino Acid Score |
| 100 |
Horse mackerel/Sardines/
Mackerel/Salmon |
| 100 |
Beef/Pork/Chicken |
| 100 |
Milk/Eggs |
| 86 |
Soybean |
| 80 |
Wheat germ |
| 65 |
Polished white rice |
An important measure of the quality of the protein is a well balanced amino acid content. In soybeans, this essential amino acid balance is very good and can be utilized efficiently within the body.
The daily protein requirement for an adult is between 55-70g. Ideally, tofu, the signature soybean product, should be consumed at a rate of about half 1-Cho per day.
