A type of bean used in many food products that may have significant health benefits. In laboratory tests, a chemical in soybeans has been of benefit in limiting the growth of cancer cells. A number of studies in humans have demonstrated that soy protein lowers total cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol without lowering HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol.
This article describes the use of the term “soy” during the previous century, which didn’t necessarily imply the soybean or soy sauce itself. Rather, it referred to a type of sauce or ketchup, as seen in recipes for “green tomato soy” and “ripe tomato soy,” both of which called for a highly spiced sauce that contained tomatoes and vinegar. In Victorian England, a commercially popular ketchup or sauce that went by the name Soy, was black and sweet in taste. Although it was likely made using soybeans, a more affordable variant was supposedly composed of molasses that was saturated with salt.