Market Farming

[MaggsMD AT aol.com]

>>yes but they don't taste nearly as good as soybean bred specifically
>>for edamame.
>
>Isn't there also a substantial phyto-toxin issue with non-edamame
>beans? It scares me how many farmers I know who are serving up 'just
>any soy bean' as edamame when it's been my understanding that
>non-edamame beans need cooking in multiple changes of water to be
>'safe for humans.'

I'd be interested to know what makes you think that regular
soybeans need cooking in multiple changes of water to be
'safe for humans'.  This is something I've never heard
before and have some doubts about. 

A fast romp through Google on 'phytotoxin' and 'soybeans'
does not come up with any results that would indicate this
is the case. 

There's been a lot of dis/mis-information about soy
recently.

Dried soybeans do need long cooking, like other dried beans,
to be soft enough to eat.

Soymilk makers do not use multiple changes of water:
anyway, mine doesn't.  You soak the dried soybeans
overnight, then put the soaked beans and fresh water in the
machine (one change of water). 

The soymilk maker grinds the beans and cooks them, resulting
in soymilk and okara (the residue or lees).  In this case,
because it grinds the soaked beans finely as well as cooking
them, the soymilk process only takes about 15 minutes.

 

 

Pat,

 

I think Allan may have meant phytates, or phytic acid regarding the compounds contained in the hull of beans, seeds, and nuts.  "Phytates and soybeans" does come up on google.  For similar reasoning, we decided not grow fava beans for a CSA crop, but have decided to grow edamame. 

 

Margaret