metaboliq
Soya bean nutrition, per serving and per 100 g
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 113 kcal | 377 kcal |
| Protein | 11.3 g | 37.8 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 3 g | 10.2 g |
| Dietary fibre | 6.8 g | 22.6 g |
| Fat | 5.8 g | 19.4 g |
Serving: 30 g dry soya beans, a small handful, weighed raw as IFCT reports it. IFCT 2017 food code B025, "Soybean, white (Glycine max)", the mean of 1 region sampled. IFCT does not report glycaemic index, so this page prints none.
The verdict on soya bean
Protein anchor
Build a meal around it: it brings at least 6 g of protein for every 100 kcal.
- 10 g of protein for every 100 kcal.
- One serving gives 11.3 g of the roughly 58 g of protein a day ICMR-NIN's RDA sets for a 70 kg adult.
- 6.8 g of fibre in a serving.
How soya bean fits a plan that loses fat and keeps muscle
IFCT 2017 gives white soya bean 37.8 g of protein per 100 g, well above any dal. It also carries 22.6 g of fibre and a fair amount of natural fat, so it is calorie-dense at 377 kcal per 100 g, and a measured handful goes a long way.
For a vegetarian who struggles to reach a protein target, soya is the strongest single lever: soaked and pressure-cooked soya beans in a curry, soya in a pulao, or tofu on some days. One serving gives 11.3 g of the roughly 58 g a day an average adult needs.
Soya bean in an Indian kitchen
Whole soya beans need an overnight soak and a long pressure-cook; most Indian kitchens use soya chunks or granules instead, which are made from defatted soya flour. Boil chunks for a few minutes, squeeze out the water, then add them to a pulao, a keema-style masala or a vegetable curry. Soya granules mix into atta for a higher-protein roti, or into a bhurji. Tofu, made from soya milk, takes on any masala and grills well on a tawa.
Pair it, or swap it
Soya bean curry with roti and sabzi, or a soya and vegetable pulao with curd, gives a high-protein vegetarian meal. Rotate soya with paneer and dals for variety.
Worth knowing
Soya chunks and soya granules have their own nutrition label because they are processed differently; read the packet rather than using these numbers. Soya beans need long soaking and full cooking.