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There is a saying, “Beans are the beef of the field.” This means that beans are rich in protein. Because of this, beans are often mentioned on lists of healthy foods, with black soybeans being particularly popular. However, when trying to buy black soybeans, it can be confusing due to the various names used for them. There are many similar but different names, such as black soybeans, Heuktae, Seoritdae, and Seomoktae. So, let’s first look at these four names.
What Are Black Soybeans?
First, the term “black soybean” does not refer to a specific type of soybean, but rather it is a general name for all soybeans with black-colored skins. Just as we refer to yellow flowers as “yellow flowers,” black-skinned soybeans are called “black soybeans,” and in Chinese characters, they are written as “黑大豆” (black soybean). In other words, “black soybean” (黑大豆) refers to all soybeans with black skins.
There are three types of black soybeans (黑大豆): Heuktae, Seoritae, and Seomoktae. A simple way to distinguish them is by size. Comparing the three, the one with the largest seed is “Heuktae,” followed by “Seoritae,” and the smallest is “Seomoktae.” If the soybean has black skin and a small seed, it is called “Seomoktae,” and it resembles a mouse’s eye, which is why it is also called “Mouse Eye Bean” and written as “鼠目太” in Chinese characters. It is also used as an herbal medicine, earning the name “herbal bean.” When you peel Seomoktae, its inner color is close to light green.
Now, let’s look at how to distinguish between “Heuktae” and “Seoritae.” Both soybeans have black skins, but once peeled, it becomes easy to tell them apart. “Heuktae” has a yellowish inner color, while “Seoritae” has an inner color closer to light green, like Seomoktae. The name “Seoritae” is related to “Seomoktae,” where “Seo” does not refer to a mouse, but rather refers to beans harvested after being exposed to frost in late autumn.
Simple Ways to Distinguish
There are three types of black soybeans (black beans, 黑大豆): Heuktae, Seoritae, and Seomoktae.
- If the skin is black, the seed is small, and the inside is green, it is Seomoktae.
- If the skin is black and the seed is large, peel it. If the inside is green, it is Seoritae; if it is yellow, it is Heuktae.
Recently, black soybeans have become popular. This is due to their rich nutritional content and excellent health benefits.
Nutritional Information
It Is Rich in Protein
Soybeans are well-known as a source of protein, and black soybeans are no exception. As the saying goes, “Soybeans are the beef of the field,” 100g of black soybeans contains about 43% of the recommended daily protein intake.
Protein is a fundamental component of our body, playing an essential role in cell growth and maintenance, as well as in various physiological processes. Additionally, protein serves as an energy source, plays a key role in muscle building, and is necessary for keeping the body healthy and energized. While meat also provides protein, it often contains unhealthy fats. On the other hand, consuming protein from soybeans offers the added benefit of healthy fatty acids.
It Is Rich in Dietary Fiber
Soybeans are a representative food that is rich in dietary fiber, containing about 60% of the recommended daily intake of fiber per 100g. Dietary fiber plays various important roles in our body and helps maintain overall health.
It Is Rich in B Vitamins and Vitamin K
100g of black soybeans contains various B vitamins. Thiamine makes up about 60% of the recommended daily intake, riboflavin 11%, niacin 10%, pyridoxine 14%, pantothenic acid 9%, and folate about 110%. B vitamins play a crucial role in cell metabolism. Additionally, black soybeans are also rich in vitamin K, providing about 30% of the recommended daily intake per 100g. Furthermore, vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant, is included at about 1% of the recommended daily intake.
It Is Rich in Fatty Acids
Black soybeans contain a variety of fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid, which is converted into omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids support our body’s health in several ways.
It Is Rich in Various Minerals
Soybeans are a food rich in minerals. Consuming 100g of black soybeans provides about 12% of the daily recommended calcium, 28% of iron, 43% of magnesium, 35% of phosphorus, and 42% of potassium. Additionally, it provides 24% of zinc, 110% of copper, 53% of manganese, and 5% of selenium, all of which play important roles in maintaining our health.
It Is Rich in Antioxidant Components
Legumes generally contain similar nutritional components, but black soybeans have additional special antioxidant elements. One of these is flavonoids and soyasaponins. Flavonoids are compounds that serve as pigments in plants, and they act as antioxidants by fighting free radicals, preventing diseases, and slowing down aging. Saponins are bitter compounds that also function as antioxidants.
Additionally, due to its unique color, black soybeans contain higher concentrations of anthocyanins, such as delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin, compared to other legumes. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the antioxidant content of black soybeans (ORAC value) is 8,494, which is much higher than that of blueberries, which have a value of 4,669.
Black Soybean Benefits
It Supports Cardiovascular Health
Black soybeans contain several components that contribute to cardiovascular health. The flavonoids in soybeans promote lipid metabolism, stabilize cholesterol levels, and reduce inflammation, all of which help support cardiovascular health. Additionally, soybeans are rich in dietary fiber, which plays an important role in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Furthermore, black soybeans contain a high amount of alpha-linolenic acid, which is converted into omega-3 fatty acids, making them effective in lowering cholesterol and blood fat levels.
Cholesterol is an essential component in the body, but excess amounts can be harmful to health. Specifically, LDL cholesterol can build up on blood vessel walls, obstruct blood flow, raise blood pressure, and potentially lead to serious issues like heart attacks or strokes. Black soybeans are also rich in vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin B9 (folate), both of which help lower blood homocysteine levels, further supporting cardiovascular health.
It Regulates Blood Sugar Levels
Several studies have shown that soybeans help regulate blood sugar levels. Black soybeans are rich in dietary fiber and are a low glycemic load food. The soluble dietary fiber they contain not only helps lower cholesterol levels but is also effective in reducing blood sugar levels. Additionally, black soybeans are a low glycemic load food, which helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Due to these properties, consuming soybeans is recommended as part of a diet that supports diabetes management.
A study conducted at the University of Toronto in Canada divided diabetic patients into two groups. One group consumed one cup of soybeans daily for three months, while the other group consumed wheat. The results showed that the group consuming soybeans had lower blood sugar levels than the group consuming wheat.
It Supports Digestion and Gut Health
Dietary fiber plays an important role in digestion and gut health. This is mainly due to the action of insoluble dietary fiber, which does not break down during digestion. Instead, it helps to draw out waste from the body, promoting its elimination, and serves as food for beneficial bacteria in the gut, supporting gut health. These types of foods are known as prebiotic foods, and soybeans fall into this category. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in prebiotic foods, along with probiotics.
It Strengthens Bone Health
Black soybeans are rich in essential components for bone health, such as calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K. Consuming 100g of black soybeans provides about 12% of the daily recommended intake of calcium, 43% of magnesium, and 7% of vitamin K. As we age, it becomes increasingly important to focus on bone health, and women, in particular, need to be more cautious as they are at higher risk for osteoporosis compared to men.
It Prevents Congenital Deficiencies
Black soybeans are rich in folate, an essential nutrient for women of reproductive age. Folate plays a crucial role in preventing congenital defects in the fetus, such as cleft palate.
100g of black soybeans contains 110% of the recommended daily intake of folate. There is no need to worry about consuming too much folate, as it is a water-soluble vitamin. Excess folate, like other B vitamins, is not stored in the body and is naturally excreted. Therefore, it is important to consistently consume B vitamins and vitamin C through diet.
It Promotes Metabolism
Black soybeans are rich in various components that activate metabolism, including magnesium and B vitamins. Magnesium is known to play over 350 different roles in the body, while B vitamins are essential for metabolism, supporting digestion, nervous system health, skin cell maintenance, and hormone secretion. Black soybeans are particularly rich in various B vitamins, such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, and folate.
It Promotes Mental Health and Prevents Dementia
Magnesium has a positive effect on mental health by helping to control stress and anger, as well as alleviating migraines. Additionally, folate is a vitamin that plays an important role in brain function and is effective in relieving symptoms of depression and preventing dementia.
It May Help with Weight Management
Black soybeans, rich in dietary fiber, can be effective for weight loss diets. Additionally, black soybeans are high in protein and fatty acids, which help maintain a feeling of fullness for a long time, suppressing food intake and providing energy for physical activity. Due to their various benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels, they can be a good choice for weight management.
It Promotes Detoxification
Black soybeans contain several components that help with detoxification. Potassium is effective in removing cellular waste products like sodium, lowering blood pressure, and helping reduce cellulite. Additionally, their rich antioxidant content plays a role in eliminating toxic substances that cause inflammation.
It Has Anticancer Effects
Beans contain various antioxidant components, and in addition to flavonoids, they are rich in minerals like magnesium, manganese, zinc, and selenium, which assist with antioxidant activity. In particular, black soybeans contain a large amount of anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant, compared to other beans. Antioxidants prevent cell mutations caused by free radicals, help recover damaged cells, and effectively counteract aging and skin damage from UV rays. Malignant tumors are also one of these altered cells.
Black Soybean Recipes
The beans that look like black soybeans but turn light green when their skin is removed are called “seoritae.” They have a richer, nuttier flavor than white beans and, with their beautiful color, can stimulate the appetite.
Ingredients: 2 cups of seoritae, a pinch of salt
How to Make Seoritae Bean Broth:
- Soak the seoritae beans for about 3 hours. Add enough water to prevent it from running out.
- Put the soaked beans into a pot and add enough water to cover the beans.
- Cover with a lid and cook on medium heat. Once it starts to boil, turn off the heat and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Avoid opening the lid while it boils, as this can cause a bean odor, and boiling for too long can reduce the nutty flavor. If using a glass lid, you’ll notice foam rising up. If it looks like the foam will touch the lid, turn off the heat and wait for about 10 minutes. This method will help create a more flavorful bean broth.
- After cooking the beans, place them in cold water and rub them gently with your hands. The skins will float up and can be easily removed by pouring the water out. Repeat this process several times to clean the beans thoroughly. If you grind the skins together with the beans, the color will not be as appealing and the texture will be less smooth.
- After peeling the beans, place them in a blender with a 1:1 ratio of beans to water and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture and add a pinch of salt to make the rich seoritae bean broth. Store the broth in a bottle in the refrigerator, and you can drink it as a nutritious beverage instead of water.
How to Make Seoritae Bean Noodles:
- Pour the strained bean broth over cooked noodles and top with thinly sliced cucumber.
- If you want a refreshing dish to cool off during the summer, add a few ice cubes for a cold treat.
Seoritae Bean Paste Stew:
The remaining bean solids are called “bean paste.” The bean broth can be used on its own, while the paste can be used in other dishes.
- Prepare some sour kimchi and chop the pork into small pieces, then fry in oil.
- Add one cup of water and bring to a boil.
- Once it starts to boil, add the bean paste and simmer over low heat.
- Stir well and add chopped green onions and garlic, seasoning with salt. Let it simmer for about 5 more minutes, and the delicious seoritae bean paste stew will be ready.
Precautions
Beans have long been considered a safe food on our tables, but their suitability may vary depending on individual health conditions.
Beans contain toxic substances such as purines and phytohemagglutinins, so they must always be cooked before consumption. While black soybeans have lower levels of these substances compared to kidney beans, caution is still necessary. Additionally, the dietary fiber in beans may cause digestive issues, and isoflavones can act like female hormones, which may be problematic in some cases. If saponins are an issue, soaking and cooking the beans thoroughly can help remove much of it. However, this can vary depending on individual health and the amount consumed, so excessive intake should be avoided.
This information is not medical advice but general reference material. If you have specific health concerns, are taking medication, are pregnant, or have allergies, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional.
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