Soybeans, the not so magical fruit.

Hearing the word soybean always brings the image of a large, pale-white cube of jiggle that is packed full of nutrients that does a body good. My first encounter of soybeans left me with this impression when I was a little toddler. I had no idea at the time that I had encountered soybeans long before meeting it in its curdled, cubed form. I have always viewed soybeans as a miracle crop that provides many essential nutrients that our body needs. I would drink soy milk or eat tofu thinking “That’s right body; I’m taking good care of you”. The only negative side effect (for me) that I would constantly hear from others is that I would grow breasts in which I would respond with a roll of the eyes. After reading chapter 7 and Patel’s two cents on soybeans, growing a cup size was the least of my worries. This “magical” fruit really is quite magical if used in the right way. In fact, the American heart association recommends eating at least 30-50 grams of soy protein a day (167). This bean is way more than just magical. It is borderline witchcraft. Being able to make chocolate easier to manufacture, store, ship, and keep it on shelves is a consequence I would never think would happen if soybeans were added to the mix. “The darker story, involving environmental destruction, murder and slavery is this: through the modern food system, through its monoculture and industrial production methods, one of the finest plants on the Earth has come to be a tyranny to those who grow it, and a mystery to those who eat it” (166), this is a quote that I never thought, though true, would be associated with soybeans. The path of the soybean industry weighed heavily on Brazil and its farmers, especially during times of World War I. Patel has shown me thus far that many everyday foods have history filled with blood, sweat, and tears with soybeans being no exception. Only after El Niño did soybeans play a positive role only because other substitute resources were scarce which made soybeans good business. “It was a perfect disaster” (181). Being a bio major, it interests me to see how the development of technology can be utilized to create new advancements for society. I myself have worked with soybean oil to produce biofuels through my years at Dominican University. Reading about how soybeans are grown, processed, and used really broadens my horizons on how the resources I use end up in my hands. Were the soybeans I used really worth the damaged it has caused for others? Will the research I’m doing benefit more then the suffering the soybean industry has caused? Patel has given me a lot to think about. He also gave soy milk a funny taste from now on.