Soy History
Where did Soybeans Originate?
Soybeans originated from China. Most Chinese scholars believe that the origin is the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. Research suggests that soybeans were domesticated by farmers around 1100 B.C. It has been cultivated in China since ancient times and has 5,000 years planting history. The first written record of soybean cultivation appeared in 2838 BC in the “Materia Medica”. Later, the soybean cultivation spread to Japan, Korea and throughout Southeast Asia (Illinois Soybean Checkoff Board Illinois Soybean Association, 2021). Soybeans are widely grown in China and the Yangtze River Basin and Southwest China are more cultivated, and the quality of soybeans in Northeast China are the best.
In 1765, colonist Samuel Bowen first introduced the soybean seed in North America- British colony of Georgia. It was introduced as “Chinese vetches”. (History of Soybean Management, 2021)
In 1804, Dr. James Mease began referring “soybean” in United States literature. He started promoting the soybean as an adaptable crop for Pennsylvania.
In 1879, two agricultural experiment stations in New Jersey harvested soybean crops using seeds from Europe. By 1889 several more agricultural experiment stations in the United States were working with Japanese soybean seeds.
In 1896, the well-known botanist and chemist George Washington Carver developed more than 300 soy by-products. With his contribution, it enabled soybeans for usage in North America for oil and meal.
By 1907 there were 23 varieties of the plant in the United States. Later in 1919, Soybean Pioneer William Morse helped established the American Soybean Association. He directed new and more helpful efforts in soybean research and experimentation. He gathered more than 2,000 soybean varieties from China and took the samples back to the U.S. for researchers to study.
In the mid-20th century, it became an important crop in the South and Midwest of the United States. Soybeans cultivated in various countries in the world. Due to its high nutritional value, it is known as the "King of Beans" and "Green Milk". It is the most respected food by nutritionists among hundreds of natural foods.
After World War II, soybean production shifted from the southern United States to central America. In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, the United States dominated soybean production, planting more than 75% of the world's soybean crop.
Today, the ancient soybean cultivated in China is beneficial for people throughout the world. It produces varieties of soy products that contribute to well-being.
An interesting fun fact to wrap up today’s blog about soy history is that during the Civil War, due to the scarce of the real coffee beans, soldiers used soybeans as coffee berries to brew coffee!
If you are interested in learning more about soy history, please visit American Soybean Association website for more information. Stay up to date with Superior Natural by scanning the QR code below to follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Stay healthy and stay tuned!
