Caption

Soya beans. Close-up of a collection of hundreds of soya beans. Soya beans (from the soya plant, Glycine max) are one of the very best dietary sources of protein, and have been cultivated for over 3000 years. They are also a good source of most of the B-complex vitamins, and the essential minerals iron and potassium. They can be prepared in a variety of ways, including tofu, which is a curd used as an alternative to meat.