The prevalence of many common cancers (bladder, breast, colorectal, lymphoma, prostate and oral cancers) is two to 10 times lower in Japan than in North America or Western Europe, gizmag.com reported. The medical profession suggests that a significant portion of this reduction is associated with the importance of soybeans in Japanese diets.
A small protein found in the soybean hull -- the Bowman-Birk Protease Inhibitor (BBI) -- has demonstrated strong anticancer treatment properties, but has been very expensive to extract (approximately $2,000 per gram) due to the complex process developed during its discovery in 1963. The scientists at the University of Missouri, however, have invented a green procedure for extracting BBI from soybean hulls -- soak them in water at 122ºF for about four hours. This naturally releases large amounts of BBI that can easily be harvested from the water.
