Climate change and deforestation are not the only problems caused by the soy industry.

Fields are sprayed with huge amounts of pesticides. Since the early 1990s, pesticide use has increased by more than 170% in both Argentina and Brazil.

These chemicals kill other plants and insects, pollute water and cause health problems for farm workers and not only…health problems to people who eat mainly vegetables from such regions.

To prevent catastrophic climate change and stop the continued extinction of life on our planet, we must stop the soy industry from gobbling up more forests. One possibility for this is to turn to its forgotten alternatives and such a culture.

The White, Yellow and narrow-leaved lupine are native to Europe and can become real alternatives to soybeans, given their increased and high-quality protein content, potential health benefits, suitability for sustainable production and also easy acceptability.

Translated from Latin "Lupus" means "wolf", and the plant itself is sometimes called "wolf bean".

Different representatives of the plants are common in nature in two main regions: 11 annual and one perennial kind of lupine grow in the Mediterranean-African region, and about 200 species of lupine grow in the Western Hemisphere, in the territory from Patagonia to Alaska and from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

In 1911, the English breeder George Russell created many decorative types of lupine, which are called "Russell hybrids", and today they are one of the most popular decorations of gardens and parks.

The history of lupine domestication spans more than 4,000 years. Although the development processes of lupine in the Mediterranean and the Americas are different.

The earliest archaeological evidence of lupine cultivation refers to the XII dynasty of the Egyptian pharaohs (over 2000 years BC).

Seeds of Lupinus digitatus Forsk., already domesticated at that time, were found in the pharaohs tombs.

Remains of a pod and 7 seeds of this species were also found in the tombs of this dynasty, dated to the 22nd century BC. They are the oldest evidence of lupine cultivation in the Mediterranean.

Until now, in many countries of the world lupine seeds - boiled or soaked in water - are sold in markets and bars as delicacies (like sunflower seeds). The use of white lupine was probably the same in Ancient Greece.

From the rich variety of lupine on the Balkan Peninsula, the ancient Greeks apparently chose the wild-growing form of white lupine, with white large seeds and bright flowers. Other cultivated plants have also been selected and domesticated, mainly according to the same characteristics. In view of this, it is possible to consider the Balkan Peninsula as the main center of origin of the white lupine.

Lupine is cooked like other bean dishes, but with a slight difference in preparation.

Only the fruits of the plant are consumed, and they must be thermally processed. It is necessary to boil the beans several times and change the water so that the bitter taste can disappear.

The bitterness is due to the large amount of alkaloids, so they need to be removed.

Do not 🚫 consume in raw form under any circumstances.

Medicinal properties are mainly found in the white Lupine, which have been proven by many scientific studies.

The plant reduces cholesterol levels and serves as a prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

The seeds of the white variety stimulate the production of collagen, which is necessary for young skin and strong bones.

Lupine seed extract also rejuvenates the skin and corrects facial contours when used in cosmetics.

As useful as lupine is, it can also be dangerous if you don't know what to do with it.

The alkaloids contained in it can cause poisoning, so they must be removed by heat treatment, as already mentioned.

After boiling and replacing the water, until the bitter taste disappears, the lupin becomes edible.

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A. A.

Stob, Bulgaria