Everything About Soy Milk In One Place

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Soy milk - a popular dairy alternative in the West - has long been consumed as a traditional breakfast drink in China, Japan and other parts of Asia. In many countries, people with lactose intolerance often choose soy milk, as do vegans and those who see it as a healthier version of cow's milk.

But the advertised health benefits of soy raise some questions. Soy is a common food allergen and many store-bought soy milk brands contain sugar, enhancers and other questionable additives.

What is soy milk?

The plant-based drink called soy milk, is prepared by boiling soy in water, then grinding and pressing to separate the insoluble fibers from the resulting liquid. Commercial soy milk varies from light to rich and sweet. Some brands use thickeners to add the creamy mouthfeel associated with full-fat dairy products.

Soy milk contains a similar amount of protein per serving, which makes it closer in nutrition to cow's milk than other plant-based milks, such as almond, rice and coconut.

How to use soy milk

Soy milk can be a substitute for cow's milk in coffee drinks, in cereals, for making yoghurt or ice cream, in smoothies and using a one-to-one ratio in pastries, although the taste and texture may not be exactly the same. If you use sweetened soy milk, you may need to adjust the sugar differently. For spicy dishes, sweetened soy milk usually works best and you will get a better result in dishes that do not rely on the creaminess of whole milk products.

Soy milk brands abound in grocery stores, but you can better control the ingredients if you make soy milk yourself.

What does soy milk taste like?

Fresh soy milk in Asia retains a remarkable bean flavor, but soy milk produced for Western markets loses some of it when pasteurized for long-term packaging; added sugars and other natural and artificial flavors further mask the taste of soy. Fans of soy milk describe the aroma as walnut or somewhat herbaceous.

Soy milk storage

Soy milk from the grocery store should be stored in the refrigerator, whether open or not; unopened soy milk in a stable package can be stored for a long time at room temperature, but when opened it must be cooled immediately. Use any open soy milk within eight to 10 days.

You can freeze soy milk so that it does not spoil, but this significantly impairs the quality. This procedure affects both taste and texture.

Nutritional value and health benefits of soy milk

Soy milk contains an average of 7 grams of protein per 1 serving, which puts it exactly on par with cow's milk. But one drawback of the use of soy milk as a substitute for cow's milk is the relatively low levels of calcium in soy. It contains about 1/4 of the calcium found in cow's milk.

Enriched brands have a comparable amount of calcium, but human bodies do not absorb enriched calcium as easily as natural.

Keep in mind that unless it is labeled as "unsweetened," store-bought soy milk most likely contains added sugar. Some brands of soy milk contain fillers such as carrageenan, an indigestible thickener, accused of causing inflammation in the digestive tract.

Advertising campaigns show the health benefits of cow's milk - it is high in protein, vitamin D and calcium and is a source of good fats. Fats provide energy and make you feel full long after eating them, which can help you lose weight.

Soy milk is naturally low in cholesterol-free saturated fat. In contrast, milk contains about 20 milligrams of cholesterol per cup. So for people with high cholesterol or certain types of heart problems, soy milk can be a smart alternative to cow's milk.

Myths about soy milk

Soy milk contains naturally occurring isoflavones or phytoestrogens, a plant-derived compound with "estrogenic activity" that mimics the effects of natural estrogen. Some studies have linked high phytoestrogen consumption to an increased risk of some cancers, but without conclusive evidence.