Soy milk

From ArticleWorld


Soy Milk is a fluid similar to milk which is made from soybeans. It is also known as soya milk, soy drink, soybean milk, soymilk, soybean milk, or soy beverage. Traditionally, soy milk is a blend of water, oil and protein. It is made from the extracts of whole soybeans. It is white or off-white in color and its density is similar to that of cow’s milk.

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Origin

Soybean is known to have first been eaten in China. Japan later stated using soybean and its products for consumption purposes. Soybean milk or ‘vegetable milk’ was developed by a Chinese philosopher, Whi Nain Tze, who also developed Tofu in Japan.

Due to its increasing popularity in Western countries, cafes and restaurants have started offering soy milk as an alternative available at an extra cost. In USA, in addition to the unflavored milk, vanilla and chocolate flavors are very popular.

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Preparation

There are two main sources of soy milk – soybeans and full fat soy flour. Whole dry soybeans need to be soaked overnight for rehydration. These beans are then ground with water (wet grinding) to give the required consistency. The ratio of water to beans should ideally be 10 : 1. The fluid so obtained is then boiled to sterilize it and to improve its flavor as well as nutritional value. After 15 – 20 minutes of boiling, the residue called okara or soy pulp is removed. The Chinese method involves the soy milk being boiled after a cold filtration. The Japanese method, on the other hand, requires boiling first and then a hot filtration. An anti-foaming agent is used in the boiling process but the yield of final product is also significantly higher and hence preferred by the Japanese.

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Advantages

Drinking soy milk in place of cow’s milk is advocated for the following reasons :

  • It contains very little saturated fat
  • It contains less antibiotics, fat, cholesterol and hormones
  • Contains phytochemicals which help in cancer prevention
  • It can control the level of blood sugar and hence beneficial for diabetes patients
  • It does not contain casein
  • Jewish people are kosher and may consume it because it is pareve
  • It is safe for people who are allergic to cow’s milk or have lactose intolerance.


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Disadvantages

Soy milk has some negative aspects which are as follows :

  • It contains a lot of phytic acid
  • It contains hemagglutinin which causes the red blood cells to clump together. However, it is believed to be harmless unless soy milk is taken intravenously
  • The genetic modification involved in the process of preparing soy milk may cause lysinoalanine or even nitrosamines
  • It contains aluminum
  • It contains trypsin inhibitors
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Manufacturers

  • AGD So Natural
  • Moca Mix
  • Eden Foods
  • Alpro
  • SoyaWorld
  • Vitasoy
  • Yeo's
  • Kikkoman
  • Nutrisoya
  • Silk
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