Soy milk benefits and harms, benefits, calorie content and composition

Soy milk as a food product

Is soy milk healthy?
The drink is a white liquid of plant origin, prepared from soybeans. In its appearance, consistency and taste, it resembles cow's milk.

It is prepared by soaking the beans, then rubbing them, filtering and bringing the resulting composition to a boil. Opinions about the properties of this drink are extremely contradictory.

It is worth understanding what the benefits and harms of soy milk are, what are its advantages over analogues of animal origin, and what contraindications exist for its use.

How to make soy milk at home

Soy milk can serve as an alternative to traditional forms of milk. Despite the fact that the product has nothing to do with cow's or goat's milk, the finished dishes have a similar taste.

Soy milk recipe

Natural soy milk without preservatives, dyes, flavors, or sugars can be used as an ingredient in cooking or cosmetic purposes. A product prepared with your own hands will give you confidence in the composition.

Components that will need to be prepared and measured in advance:

soybeans/two hundred grams;
water/one liter.

Manufacturing instructions:

Combine soybeans with water and leave for six to twelve hours. The water should be changed every two hours. This will help avoid saturating the milk with extraneous flavors. The husks that fall on top should be removed.
After the specified time period, the culture will increase in size; it must be washed well with water before the next stage.
Place the resulting mass in a blender container, add water so that it covers the surface of the soybeans.
Place the puree mass in a heat-resistant bowl and put on fire, bring to a boil, cook for twenty-five minutes, eliminating any foam that forms.
Place several layers of gauze on the neck of a liter or two-liter container, pass the resulting mass through the gauze, and squeeze it out.
The yield is six hundred milliliters, the storage time in a dark place protected from sunlight is 72 hours.

Pancakes with soy milk

Benefits of soy milk over “real” animal milk

The greatest advantage of the drink is the presence of isoflavones. These substances are very similar in functionality to estrogen. Thanks to this, the drink is a preventative against cancer, heart pathologies, and osteoporosis.

The greatest benefit of soy milk is the presence of isoflavones

It also has other advantages compared to analogues of animal origin.

Easy to digest

Lecithin, which is part of the composition, has a beneficial effect on metabolism, which accelerates metabolic processes. Thanks to this, the plant liquid is easily absorbed without causing any complications.

No cholesterol, lactose

The drink contains no lactose, as well as harmful cholesterol, which settles on the walls of blood vessels and interferes with blood flow.

Although its fat content is 2% higher than that of cow milk. The vegetable liquid is produced on the basis of beans, and the concentration of saturated fats in its composition is 9 times less.

It also contains polyunsaturated fatty acids with a concentration 10 times higher than that of animal analogues.

Regular consumption of soy milk helps reduce cholesterol levels by 25%. People with cardiovascular diseases are recommended to introduce this drink into their diet.

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Low calorie

The calorie content of the product is 1.5-2 times lower compared to cow's milk. Therefore, it is recommended for people who are overweight, as well as as part of comprehensive diets for weight loss.

This is due to the fact that vegetable fats are not deposited in the subcutaneous layer, but are converted into energy. Regular consumption of soy milk allows you to quickly restore lost strength and feel constantly energetic.

Benefits of soy milk

The main useful quality of this product is that it saturates the body with the necessary proteins. After all, soy protein is practically not inferior to meat protein.

It contains 8 amino acids that enhance the synthesis of enzymes that normalize metabolism at the cellular level, stimulate brain function and strengthen the immune system.

Main useful qualities:

helps cleanse the intestines and also improves peristalsis;
slows down the aging process;
strengthens the walls of blood vessels and improves their elasticity;
stabilizes the functioning of the nervous system;
prevents fat accumulation;
restores muscle tissue and strengthens bone tissue;
improves oxygen access at the cellular level;
prevents the development of depression;
replenishes energy reserves;
stabilizes sleep, balances emotional state.

For women

The beneficial qualities for the female body are due to the phytoestrogens, isoflavones and vitamin E included in the composition.

Phytoestrogens are very similar in quality to female sex hormones. Regular use of the product throughout the entire period of menopause helps reduce discomfort. Phytoestrogens will replenish the existing estrogen deficiency, so the woman will feel hot flashes, general malaise, and fever to a lesser extent.

Isoflavones reduce the likelihood of developing breast cancer , and also prevent the appearance of malignant tumors in the reproductive organs.

Isoflavones reduce the likelihood of developing breast cancer

Vitamin E helps restore the structure of nails and hair, helps restore the skin to its former elasticity and smoothes out fine wrinkles.

When used as part of cosmetic masks, a protective film is created on the skin, preventing the negative effects of external factors. As a result, epidermal cells retain their moisture, which significantly slows down the aging process.

For men

There is some controversy regarding the benefits for men's health. But all opinions agree on one thing: the product has a beneficial effect if you have problems with excess weight, which is achieved by stabilizing hormonal levels.

But teenagers and non-obese men should avoid introducing it into their diet, as the product can negatively affect hormonal levels and the functioning of the reproductive organs.

Benefits for weight loss

The product helps to quickly saturate the body, so nutritionists recommend drinking it for weight loss. By consuming it between meals, as well as replacing snacks with it, you can achieve the desired result without feeling hungry.

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At the same time, the body receives the necessary substances in sufficient quantities with a minimum calorie content, since all components are in an accessible and easily digestible form.

To make weight loss enjoyable, it is recommended to prepare special cocktails.

Options for combining additional components with soy milk:

lemon, kiwi, parsley, honey, mint;
red pepper, cinnamon, ginger;
pineapple, grapefruit.

To prepare the drink, you should mix the proposed ingredients and beat thoroughly with a blender. You should drink the resulting product before breakfast, as well as between lunch and dinner. You can dilute your diet with vegetable tofu cheese.

By following this regimen, you can get rid of 3-5 kg within 30 days. You can improve your results by adding physical exercise.

Is it possible while breastfeeding?

The presence of phytoestrogens in the composition can negatively affect the quality of breast milk. It is not recommended to use the product during breastfeeding.

The presence of phytoestrogens in the composition can negatively affect the quality of breast milk

Also, the content of isoflavones can cause hormonal imbalance in the mother’s body, which is unacceptable during the recovery period after childbirth.

For children

The product can be given to children over 5 years of age. The high protein content helps meet the growing body's need for this component.

But it is recommended to use vegetable liquid for children enriched with calcium: this combination will strengthen bone tissue and contribute to the full development of the child.

Benefits and harms for the human body

The filtrate from soybeans soaked in water and pureed has an ambiguous effect on the human body. The complete absence of certain substances can have a positive effect on some groups of people and leave a negative imprint on others. The product should be used with caution, in compliance with standards and recommendations, and preferably after consultation with a specialist. The positive aspects are expressed by the following effects:

rejuvenating thanks to the antioxidants present in the chemical composition;
prevention of certain cancer diseases;
stabilization of blood lipid profile;
improvement of blood vessels due to the polyunsaturated fatty acids contained;
preventing the occurrence of osteoporosis.

Negative effects in the form of:

metabolic and hormonal disorders due to the high content of phytoestrogens;
Isoflavones, useful during menopause, can cause early menstruation in childhood;
impaired function of the endocrine system in men who are not overweight;
mineral deficiency;
early birth or early miscarriage during pregnancy

Do not rush into panic and draw conclusions about the obvious negative impact of the product. When consuming moderate quantities and strictly observing contraindications, the positive effect will not take long.

The influence of the origin of the product on its properties

The growing conditions for soybeans, which are used in the production of the drink, significantly affect the quality of the final product.

Often, producers primarily use genetically modified crops. How dangerous this is to human health and what risks it carries is still unknown.

Studies have not been able to reveal the impact of such crops on human health. There is an opinion that they reduce human immunity and provoke the development of allergies.

Also alarming is the ability of soy to absorb dangerous chemical compounds from the environment, such as mercury and lead. If the cultivation of a crop was carried out with disregard for environmental standards, then its benefits are very doubtful.

Powdered vegetable milk will be useful if no chemical additives were used during its preparation. In this case, it retains all its beneficial properties. But often it contains substances that prevent the powder from clumping into clumps, which negatively affects the quality.

Soy milk during pregnancy and breastfeeding

There are no categorical prohibitions on soy for pregnant and lactating women. But there is a group of factors in the presence of which it is better to refuse the product. Thus, it is undesirable to drink soy milk if you have hypotension and a tendency to low blood pressure. If you are allergic to other legume products.

Advice! You should not drink milk in large quantities or eat soy products if the level of calcium in the body is low.

When breastfeeding, soy milk will be useful if the child is allergic to cow's milk protein. A woman can replace dairy products with soy, but also in small quantities, so as not to cause allergies and colic in the baby.

Application in cosmetology

Many cosmetic brands use this product in the production of cosmetics that slow down the aging process of the skin. The antioxidant property can also be used at home. The easiest option is to wipe clean skin. The procedure improves nutrition at the cellular level and restores the tone of the epidermis.

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To eliminate facial wrinkles and give the skin freshness, it is recommended to use masks. For oily skin - with the addition of vegetables and fruits, and for dry and sensitive skin - with vegetable oil.

Application

Soy milk is widely used in the industrial production of flour products. It is added to many foods. This milk makes excellent fermented milk drinks, yoghurts, cheeses, and curds. You can prepare many dishes from soy milk at home, for example, pancakes, smoothies, homemade yogurt. It is an excellent raw material for baking. In eastern countries, a thick broth is prepared based on this product and served in the most famous restaurants. In European cuisine, soy milk serves as the basis for many sauces, cheese fillings, dessert creams and confectionery masterpieces.

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Chemical composition

This product has a very diverse chemical composition.

It contains the following substances:

Category	What is included
Vitamins	Groups B, RR, E, K
Essential amino acids	Valine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine, leucine, threonine
Macronutrients	Potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium
Macronutrients	Copper, iron, manganese, zinc

The structure of soy proteins is very similar to animal proteins. Therefore, soy products are present in the diet of vegetarians.

Which plant milk is better?

If you don’t get hung up on the origin and don’t try to replace cow’s with it, then you can say with confidence: each type is good in its own way. You just need to decide for yourself what effect you want to get from the product.

The main purpose of almond milk is to improve recipes for milk-containing dishes. It is added to baked goods, cereals, cocktails, and coffee. Oatmeal contains beta-glucan, which nourishes the intestinal microflora and maintains a feeling of fullness. It is preferable for athletes and those losing weight.

Coconut is the most beneficial in its composition. Caprylic acid supports the digestive and reproductive systems and fights fungi. It contains 24 amino acids, vitamins of all groups (except D) and many microelements. A good choice for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Rice is a suitable option for those on a gluten-free diet. It is safe for diabetics, allergy sufferers and people with diseases of the central nervous system.