Description of soy milk, calorie content, beneficial features and contraindications for use. Is it possible to cook the product yourself, in what dishes is it introduced? Interesting Facts about the popular drink that almost drove cow's milk out of the market.
The content of the article:
Soy milk is a beverage made from the fruit of a herbaceous annual plant in the legume family. Mature beans are so high in protein that they can be considered a meat substitute in vegetarian diets. Milk is considered an alternative to cow's milk. The special value of the drink is that it can be used to feed children suffering from lactase deficiency.
The composition and calorie content of soy milk
The nutritional value of the product purchased in the store is indicated on the package. If the drink was prepared at home, then you will have to calculate everything yourself.
Caloric content of soy milk - 45-54 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 2.3-2.94 g;
- Fats - 1.8-1.99 g;
- Carbohydrates - 3.05-5.7 g.
- Dietary fiber - 0.4 g;
- Water - 85.6 g;
- Ash - 0.64 g.
- Vitamin B2 - 0.210 mg;
- Vitamin E - 0.11 mg;
- Vitamin D - 1 mcg;
- Vitamin B1 - 0.03 mg;
- Vitamin B4 - 23.6 mg;
- Vitamin B6 - 0.03 mg;
- Vitamin PP - 0.43 mg;
- Vitamin B9 - 9 mcg;
- Vitamin B5 - 0.1 mg;
- Vitamin K - 3 mcg;
- Vitamin A - 55 mcg.
- Sodium - 51 mg;
- Potassium - 118 mg;
- Calcium - 25 mg;
- Iron - 0.44 mg;
- Phosphorus - 62 mg;
- Magnesium - 25 mg;
- Copper - 0.17 mg;
- Selenium - 2.3 mcg;
- Zinc - 0.26 mg.
Also found here isoflavones- substances similar in structure to the human hormone estrogen. These include: glycitein, genistein, diaidzin, daidzein, and coumestrol. But most of all genistein. This phytohormone stops the malignancy of already formed neoplasms and prevents the appearance of new atypical cells.
The amino acid composition is extremely rich and is represented by almost all substances necessary for normal life, including glycine, arginine, alanine, serine, aspartic and glutamic acid.
Useful properties of soy milk
If you include dishes with soy milk in the daily menu at least 3 times a week, you should not worry about extra pounds “sticking”. But this is not the only plus of an animal drink substitute.
Benefits of soy milk for the body:
- Cleans blood vessels from cholesterol deposits, makes the walls stronger and more elastic. Eliminates spasms, prevents headaches and intestinal colic.
- Isolates free radicals circulating in the bloodstream and stimulates elimination in a natural way.
- Accelerates lipid metabolism, prevents the formation of a new fat layer and gives impetus to the dissolution of already deposited.
- Introducing a soy product into the diet of men who are at risk for prostate and breast cancer helps to stop the development of inflammatory processes.
- In women, it suppresses the degeneration of fibrocystic mastopathy into a malignant form.
- Stops osteoporosis - calcium from plant foods is much easier to absorb.
- Improves the quality of skin, hair and nails, prevents the appearance of age-related changes.
- Increases immune status and suppresses allergic reactions.
- It stops anemia, the development of neurosis and depression, restores the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- Strengthens muscle fibers.
And yet, soy milk is most useful for women. Eliminates menstrual pain and symptoms of discomfort during menopause, normalizes the cycle and helps get rid of dizziness.
It is very important that the beneficial properties are preserved after heat treatment.
Contraindications and harm of soy milk
Individual tolerance may develop to soy protein, although less frequently than to cow's milk. Nutritionists are still debating whether soy milk can harm the body. Some doctors recommend using it at least 3-4 times a week in pure form and as an ingredient in dishes, another believes that once a month is enough.
Abuse can cause:
- Disruptions in the endocrine system;
- An increase in goiter and a violation of the production of thyroid hormones;
- Deterioration of sperm quality due to prostate dysfunction.
- The presence of neoplasms that increase with the production of estrogens - that is, women with fibroids and fibroids should not get carried away with soy milk;
- Oncological diseases, regardless of stage;
- Pregnancy and lactation - hormonal changes can have Negative influence for the development of the body.
Infants receive a complex of hormones along with mother's milk, so additional administration to the body can provoke disorders nervous system.
Increasing the amount of soy in the diet is undesirable due to the high amount of phytic acid. It disrupts the absorption of minerals - zinc, calcium, iron and magnesium, linking them together at the molecular level. “Artificial” children, with which soy milk concentrate replaces cow's milk, replenish the body's reserve thanks to additional elements in the composition. Adults often neglect the introduction of vitamin-mineral complexes into the body, and therefore metabolic processes are slowing down.
Despite the high amount of protein in the composition, soy milk cannot completely replace cow or goat milk. Children get the B12 they need for development from meat, and vegetarians do not have this opportunity.
How to prepare soy milk?
Soy milk can be purchased ready-made or you can make your own. The beans are crushed by soaking in cold water for a day. Then the liquid is filtered, and the softened fruits are interrupted in a blender or crushed, passing through a meat grinder several times.
To get 3% fat content of soy milk at home (it is this cow's milk that is most popular), adhere to such proportions between water and soy - 7 to 1.
Water is added little by little. Liquid soy porridge is left to infuse for 3-4 hours, adding salt. Quite a bit is enough. Then the container is set on a slow fire so that it boils and boils a little.
After 30 minutes, the pan is removed from the heat, allowed to cool, and then filtered through gauze folded in several layers. Homemade soy milk is ready.
Do not throw out the remaining thick. This is very useful product- Okara. It is high in protein and fiber. Okara is added to salads or eaten after drying to enrich the body with vitamins and minerals.
Recipes of dishes and drinks with soy milk
This product is widely used in the cuisines of the peoples of the world in various directions, but more often it is prepared by chefs in Asia. Soy milk is drunk like ordinary cow's milk, added to coffee and teas, porridge is boiled on it, puddings and desserts are baked, yogurts are prepared.
Taste matches:
- With sweet fruits and berries - guava, figs, apples, bananas, strawberries and strawberries, raspberries;
- Dried fruits of all kinds - dried apricots, prunes, dates and so on;
- With nuts - pine nuts, cashews, pistachios, walnuts.
Recipes with soy milk delicious dishes:
- Fritters. The dough is kneaded like regular pancakes, only soy milk is used instead of cow's milk. Eggs are not used in this recipe. Mix a glass of milk, 150 g of flour, pour in a tablespoon of sunflower oil, add baking powder, vanilla essence and granulated sugar. Mix well, bake in a hot skillet, turning over as it browns. To make it tastier, crushed nuts can be added to the dough.
- Quinoa porridge. Boil 2 cups of water in a saucepan, pour 120 g of cereal into it, boil for 15 minutes. During this time, the water usually boils away, but if this does not happen, then it is drained, and 400 ml of milk is poured into the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring well, until thick, to obtain a homogeneous structure. It is better not to boil, but to insist. Chinese cooks even use a water bath. Sugar during cooking or later, already in a plate. You can add honey. When serving, decorate with nuts or berries.
- Soy sauce. Making it is extremely easy. All ingredients are placed in a blender bowl: 100 ml of milk, a little less than a glass of unrefined sunflower oil, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a teaspoon of mustard and half a teaspoon of sea salt. Beat for at least 4-5 minutes. Refrigerate before serving.
- tofu cheese. Soy milk, 100 ml, pour into a saucepan and wait until it boils. Be sure to stir. Boiling milk is turned off and poured into it lemon juice from one large citrus. Curdled milk is filtered through cheesecloth, folded in several layers, and then squeezed. The more liquid you can drain, the firmer the tofu will be. It will be tastier if the resulting mass is mixed with sesame or cumin. Then the future cheese is compacted again, wrapped in cotton cloth and put under pressure. The cheese will be ready in 6-8 hours.
- Soy milk condensed milk. Warm up a ladle with 2.5 cups of soy milk, separately, in another container, melt 3 tablespoons of margarine and half a cup of granulated sugar. Combine both ingredients, add 2 tablespoons of flour and one tablespoon of starch, add a little salt. Beat everything with an immersion blender and return to the fire for 2-3 minutes to thicken the mixture.
Soy milk drink recipes:
- Shake with caramel. In a blender, combine 2.5 cups of soy milk, maple syrup to taste, half a teaspoon of vanilla essence and 2-3 bananas. Everything is thoroughly mixed. Poured into a glass. Heat up a frying pan and mix in it 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and soy milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup. When everything is melted, beautiful patterns are laid out with hot caramel on the surface of the cocktail.
- Berry smoothie. Pieces of one banana, 5-6 frozen Victoria berries, half a glass of frozen berries - blueberries, cranberries and blackberries are placed in a blender bowl, 100 ml of soy milk and 200 ml of green tea are poured. Beat until smooth. You can add honey or maple syrup for flavor.
- Alcoholic cocktail "El mahico". Shake in a shaker. The ingredients are combined in the following proportion: 25 ml of fresh lime juice and honey-basil syrup, soy milk - 30 ml, white rum - 50 ml. Shake for 2 minutes. First, ice cubes are placed in a glass, and then an alcoholic cocktail. Garnish with mint and basil leaves.
Powdered soy milk is no less useful. White cream powder is obtained from liquid by dehydration. The properties of the products are similar, but dry is more often used for baby food and introduced into the diet of patients to restore the body. This product cannot be called 100% useful, despite the substances that complement the composition, since preservatives and flavors are also used to improve taste and extend shelf life.
The Asians, or rather the Chinese, were the first to decide to make milk from soybeans during the Han Dynasty in 200 BC. At that time, it was used only as a medicine, and it tasted unpleasant and was poorly absorbed.
The modern drink has a sweetish taste with notes of nuts and is much easier to digest than an animal product.
Until the XX century. soy milk did not leave China's aisles, although a century ago they learned how to make a drink with a pleasant taste. And by the end of the twentieth century. the Hong Kong company brought the product to the United States, where it gained popularity.
For comparison: in 1979, soy milk overtook the famous cola in sales, and by the 21st century, when the idea of \u200b\u200bweight loss spread throughout the globe, sales increased several times more. Used medicinal and taste qualities. In 2015, sales revenue was $366 million.
But still, Hong Kong occupies the first place in the consumption of soy milk: according to statistics, each resident drinks more than 17 liters per year. Then you can put Thailand, Singapore and China, and from other countries - the USA and Canada. They are not much inferior to Australia and Spain.
Watch a video about the benefits and harms of soy milk:
On the territory of the former CIS, soy milk is considered something unusual, it is included in the diet of those who lose weight or used to feed babies who cannot tolerate cow protein. The rest of the population hardly buys the product. How can this be explained: distrust of an unfamiliar product, weak marketing policy or high cost? (The main producers of soy milk are companies from Hong Kong or the USA, so the price is rather high). If you really want to try a new product or lose weight with it, it is more advisable to prepare a drink yourself.
We will tell and show you 2 photos of the recipe for making soy milk at home. The first method is by far the easiest and fastest: minimum effort, minimum dirty dishes, maximum pleasure from the process. But the second method will also come in handy for us, and a little later you will find out why.
Making milk in a soy cow
To make milk, we need soybeans. You can buy them. They must first be soaked in cold water. Soaking time is usually from 6 to 12 hours and depends on the air temperature. It takes longer in winter than in summer. After soaking, soybeans increase in volume by about 2.5 times, so choose dishes with a margin in advance.
On the left, dry soybeans, on the right - the same number of pre-soaked in water.
How do you like the way? Doesn't it seem too tiring? For normal purposes, I always cook milk in soybean. It's convenient and fast. And only when I want to make silken tofu, I make soy milk with a blender and a saucepan. And I advise you.
Summary
For this recipe, we used 200g of soybeans and ended up with 330g of okara and 600ml of soy milk. You may notice that at the beginning we had 200 g of dry soybeans, which after soaking began to weigh about 500 g plus 1000 ml of water, and what we got was only less than 1 kg. Where did the rest go? To be honest, it's a mystery to me too. Probably evaporated. But be that as it may, we received 600 ml of thick soy milk, which cost us 13 rubles.
Person interested healthy eating, sooner or later comes to the idea of partial replacement of animal food with vegetable food. Why is soy milk attractive, what are its benefits and harms? This is a top product for healthy lifestyle adherents, athletes, vegetarians, and just people who care about their well-being.
What are the benefits of soy milk
Soy milk is so named because of its resemblance to animal milk. It is white in color, liquid consistency, pleasant to the taste and has a subtle sweetish aroma. Is it so useful, and is it possible to replace an animal product with vegetable milk? Definitely yes, if only because of the lack of lactose. For people with intolerance to this component, but who love dairy products, soy drink will successfully replace it.
The second plus is the content of vegetable fiber. This substance acts like a brush, sweeping all harmful accumulations out of the body. For those who want to improve digestion, soy milk will help with this. It has a beneficial effect on the activity of the intestines.
The third point: there are a lot of micro and macro elements in soy milk. The fact is that vegetable calcium is absorbed faster than the animal. Also, milk is indispensable for those who are on a diet: the product is low in calories. Soy protein is easily digestible.
And there is also an ethical side to the issue of benefit: people who intend to protect environment Those who don't want to support an animal cruelty industry can confidently switch to a diet that favors soy milk. In addition, it is no secret that the milk that we are offered in supermarkets often contains chemical substances. And the hormones with which unscrupulous producers pump cows for their growth remain in milk and adversely affect health.
Compound
Now more about what plant nectar contains. Milk is rich in protein, 100 g contains from 0.8 to 3.8 g of protein. Fats - from 0.3 to 1.8 g, carbohydrates - 7-8 g. Calorie content is low: in a glass of milk there are about 100 calories, to be more precise, 54 kcal per 100 grams.
Soy milk contains essential amino acids. This is important for vegetarians who need to replenish the substances necessary for the body. Milk also contains unsaturated fatty acids. This is its advantage over cow's milk. It is safe for people suffering from obesity, atherosclerosis, diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Vitamins and minerals in soy milk:
- B vitamins (B1, B5, B6, B9 and B12), E, K, D.
- Retinol, .
- Phytoestrogens.
- Trace elements: zinc, selenium, iron, magnesium, sodium, calcium (in small amounts).
A glass of soy milk covers 30% of the daily value of riboflavin for an adult healthy person, up to 25% - calcium norms, up to 50% - vitamin D. It is not surprising that milk has a rejuvenating effect, stimulates the nervous system and brain, and helps liver cells recover.
Advice! Soy milk can be used in cosmetic purposes. It produces nourishing masks and creams for the face, neck, hands.
Harm
An unequivocal answer about the dangers of soy milk has not yet been found. Nutritionists tend to believe that excessive consumption of soy can depress the endocrine system and cause thyroid disease. Also, the product can be harmful due to the content of phytoestrogens (analogues of female sex hormones). Excessive concentration of the substance negatively affects the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors that affect the female (and sometimes male) genital organs.
The phytic acid contained in the product binds minerals and prevents their absorption - especially calcium. Therefore, in production, soy milk is additionally enriched with calcium. However, this does not mean that all calcium is well absorbed in the body. And yet, it is better to give preference to vegetable milk, as there is an opinion among nutritionists that animal-based dairy products do not nourish the body with calcium, but only wash it out of the bones.
Allergic reactions are possible to soy. Polzateevo magazine recommends refusing products that bear the inscription "GMO". In the fields where genetically modified soybeans are grown, the buzzing of insects is not heard, even the birds do not live there. This suggests that GMOs are unnatural and can cause irreparable harm.
Soy milk and disease
The soy diet has been successfully used in the treatment of diabetes in early stages. Thanks to fiber and vegetable glue, a gel forms in the intestines, which slows down the flow of sugar into the blood, insulin has time to be produced, and the patient begins to recover. protein diet helps restore pancreatic function, so soy drink can be consumed with pancreatitis.
Soy milk can both benefit and harm. Consult with nutritionists and attending physicians, listen to your body. Good health!
Soy milk is an excellent food not only for those who cannot tolerate animal milk or are allergic to animal protein, but also for anyone who wants to live as long as possible. The quality of soy milk depends on many factors, and to minimize the risk of consuming a low-quality product, it is best to make your own soy milk. Moreover, it is not difficult to do this.
Step #1: Buy Soybeans
You can buy soybeans at your regular grocery store. They cost, on average, 60 rubles per kilogram, sometimes less, sometimes more. Before you put soybeans in your basket and carry them to the checkout, carefully read the label on the package:
- Is there any indication that the soybean you are holding is genetically modified? Buy only natural soy;
- Where is soy grown? It is better if in an ecologically clean region, since soybeans easily absorb salts of heavy metals and others from the soil. harmful substances which will then enter your body.
Step #2: Preparing the Soybeans
We take 200 grams of soybeans and rinse them thoroughly under running water. Then soak, making sure that the water covers the beans completely. Some advise taking not tap (chlorinated) water, but purified and even mineral water. In any case, soybeans need to be soaked for at least 8 hours. During this time, it is advisable to change the water a couple of times. If you soak the beans overnight, you may not need to change the water, the milk will come out, only it will have a more pronounced "pea" flavor.
Soybeans will approximately double in size during soaking, so take a larger container for them.
At the end of the soak, toss the beans with your hand. At the same time, the surface peel will separate from them. If it is removed, then the taste of soy milk will be more pleasant. Just fill the beans with water, and the husk rises to the top. We wash the soybeans thoroughly - everything, it is ready for use.
Step #3: Grind the Soy
For 200 grams of dry soybeans (400 grams are swollen), you need to prepare 1 liter of clean boiled water. Now we pour soybeans into a blender, add water and grind to a state of tender snow-white slurry. Usually this procedure has to be repeated 3-4 times, since all the soybeans and a liter of water do not fit into the blender at the same time.
Step 4: Boil Soy Porridge
Pour the soy gruel into a large saucepan and put on a slow fire. After boiling, the gruel should be boiled for about 20 minutes over low heat. Do not go far - the contents of the pan must be constantly stirred so that it does not burn and remove the foam so that it does not run away.
Some at this stage add more water so that the gruel becomes thinner, but this is a matter of taste and habit.
Step #5: Strain the soy gruel
After cooling the contents of the pan slightly, we begin to filter it. Some use a sieve for this, others use calico folded in half, others use a special woven sleeve. The essence does not change: you need to carefully separate the liquid part from the solid.
Step #6: Getting Soy Milk
Basically, we already have it. However, some housewives prefer to flavor soy milk in order to remove the "grassy" or "pea" aftertaste. This is done by adding a pinch of vanilla and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Please note that if you add flavorings, then only natural ones, and then be sure to boil the milk again.
Subject to the proportions described above, about 0.8 liters of soy milk is obtained, the cost of which is less than 15 rubles.
Note: soy milk should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a week, but most often it is drunk much faster, since it tastes excellent and, unlike cow's milk, soy milk is perfectly absorbed by the human body.
In modern stores you can find a large number of various products. One of them is soy milk powder, which has vegetable origin. It is made from soy beans. China is considered the birthplace of the product, but now it is in demand in all countries of the world. Pleasant taste and light aroma are those distinctive features that contains soy milk powder. The benefits and harms of it will be presented in the article. It will also be said about the rules for breeding this product.
Benefit
Soy milk powder does not contain lactose compared to cow's milk, so it can be consumed by anyone who has an intolerance to this substance. The advantage of the product is the presence of isoflavones in the composition. These components are used to prevent cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis. They are indispensable for the fight against menopause in women.
Milk has anticarcinogenic and metabolic effects. The product reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood. Therefore, it is useful for many to consume soy milk powder. Its benefit lies in the positive effect on the skeletal system of the body. It is necessary in the presence of anemia. Due to regular use, men will be protected from the occurrence of prostate cancer. The product is rich in protein and fiber. It is perfectly absorbed by the body and does not cause allergic reactions.
Compound
Soy milk powder contains valuable protein, which contains important acids. The product is rich in amino acids. Micronutrients include magnesium, potassium and calcium. There are also vitamins - D, A, E, B. 100 g of milk contains:
- Proteins - 4 g.
- Carbohydrates - 5.6 g.
- Fats - 1.6 g.
And 56 kcal is the calorie content that soy milk powder has. The composition allows the use of the product in the diet of many people. It is only necessary to breed it correctly. There are also recipes for self-preparation of this product.
Application
Powdered soy milk is used to prepare various dishes. From it it turns out:
- Kefir.
- Tofu cheese.
- Milk soups.
- Yoghurts.
- Milkshakes.
- Bakery.
The product is used for making puddings, cooking jelly, porridge, casseroles. It is used both at home and at work.
Combination with other products
Milk can be combined with sweet fruits, dried fruits, berries, nuts. It is also consumed with cereals and boiled potatoes. No need to combine the drink with fresh vegetables, plums, sausage, smoked fish, pastries.
weight loss
The product is considered high-calorie, so many do not include it in their diet. Yet soy milk is designed for harmony. It has a lot of calcium, which is perfectly absorbed by the body. With a deficiency of this component, there will be an intensive production of the hormone calcitriol, which slows down the processing and elimination of fats. Due to its presence in increased volumes, accumulated fat deposits will not be destroyed.
Calcium is considered an indispensable component for those who want to lose weight. It perfectly breaks down fats, and also helps to build muscle mass. Therefore, such a product must be in the diet of people with overweight. And it should not be a dry soy milk replacer, but a natural one.
How to breed?
Powdered soy milk is sold in stores. How to breed it? To do this, the product itself (1.5 tablespoons) must be mixed with sugar (1 tsp), gradually adding water (1 cup). The mass must be stirred so that it becomes homogeneous. Then the remaining water is poured in, and everything is brought to a boil. The product is served hot or chilled.
Self-cooking
There are many recipes for the preparation of the product in question. Of these, there is one of the simplest. Soak clean soybeans in cold water for 12-24 hours. Then the water is drained, and the beans should be crushed by passing them through a meat grinder with a fine grate. This processing must be done several times.
When mixing, add water to make it easier to grind. Water should be taken in a ratio of 7:1 to get milk with 3% fat. If there is less water, then more fatty milk will be obtained, which will resemble cream. Ground and mixed with water, soy porridge is aged for about 4 hours, after which salt is added (on the tip of a knife).
Then the resulting mass should be boiled for half an hour. Then you need to strain it and squeeze. This completes the preparation of soy milk. The remains in the bag after expressing milk are called okara - soy pulp, which is high in fiber and protein. It can be used as an enriched food supplement.
Selection and storage
When choosing a product, you should pay attention to the composition, which is marked on the package. In its natural form, milk contains water and soy. If the composition contains chemical additives, such a product will not be useful.
Closed packaging is stored in a cool place. This period may not exceed one year. An open product should be consumed up to 7 days, and all this time it is stored in the refrigerator.
Product for children
For the nutrition of infants, mixtures are often used in which there are The following factors are considered the basis for the use of such products:
- Cow milk intolerance.
- Celiac disease is due to a violation of the villous layer of the intestine by exposure to gluten.
- Galactosemia is a violation of carbohydrate metabolism.
- Lack of lactose - a protein that breaks down the enzymes in cow's milk.
In order for a child to be fed with soy mixtures, you first need to consult a pediatrician. In stores, you can find such products for children over 2 years old. It can be in the diet, but you should not forget about cow's milk. Complete replacement is possible only if the animal product is intolerant.
Harm
Doctors have not identified the harm that soy milk can cause. Some experts believe that this is a useful product, while others advise using it only in a minimal amount. Such milk also has opponents who believe that it can cause:
- The appearance of pathologies of the thyroid gland.
- Decreased sperm concentration.
- Depression of the endocrine system.
Milk should not be consumed if there is a predisposition to the formation of estrogen-dependent tumors and other oncological ailments. The product is contraindicated for pregnant and lactating mothers. It should not be given to children under 1 year of age without consulting a doctor, as well as to women who may have breast cancer.
With excessive consumption of animal protein, the acidity of the blood increases. The body needs to neutralize it. Calcium is taken from the bones. Soy milk contains iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium during digestion, which makes these components poorly absorbed. Although milk has its drawbacks, it is still considered very useful. Just use it in moderation.