Organic Soy Milk Benefits

Soy milk, made from soybeans, is often used as a substitute for cow's milk. The "milk" comes from liquid left after the soybeans are soaked, ground and strained. Soy milk and cow's milk actually bear little resemblance to one another. Soy milk does have benefits over animal-derived milk for certain groups of people. Organically grown soybeans that go into soy milk are grown without commercial chemicals used as fertilizer or pesticides.

Soy Uses

Soy serves as an excellent protein source for vegetarians who don't consume animal products. People who are allergic to cow's milk or those who have lactose tolerance, which is an inability to break down the protein in cow's milk, may also benefit from substituting soy milk for cow's milk. In the United States lactose intolerance affects people differently, depending on race; 95 percent of Asians, 80 to 100 percent of Native Americans, 60 to 80 percent of African Americans and Ashkenazi Jews and about 2 percent of people of Northern European descent are lactose intolerant, according to the National Institutes of Health. People with lactose intolerance develop gas, bloating and abdominal cramping when they consume lactose. Soy milk is often fortified with vitamin D and calcium, so that its nutritional benefits mirror those of milk.

Soy Benefits

Soy milk contains much less fat than whole cow's milk, around 4 g of fat per 8-oz. serving, compared with 8 g for whole milk. The fat content of 2 percent cow's milk is similar to that of soy milk, 5 g, and low-fat milk has less fat than soy milk, 3 g, according to the University of Columbia's Health Q&A Internet service, Go Ask Alice. Fortified soy milk has less calcium than cow's milk, but does contain 200 mg. Unfortified soy milk has very little calcium, 10 mg. Soy milk is an excellent source of plant-based protein and contains no cholesterol. Unopened soy milk can be stored for much longer than cow's milk; it keeps for up to a year and doesn't require refrigeration. Once opened, soy milk should be used within seven to 10 days. Manufacturers often place soy milk in the dairy case so you can drink it chilled right after buying it.

Organic Benefits

Some claim that chemical-free soybeans that go into soy milk yield a nutritionally dense product. But study results are mixed on whether organic products are actually healthier from a nutritional standpoint than traditionally grown products, according to MayoClinic.com. It says that a review of scientific studies of the last 50 years shows no nutritional benefit to organic products over those grown commercially. The British study, published in the July 2010 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," found that evidence was lacking as to the benefits of organic food.

Considerations

Using organic products does not have definitively proven nutritional benefit, although organic products may contain less pesticide residue and add fewer chemicals to the environment. Some people believe that organic foods taste better, although taste is a subjective sense. Organic products cost more than traditionally prepared foods, which may be a consideration. Because soy contains phytoestrogens, which may mimic the actions of estrogen, the dominant female hormone, those with hormone-dependent tumors such as breast, prostate or uterine cancer, should consult their medical providers before consuming large amounts of soy.