Vegetarians and people who are lactose intolerant often drink soy milk instead of cow's milk. This milk can be a healthy option, if you choose the right type, with similar nutritional content to cow's milk. Soy milk may even provide beneficial effects for heart heart due to the isoflavones it contains.
Soy Milk Nutrition
Soy milk nutrition varies based on what the manufacturer adds to make it taste better. Many brands of soy milk are highly processed and contain added sugars and flavors. Unfortified soy milk doesn't contain much calcium, folate, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, vitamin A or vitamin E, but many fortified options exist that contain these vitamins and minerals. A 1-cup serving of soy milk is cholesterol-free and contains at least 7 g of protein. Soy milk usually contains less fat, sugar and calories than cow's milk and more iron and fiber.
Advantages
Sweetened and flavored soy milk is often popular with children, while containing less sugar and fat than similar versions of cow's milk. Since it is lactose-free, those who are lactose intolerant can drink it without experiencing side effects. Soy milk may also lower your blood pressure, according to a study published in 2002 in the "Journal of Nutrition." Another study, published in 2004 in the journal "Nutrition," found that drinking soy milk may lower your LDL cholesterol while increasing beneficial HDL cholesterol.
Disadvantages
Soy milk contains oligosaccharides, a type of carbohydrate the body has difficulty breaking down. Consuming these simple sugars can cause some people to experience a lot of gas. Soy milk also contains substances called phytates, which interfere with calcium absorption. If you drink soy milk instead of cow's milk, plan to get calcium from other sources in addition.
Considerations
Make sure to read the label when purchasing soy milk, since the nutrition content can vary greatly among the different brands. Choose one that is fortified and low in sugar.
If you have had breast cancer, you may want to avoid drinking soy milk. Soy contains isoflavones, and whether these plant compounds have a positive or negative effect on breast cancer is still under debate.
References
- Health Services at Columbia University; Nutritional Differences Between Soy- and Cow's Milk; March 2001
- WhatToExpect.com; The Scoop on Soy Milk for Children; Heidi Murkoff
- "Los Angeles Times"; Poring Over Facts About Milk: Cow's, Goat's, Soy, Almond, Rice and Hemp; Elena Conis; Oct. 19, 2009
- "Journal of Nutrition"; Soy Milk Lowers Blood Pressure in Men and Women with Mild to Moderate Essential Hypertension; M. Rivas, et al.; July 2002
- "Nutrition"; Comparison Between the Effects of Soy Milk and Non-fat Cow Milk on Lipid Profile and Lipid Peroxidation in Patients with Primary Hypercholesterolemia; L.P. Bricarello, et al.; February 2004
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