Soy milk means more!

Many people drink soy milk on a daily basis as part of their normal diet. For some individuals, this choice of beverage is a necessary one due to a pre-existing health condition that causes digestive problems.
For others, the choice might be based upon a desire to eat a healthy diet or it might be a choice based upon their lifestyle. The advertised advantages of drinking soy milk seem to outweigh the potential disadvantages of drinking soy milk.

What are the benefits of soy milk?

Soy milk is a good substitute for cow’s milk on many levels. It acts as a good source of protein while still supplying a fair supply of calcium. According to every aspect of the medical field, both calcium and protein are needed by our bodies for a healthy and productive lifestyle.
One of the primary benefits of drinking soy milk is that it is lactose-free. Lactose is the natural sugar that is present in cow’s milk. Many children and adults cannot digest lactose resulting in disagreeable consequences including diarrhea, vomiting, gas and cramps.
Soy milk is lactose-free whereas lactose-free milk is somewhere between 70 percent and 99 percent lactose free. Lactose-free milk contains an added ingredient that breaks down the lactic acid for the milk drinker.
Therefore, lactose intolerant people find soy milk to be an excellent substitute for avoiding the lactose present in milk while ingesting the necessary calcium and protein that milk can provide.

Additionally, cow’s milk contains a protein called casein. This particular protein is known to cause problems for some people such as the worsening of allergy symptoms, an increase in mucous and problems with the immune system.
This is why a recommendation is often made to decrease milk consumption in children who experience frequent ear infections colds, or chronic bronchitis. Additionally, children with asthma or sinus conditions are also told not to drink milk because of the problems associated with this protein.
However, protein is still needed for a child’s body to grow and function properly. This is where the substitution of soy milk for cow’s milk comes into the picture.
A recent finding according to the National Institute of Health and Nutrition located in Japan, states that soy protein can aid in the lowering of cholesterol in the blood.
The lowering of cholesterol in the blood can result in a lower risk of heart related issues and problems. Therefore, individuals who currently have high cholesterol can benefit from switching to soy milk.
Since you are ingesting plant proteins rather than animal proteins, switching to soy milk is also thought to help in preventing osteoporosis. Plus, it contains isoflavones, which help to promote good health.
Strict vegans do not drink cow’s milk yet; they need a source of protein and calcium to replace it. Soy milk is the perfect option. For those who do not like the taste of unflavored soy milk, flavored varieties are available including chocolate and vanilla varieties.
Typically, fewer chemicals are present in soy products than in many other products. In addition to having a highly nutritious content, highlights of the benefits of soy milk include: no cholesterol, low saturated fat, high dietary fiber content, low sodium content and high manganese and thiamin.
The low sodium content of soy milk is beneficial for those with high blood pressure since they need to maintain a low sodium intake. Manganese is necessary for many of the body’s enzymes to function properly. Thiamin, also known as Vitamin B1 is an important contributor to the proper functioning of muscle functions, nerve functions and the provision of carbohydrates for energy necessary to the body’s cells.
Fiber is derived from plant-based foods and is important for preventing gastrointestinal diseases and constipation. The intake of products with saturated fat increases the blood cholesterol, which is associated with an increase in the incidence of heart disease.

What are the disadvantages of soy milk?

Unfortunately, drinking soy milk is often an acquired taste. It can take several different brands and several different types of soy milk to locate one that you like the taste of well enough to drink on a regular basis.
This is a much larger problem when switching children to soy milk from cow’s milk.
Additionally, soy milk does not supply an ample source of calcium. Therefore, if you intend to switch from drinking cow’s milk to soy milk, you will also need to select a calcium fortified brand of soy milk or a calcium supplement.
Calcium-fortified soy milk can have up to three times the amount of calcium compared to a soy milk product that has not been fortified with calcium.
Soy milk is sometimes thickened with a derivative of seaweed. This seaweed additive is thought to create digestive problems in some individuals. Further testing needs to take place before any definitive results or statements can be made.
Negative side effects can result from drinking too much soy milk. In particular, stomach problems such as gas pains can result.
Soy products are though to be the root cause of some thyroid disorders, reproductive system problems and allergy related symptoms, especially in individuals who have been using soy products since an early age.
No matter what the reason you have for drinking soy milk, it is important to start out slowly as with any change in your diet. Changes in what we eat and drink can affect our digestive and elimination processes.
Therefore, starting out slowly allows the body to adjust to the change gradually. This minimizes any potential adverse reactions.
The calories soy milk has increases with the flavored varieties, because sweetened or flavored soy milk has more calories than unsweetened. Therefore, those women who switch to soy milk because of the premise of fewer calories in soy milk need to realize that this is true only of the unsweetened varieties varieties.