Is soy milk good for you? What are its benefits? Is it good to drink a lot of it?

1. Benefits of Soy Milk

For Health

As a nutrient-rich bean, soybeans are often processed into milk, which is commonly used daily. Soybean powder is mixed with cereal powder and cocoa to make food for infants, people with diabetes, gout, rheumatism, those recovering from illness, overworked people, etc.

In addition, soy milk contains vitamins A, B1, B2, D, PP, K, F, and enzymes that are beneficial for digestion. This drink also contains isoflavones, which help compensate for estrogen deficiency in older women, fight osteoporosis, and prevent breast cancer. Soy milk also improves excess cholesterol in men.

The nutrients in soy milk have a similar ratio to cow’s milk; however, soy milk contains plant-based protein, a type of protein that does not cause allergic reactions in children allergic to cow’s milk. This protein also has the added advantage of being able to eliminate a certain amount of calcium in the kidneys.

Besides, soy milk is lactose-free, while about 25% of the world’s population cannot tolerate lactose, which is not good for health.

For Beauty

– Anti-aging: The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as antioxidants in soy milk, hinder the aging process on the skin. It also helps improve blood vessel circulation and flexibility, helping the body withstand blood pressure changes.

– Effective skin whitening, nourishing healthy hair: Soy milk has anti-aging effects and is also a way to whiten skin. Besides drinking soy milk, you can also use it to wash your face. There are two ways to do this:

• Method 1: First, wash your face with warm water, then apply soy milk to your skin, gently massage for about 5 minutes every evening, then rinse your face with plain water.
• Method 2: Wash your face with warm water, soak a highly absorbent cotton towel in soy milk, and apply it to your face. Relax for about 10-15 minutes, then rinse your face with plain water. Do this 2-3 times/week.

– Weight loss: Natural soy milk is low in sugar and contains monounsaturated fatty acids that inhibit fat absorption in the intestines, helping to reduce the risk of weight gain. Drinking soy milk also provides more fiber, keeping you full for longer and preventing cravings.

2. How to Drink Soy Milk Properly?

Serving Size

According to Dr. Ho Thu Mai (Head of the Nutrition Department, Vinmec International General Hospital): “The amount of soy milk you should drink daily depends on each person’s physical condition and needs, as well as the concentration of the milk. Usually, 200g of soybeans will make 1.5 liters of milk, and each person should only drink twice a day, 250ml each time.”

Time to Drink

According to Japanese nutritionist Kanzaki Tomoko, you can drink soy milk any time of day. But the best times to drink are:

– After waking up in the morning, you should drink it with breakfast. At this time, the body can easily absorb the nutrients in the milk, and it also helps with urination and defecation in the early morning.

– In the evening, 1-2 hours before going to bed, at this time, the body easily absorbs isoflavones in soy milk. It also controls fat regeneration at night, supporting weight loss.

Who Should Drink

For men, soy milk is often considered not beneficial (if drunk in large quantities), but for women and especially children, soy milk is very good.

Soy milk can be used for children from 1 to 5 years old to partially replace animal milk, but it should not completely replace it.

How to Drink

– Soy milk should only be drunk cooked. Uncooked soy milk contains toxins that can hinder protein metabolism, leading to poisoning. Not only that, while cooking soy milk, you should open the lid so that harmful substances in the soy milk can escape with the steam.

– Do not add chicken eggs to boil with soy milk to drink. The trypsin in soy milk combined with the immune protein in chicken eggs will produce a substance that affects the body’s absorption.

– Do not drink soy milk on an empty stomach; drink it 1-2 hours after breakfast.

3. Some Notes When Drinking Soy Milk

Do not drink too much: Drinking too much soy milk at once will make protein difficult to digest, causing bloating, diarrhea, etc.

Avoid using with brown sugar: The organic acids in brown sugar and the protein in soy milk will combine to create a precipitate, destroying the nutritional components and also being harmful to health.

Do not store soy milk in a thermos: Soy milk contains substances that can wash away residue on the inner wall of the thermos. After 3-4 hours of storage at room temperature, soy milk will spoil and taste sour.

People with a cold constitution should be cautious when using it: Soy milk contains a relatively high amount of purine and is made from soybeans, which have a cooling property. Therefore, people with a cold constitution, such as those suffering from windstroke, weakness, fatigue, mental exhaustion, etc., should not use it.

Do not eat oranges or tangerines 1 hour before or after drinking soy milk because the acids and vitamins in oranges and tangerines will react with the proteins in soy milk and form lumps in the small intestine, affecting digestion and possibly causing bloating, abdominal pain, or diarrhea.

If you drink soy milk regularly, you should pay attention to supplementing zinc.

4. Is Drinking a Lot of Soy Milk Good for Men?

Many people think that drinking soy milk affects men’s reproductive health, such as reducing sperm production or causing erectile dysfunction.

However, in reality, most studies have confirmed that soy milk does not negatively affect testosterone production in men when consumed in moderation. On the contrary, it can reduce their risk of prostate cancer.

Soy milk only risks affecting sperm quality or erectile function in men when you consume it in high doses, exceeding 3-4 glasses per day, or use it in concentrated extract form.

However, these effects have only been found in rats and monkeys, and there is no concrete evidence in humans, so you do not need to worry too much.

The above article introduces the benefits of soy milk and how to use it properly. Hopefully, the article provides useful information for you to take better care of your and your family’s health with soy milk.