Organic soy milk; learn about its benefits
Soy milk is a beverage made from soybeans. It is obtained by soaking, grinding, and filtering soybeans. Get to know more about its properties.
The soybean is an annual crop plant that has an erect, hairy stem, with trimerous leaves. The white or violet flowers appear in the axils. The fruit is a pod that encloses the seeds, which are those that have medicinal and food use. Soybeans are also one of the most nutritious legumes. It produces more usable protein per hectare than any other crop and its scientific name is Glycine max. Soy milk is a beverage made from soybeans. It is obtained by soaking, grinding, and filtering soybeans.
A little about the history of soybeans
Emperor Shen-Nung, the second of the mythical Chinese emperors, declared soybeans to be one of the five sacred crops. Wild soybeans grew thousands of years ago in East Asia and spread from there to Korea and Southeast Asia. Buddhist missionaries brought it to Japan in the form of tofu in the 8th century A.D. Possibly in the 16th century, European travelers and missionaries introduced it to Europe and later to Latin America.
What are soybeans made of?
The bean is 20% oil and 40% protein. It is also rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, and provides vitamins A, B, and C. It contains no cholesterol and practically no saturated fats. In proportion to its size, it contains more protein than meat and fish and three times more than eggs. Its seeds are high in fiber and low in calories.
The little fat present is rich in lecithin, a substance necessary for cell membranes, the brain, and the nervous system. In addition, soy milk contains 84 percent unsaturated (healthier) fats. Soy milk is composed of two lipids that are very important and sought after for their health benefits: Omega 3 and Omega 6.
Why drink soy milk?
Soy milk is one of your greatest allies if you want to enrich your diet and avoid health problems. It is an excellent substitute for cow's milk for those who suffer from lactose intolerance. It is a highly recommended food for those who follow a vegetarian diet.
What are the benefits of soy?
Improves memory and helps the entire nervous system, including the skin. It benefits women during menopause and patients with chronic diseases. There are many good reasons to add soy milk to your diet.
Hormonal disorders: it is rich in phytoestrogens, which are hormone-like compounds in the female body. Therefore, consuming it daily helps prevent breast cancer, regulate endocrine function, alleviate premenstrual syndrome, reduce menopausal disorders such as hot flashes, which are caused by the decline of protective estrogenic hormones in women, once they pass their fertile stage.
Cholesterol: compared to cow's milk, soy milk contains less saturated fat and no cholesterol. However, it does have acids that help reduce total and bad cholesterol (LDL), which is deposited in the arteries and blocks them. It also contains lecithin, which also helps prevent fat from accumulating in the arteries.
Digestive disorders: it is easy to digest because it does not contain lactose, which in those who are lactose intolerant, causes discomfort such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, and flatulence.
Osteoporosis: helps prevent demineralization of your bones.
Cardiovascular diseases: the more soy milk you drink, the less risk you have of suffering cardiovascular risks such as heart attacks.
Obesity: you can include it in a weight loss diet since it has the same calories as skim milk and is low in carbohydrates.
How should this beverage be stored?
Soy milk should have the same treatment as any other processed dairy food, since it contains a high percentage of protein, water, and half the fats of animal milk, although it does not contain sugars. This condition makes it very sensitive to temperature changes.
From its production date, organic soy milk lasts 7 days because it does not contain any preservatives. Once opened, it is preferable to consume it promptly and always before the expiration date marked on the package. The cold chain must be maintained at all times, as it contains no preservatives or additives.
How to use it?
With cereal at breakfast, directly in a glass, hot or cold, (as if it were a glass of cow's milk), or in any recipe where cow's milk is normally used. To add more soy milk to your diet you can use it for soups, creams, pancakes, sauces, puddings, bechamel, smoothies, ice cream, homemade yogurt, and desserts.
