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Food Hygiene & Safety

What does Soy Milk Taste Like – A Guide to Taste, Storage & Usage

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Lead Academy

13 Mins Read

What does soy milk taste like? It has a distinct beany flavour that’s mild and creamy. Some situations in our daily lives need us to transition to vegan or non-dairy products, particularly soy milk. Lactose intolerant people in the United States prefer this milk. Obviously, you would not purchase this cow milk substitute without first learning about its flavour, texture, health benefits, usage and storage practices.

Don’t be concerned.

In this blog, I will resolve all your concerns regarding soya milk so that you’re well-informed before making any decision related to the same.

Before we go into the taste quality, let’s take a quick look at the following details of soy milk.

What is Soy Milk?

History

History indicates that Liu An is the inventor of soy milk. He did it in the 2nd century BC in northeastern China. He is also the inventor of tofu.

Soy Milk

Soy milk is plant-based milk prepared from soybeans. It is often known as soya. However, it’s not the only plant-based milk out there. Rice milk is such an example.

Soybeans are rinsed and steeped in water to prepare this dish. To obtain a smooth, consistent liquid, the ground combination is boiled and filtered. The tofu industry produces soy milk as a natural byproduct.

The original form, known in China as Doujiang (soybean broth), is more watery and has a beany flavour.

Dounai is the processed variant with a flavour and consistency similar to dairy milk (soybean milk).

Healthy Soy milk in bottle

Is It a Milk Alternative?

Whether you’re lactose-intolerant, vegetarian, or simply want to change up your milk habit, milk alternatives like soy milk can provide decent nutrition and a variety of flavours to keep things interesting.

At this point, soy milk can be the best alternative to dairy milk. For decades, soy milk has been the most popular non-dairy alternative since its nutritional profile is quite similar to that of cow’s milk. It’s the best high-protein milk substitute available.

Soy milk contains roughly 7 grams of protein per cup, compared to 8 grams in cow milk. Calcium and vitamin D are fortified in most brands. But not all. So check the nutrition label for these essential values. Soy milk comes in a variety of flavours, including vanilla, as well as lighter and lower-calorie variations.

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Elements of Soy Milk

Nutrients Per Serving

A cup of soy milk has the following ingredients:

Calories 100 
Protein (in grams) 7
Fat (in grams) 4
Carbohydrates (in grams) 8
Fibre (in grams) 1
Sugar (in grams) 6

Soy milk is high in the following nutrients:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin B
  • Potassium
  • Calcium
  • Retinol
  • Folate
  • Choline

Different plant milk like soy, almond, and oat milk

Is Soy Milk Good to Drink?

Soy milk’s vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants may have significant health benefits. Types of B Vitamin present in soy milk, for example, are crucial for maintaining nerve cells and DNA in your body. They can also help prevent anaemia, resulting in tiredness and exhaustion.

Soy milk has very few saturated fats if any at all. It also contains fatty acids, all nine essential amino acids that help lower cholesterol. Soy milk has also been associated with:

  • blood vessel strengthening,
  • osteoporosis prevention,
  • and weight loss.

Let’s look at a few of its benefits.

Besides, you can check out our other blog, “Food Hygiene Rating Scheme – Top 10 Tips to Get It [2023]

Brain Health

Omega-3 fatty acids, which your body cannot produce on its own, are abundant in soy milk. Omega-3 fatty acids have been related to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Soy is still one of the greatest non-animal sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Soy milk’s influence on various disorders is still being researched.

Heart Health

Soy milk can also improve your heart and circulatory system. Whether fortified or not, Soy milk is a good source of potassium. Potassium is essential for maintaining healthy blood pressure and pulse.

Soy milk has also been related to reducing cholesterol levels, particularly in those with high cholesterol.

Reduced Menopause Symptoms

Isoflavones, a type of molecule known as “phytoestrogens,” are found in soy milk. These isoflavones have a modest estrogenic effect on the body. As a result, studies have shown that drinking soy milk and other soy products can help lessen menopause symptoms like hot flashes.

Nutrition set consists of raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, nuts, oat flakes and soy milk

Nutrition

The majority of the soy milk sold in supermarkets and health food stores has been supplemented with additional nutrients. As a result, fortified soy milk provides an excellent source of calcium, the most abundant mineral in the human body. Calcium supplementation helps strengthen your bones.

What Does Soy Milk Taste Like?

Soy milk has a distinct flavour that is more noticeable in plain or unsweetened variants than in flavoured varieties. It’s beany, like soybeans, but not in a derogatory sense.

Soy milk has long been a popular non-dairy beverage due to its mild flavour. The strength of the beany flavour is often determined by the brand.

Sugar, on the other hand, can make milk taste more neutral or sweeter. If that’s not your thing, you may sweeten it with stevia or any other natural sweetener of your choice.

The Texture of Soy Milk

Most of the time, Soy milk is rather thick, slightly thicker than almond milk but similar to cashew milk (or a teensy bit thinner).

Soy milk is creamy and silky, making it an excellent coffee creamer and a versatile culinary and baking ingredient. This is one of the most versatile plant milk choices.

Is Soy Milk As Tasty As ‘Real’ Milk?

Soy milk is your best option if you want dairy-free milk that tastes like “genuine” milk. This mild flavour will remind you of cow milk in terms of taste and texture.

Pouring vegetarian soy milk into a glass jar with black coffee and ice cubes

What is the Flavour of Soy Milk in Coffee?

It has a creamy mouthfeel but no discernible flavour. As a result, it allows the coffee’s flavour to show through, allowing you to enjoy any sort of coffee without changing the flavour.

However, if you prefer the flavour of actual milk in your coffee, soy falls short in comparison.

Is It Possible to Froth Soy Milk?

Because soy milk has a texture that is very similar to cow’s milk, frothing it is rather simple. For a long time, soy lattes have been popular, owing to their foamy properties. So you can use it as an alternative to cow’s milk if you want.

Soy Milk’s Usage

In addition to drinking it plain, soy milk is used to make replica milk products like:

  • Soy yoghurt
  • Soy cream
  • Soy kefir
  • Soy-based cheese analogues

It can also be used as an ingredient in:

  • Milkshakes
  • Pancakes
  • Bread
  • Mayonnaise

Soy milk can also be used to make baked goods. Muffins are a fantastic example because you can use regular milk instead of dairy-free milk and still get a tasty result. Soy milk will help enhance the tastes and bring out a little more sweetness in your smoothies.

Overall, you have a lot of alternatives for incorporating soy milk into your daily routine, and it appears to be a relatively natural transition.

Soy milk and soy on the table

How do You Make Soy Milk at Home?

Soy milk can be made at home. Follow these steps:

  1. Soak the soybeans overnight and then drain the water once they are fully soaked.
  2. After that, boil them for 10 minutes in a large pot of water.
  3. After that, thoroughly combine the beans and a few cups of water until it is creamy and smooth. Then cook it for another 40 minutes on low heat. Once the mixture has been simmered, drain it through cheesecloth to remove the lumps.
  4. You can flavour it with added sugar and ginger, then boil it for 10 minutes.
  5. To avoid the formation of skin, keep swirling the liquid repeatedly.
  6. Remove the ginger and flavour with vanilla extract.
  7. Cool your homemade soy milk to room temperature before serving.

Conclusion

With the increasing interest of people in the vegan diet, soy milk has become a popular alternative to dairy milk, making “What does soy milk taste like?” a common search term on Google.

It has nutritional profiles and benefits for people’s health. Making homemade plant-based milk varieties can offer a sustainable alternative if a person uses pesticide-free ingredients. However, people using plant-based milk products should be aware of the missing calories, macronutrients, minerals, and vitamins that are abundant in cow’s milk and be sure to make up these nutrients in other areas of the diet.

FAQs

Is it possible to freeze soy milk?

Manufacturers do not recommend freezing soy milk since it loses its texture and some of its flavour when frozen. As a result, after freezing and thawing soy milk, you may not appreciate it as much as you did before.

But you can freeze it without compromising its safety or nutritional content.

What’s the longevity of soy milk?

Soy milk is sold in supermarkets and has a long expiration date. However, you should not store it for more than 5 to 7 days after opening it. Refrigerate it in an airtight container.

You should discard soy milk if it develops an odour, an ill flavour, or a change in appearance.

What taste does bad soy milk have?

The quickest way to identify bad soy milk is to look for it and smell it.

When it’s turning, it’ll smell sour and unpleasant, and the texture will shift from smooth to chunky or curdled, just like dairy milk. It should be alright if you don’t see any obvious indicators or smell any strange odours.

If it’s awful, however, it’ll be sour.

Fresh, high-quality soy milk should never be sour or unpleasant.

In coffee and tea, does soy milk curdle?

Curdling frequently occurs in non-dairy milk. Because acidic liquids like coffee are more acidic than soy milk, they act as a coagulant, resulting in curdled soy in the cup. This process is accelerated much more by the warmth of a hot coffee.

The easiest approach to avoid curdling is to slowly warm the soy milk before gradually adding the coffee and water. Curdling is also reduced by combining the soy milk with water before adding the coffee. But the good news is that Soy and light soy milk does not curdle in tea.

Why is soy milk so disgusting?

This question is a bit misleading as, just like any other food item, you may or may not like the taste of soy milk. Some people find it unpleasant, leading them to believe that soy milk is “bad,” despite the fact that this is simply its natural flavour.

This can be solved by simply adding more flavouring ingredients to your soy milk, which can be done with both homemade and shop-bought soy milk. However, more companies are now manufacturing flavoured soy milk that you can buy in the stores.

Why does my soy milk taste bitter?

This only happens when manufacturing soy milk at home. Before turning soybeans into milk, not everyone knows how to remove the bean’s naturally bitter taste. Most commercial soy milk producers know how to work with their goods.

When the beans are exposed to oxygen, an enzyme in the beans produces a bitter bean flavour. This is what occurs when they are blended without being heated. The enzymes will be destroyed if the beans are heated first, and the soy milk will taste much better.

Does soy milk have an aftertaste?

The most difficult part of preparing soy milk is getting rid of its aftertaste. The oxidized phospholipids (rancid lecithin), oxidised fatty acids (rancid soy oil), anti-nutrients known as saponins, and soy estrogens, known as isoflavones, are responsible for the undesired sour, bitter, and astringent properties. Heat has the ability to kill this aftertaste.

Why do Chinese people drink soy milk?

Soy milk is recognised as a healthful substitute to milk by both Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and modern science.

People in Chinese culture drink soy milk not just because it’s breakfast time but also because it’s good for their health.

Soy milk is very good for people who have internal organ problems. In TCM, this is known as a deficient syndrome. The body struggles to digest strengthening meals when suffering from this type of deficient illness. Soy milk is mild on the body and is well tolerated.

What does soy milk smell like?

Plain soy milk has a beany flavour, but commercial varieties lose that flavour after pasteurisation.

What’s the healthiest milk to drink?

There is no single healthiest milk as, depending on your body, many types of milk may or may not be beneficial to you. However, the following ones are the most suitable options for most people:

  • Hemp milk.
  • Oat milk
  • Almond milk
  • Coconut milk
  • Cow’s milk
  • A2 milk
  • Soy milk

Does soy milk taste like almond milk?

Soy milk doesn’t have the same sweet flavour as almond milk, but it has a creamier consistency, which makes it a wonderful coffee creamer. Many people dislike the gritty texture of some soy milk, while others describe the taste as “beany.”

Does soy milk taste like tofu?

Soymilk, like cow’s milk, is thick. It coats your upper lip and instantly gets you ready for the day ahead. It tastes like slightly burnt tofu. It’s a touch mealy at first, but it eventually becomes silky smooth.

Why does Chinese soy milk taste different?

Unsweetened soy milk made in western countries may taste different because it contains very few soybeans and other ingredients. Asian unsweetened soy milk purchased from Asian supermarkets only contains soybeans and water. As a result, their taste will appear to be different.

Which dairy free milk tastes most like cow’s milk?

In terms of taste, oat milk is one of the plant-based milk that tastes somewhat like cow’s milk. Its flavour is a little like milk after it’s been sitting in shredded wheat cereal for a while. It’s buttery, rich, and extremely close to actual milk, and it’s probably the best tasting non dairy milk.

However, if you’re not looking for the best tasting milk alternative, soy milk is the closest non-dairy equivalent to cow’s milk in terms of nutrition.

Does soy milk have less calories than milk?

Soy milk, as a source of protein, is the same as cow’s milk but has fewer calories than whole milk and is roughly the same as 1 per cent or 2 per cent milk. It has a low saturated fat content.

Is soy milk sweeter than regular milk?

Soy milk is usually sweeter than other milk substitutes, but not real milk. Real milk usually tends to be a bit sweeter than these plant-based alternatives.

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