Benefits of soya drink

Way before oat drink and almond drink, the original dairy-free milk alternative made waves in the vegan world: soya drink. Soya drink is made by grinding soaked edamame beans, which are the same beans used to make tofu and tempeh. Soya drink was first produced in China, as a by-product of the tofu making process ¹ . Dòujīang, a soya drink, remains a popular breakfast dish in Southwest China² . Soya drink on sale in Britain has been adapted to Western tastes, and the strong taste which Chinese consumers love has been swapped for a sweeter, dairy-like flavour. In this article, we’ll look at all soya drink’s benefits for health and examine its nutritional content. Then, we’ll advise how you can use soya drink at home and warn of any side effects.

Benefits of soya drink

Soya drink has many benefits for health and wellness, including:

• Plant-based protein source. Soya is a source of protein and contains amino acids³
• Calorie content. Soya drink can be lower in calories than cow’s milk, and so can support you with weight loss goals⁴

Soya drink nutrition

One 243ml glass of soya drink contains ⁵ :

• 11% of your daily recommended folate, 10% of your daily recommended thiamin, 10% of your daily recommended riboflavin.
• Folate helps our body form blood cells and is an essential vitamin for pregnant women.⁶
• The human body doesn’t produce thiamin, so you must ingest it from food sources like soya. Thiamin keeps the nervous system healthy^7.
• Riboflavin maintains the normal function of the skin, vision, and nervous system⁸

These benefits are obtained following the intake of 15% of your daily of these vitamins or minerals respectively.

Different uses of soya drink

Use soya drink as you would dairy milk. Stir into tea, incorporate into cake mixes, heat with porridge, or splash into smoothies and soups.

Soya drink side effects

Soya drink is an allergen⁹ . If you experience throat irritation or a runny nose after drinking soya drink, stop and consult your doctor. Some controversy has surrounded soya’s effects on women’s breast health, with some research studies indicating soya was good, and others suggesting it wasn’t. If this is something you’re concerned about, it might be best to avoid soya drink in favour of oat or almond varieties. Last Updated: 4th November 2020 Sources: 1 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B012227055X011147 2 http://library.mibckerala.org/lms_frame/eBook/chinas-southwest-3-history_v1_m56577569830511152.pdf 3 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2071798/ 4 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/soy-milk-good-you 5 https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4387/2 6 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-allergy/