Soy milk / soya milk / soymilk / soybean milk / soy bean juice / soy drink/ soy beverage is made from soy beans. It is a stable emulsion of oil, water and protein. It is produced by soaking dry soybeans and grinding them with water.

Soy milk contains about the same proportion of protein as cow’s milk, 2% fat, 2.95 % carbohydrate. Soy milk can be made at home with the traditional kitchen tools or with a soy milk making machine.

The coagulated protein from soy milk can be made into tofu just as dairy milk can be made into cheese. Plain soy milk is unsweetened but some soy milk products are sweetened. Salted soy milk is consumed in China.

Soy milk is very popular in Malaysia and many other Southeast Asian countries. In Malaysia, soybean milk is usually flavored with either white or brown sugar syrup. Grass jelly may also be added to the beverage.

Sellers of soybean milk in Penang offer a bean curd, a custard-like dessert, which is flavored with the same syrup as the soybean milk.

In Vietnam, the soy milk as well as the soy custard may be flavored with ginger or pandan, a grassy herb with a mild coconut-like flavor.

More recently other optional additions to soy milk have become popular such as tapioca pearl, sweetened red bean, honey, and black tea.

A drink manufacturer in Singapore and Malaysia, markets a commercialized tinned or boxed version of soybean milk.The drink is slowly becoming popular in India as well, where it widely sold in Tetrapaks.

In the West, soy milk has become a popular alternative to cow’s milk, with a roughly similar protein and fat content. Soy milk is commonly available plain or flavored. In some Western countries where vegan-ism is on the rise, soy milk and other soy products are becoming hot favorites.

Soy milk has about the same amount of protein as cow’s milk, but their amino acid profiles differ. Soy milk is usually enriched with calcium available to human digestion.

Unlike cow’s milk, soy milk has no cholesterol and little saturated fat. Like lactose-free cow’s milk, soy milk contains no lactose, which makes it a good alternative for lactose-intolerant people.

The American Academy of Pediatrics considers soy milk a suitable alternative for children who cannot tolerate human or cow’s milk or whose parents opt for a vegan diet. They find no medical benefit to using soy milk instead of human or cow’s milk.

Soy milk, like cow’s milk, varies in fat content, but the most commonly sold varieties have less fat than whole milk, similar to fat content to 2% milk.

In 2006, a decade long study of soy protein consumption found no association between soy intake and health benefits such as protection from cardiovascular diseases and cancer. There is no benefit for women with post menopause symptoms.

Soy was able to replace animal protein, foods high in saturated fats and other sources of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Research has refuted claims that soy affects bone mineral density.

Research has found no link between soy and increased estrogen levels in men, although these studies so far have been very limited in their duration.

Soy can make the condition worse for people suffering from gout and purine.