Soy milk is a "milk" made by soaking and cooking soybeans, then grinding them and squeezing out the liquid inside. Surprisingly enough, the product created is similar to milk. It's a whitish colored, nutty flavored health beverage, which can be used in place of cow's milk.
Although soy milk has been getting increasingly more popular in western countries just in the past 10 years, soy milk has been a staple of diets in Asia for centuries. As one of many Chinese beverages, it is served sweetened or seasoned with spices for a base for soups. Either way it is a health beverage.
Soy milk can be used as a substitute for cow's milk in recipes, or put with cereals or to make smoothies. Because milk from soy beans is a health beverage rich in calcium but does not contain lactose like cow's milk, lactose intolerant individuals should definitely drink soy milk on a very regular basis.
What makes soy milk healthy? A sort of "liquid protein", it is high in protein. And a very complete protein, meaning it contains all of the essential amino acids, similar to eggs or meat. It is arguably the best form of protein of all non-animal sources, and better than animal protein for those people who need to lower their cholesterol levels.
Lowering your bad and total cholesterol levels is just one of the many benefits of soy milk. Because it contains isoflavones, it has antioxidant effects as well, thereby slowing the aging process. Soy milk has been shown to reduce menopausal symptoms, reduce the risk of some types of cancer, and strengthen bones by improving calcium absorption.
Now to the fun part... soy milk tastes great. It is available in almost all grocery stores but a much more economical choice is to make your own delicious healthy beverage easily with a soy milk maker. You'll find making your own soy milk with soy milk makers is fun, and with your own machine you will be sure to drink enough of "your" homemade delicious milk.
