View source for Soy milk

{{short description|Beverage made from soybeans}}
{{Citation style|date=July 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox food
| name           = Soy milk
| image          = 004-soymilk.jpg
| caption        =
| alternate_name = Soya milk
| country        = [[China]]
| year           = {{abbr|a|before}}.{{nbsp}}1365{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|pp=5 & 23–4}}{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2014|pp=9 & 127}}
| variations     =
| serving_size   = 100 g
| calories       = 33
| protein        = 2.86
| fat            = 1.61
| carbohydrate   = 1.74
| glycemic_index = 34
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| c = 豆奶
| p = dòunǎi
| w = tou nai
| l = 
| altname = Literary Chinese name
| c2 = 豆乳
| p2 = dòurǔ
| w2 = tou ju
| l2 = [[soybean|bean]] milk
| altname3 = Archaic Chinese name
| c3 = 菽乳
| p3 = shúrǔ
| w3 = shu ju
| l3 = [[soybean|bean]] milk
| hangul = 
| hanja = 
| rr = 
| mr = 
| kanji = 
| kana = 
| revhep = 
}}

'''Soy milk''' (or '''soymilk'''), also known as '''soya milk''', is a [[Plant milk|plant-based milk]] produced by soaking and grinding [[soybean]]s, boiling the mixture, and filtering out remaining particulates. It is a [[Emulsion#Appearance and properties|stable emulsion]] of oil, water, and protein. Its original form is an intermediate product of the manufacture of [[tofu]]. Originating in China,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Odo |first=T. |title=Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition |year=2003 |edition=Second |doi=10.1016/B0-12-227055-X/01114-7 }}</ref> it became a common beverage in Europe and North America in the latter half of the 20th century, especially as production techniques were developed to give it a taste and consistency more closely resembling that of [[dairy milk]]. Soy milk may be used as a substitute for dairy milk by individuals who are [[vegan]] or [[lactose-intolerant]] or have a [[milk allergy]].

Soy milk is also used in making imitation dairy products such as [[soy yogurt]], [[Plant cream|soy cream]], soy [[kefir]], and soy-based [[cheese analogue]]s.<ref name=bw/><ref name=bim/> It is also used as an ingredient for making [[milkshake]]s, [[pancake]]s, [[smoothie]]s, bread, [[mayonnaise]], and [[baking|baked good]]s.<ref name=bharti/>

{{anchor|Name|Etymology}}

== Names ==
In some parts of China, the term 豆浆 ''[[dòujiāng]]'' (<small>lit.</small>{{nbsp}}"bean [[broth]]") is used for the traditional watery liquid, used locally as a drink or broth, produced as an intermediate product in the production of tofu,<ref>{{cite web |last=Gao |first=Rebecca |date=9 January 2025 |title=North American-Style Soy Milk Pales In Comparison To The Original. Here's Why |url=https://chatelaine.com/food/soy-milk/ |website=Chatelaine |publisher=St. Joseph Communications |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Wei |first=Clarissa |title=How America Killed Soy Milk |url=https://www.eater.com/2016/2/15/10995808/america-soymilk-fresh |access-date=6 September 2022 |website=Eater |publisher=Vox Media |date=15 February 2016}}</ref> while store-bought products that are designed to imitate the flavor and consistency of dairy milk (and may contain a mixture of dairy and soy) are more often known as 豆奶 ''dòunǎi'' ("bean milk").{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}}

=== Naming in the EU ===
In the [[European Union]], "milk" by law refers exclusively to "the normal mammary secretion obtained from one or more milkings without either addition thereto or extraction therefrom".<ref>{{citation |contribution=Document 32013R1308: Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 Establishing a Common Organisation of the Markets in Agricultural Products... |contribution-url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32013R1308 |url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu |title=EUR-Lex |date=20 December 2013 |publisher=European Union |location=Brussels}}.</ref> Only [[Cattle|cow's]] milk is allowed to be named "milk" on packaging, and any other milks must state the name of the respective animal: for example, "[[goat milk]]" or "[[sheep milk]]". There are exceptions for traditional products such as coconut milk.<ref>{{cite web |title=2010/791/EU: Commission Decision of 20 December 2010 listing the products referred to in the second subparagraph of point III(1) of Annex XII to Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 (recast) (notified under document C(2010) 8434)|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2010/791/oj}}</ref> The usage of the term "soy milk" became the subject of a 2017 court case before the [[Court of Justice of the European Union]] after a German [[consumer protection]] group filed an [[unfair competition]] complaint about a company describing its soy and tofu products as 'milk' or 'cheese'. The Court of Justice ruled that such designations may not be used for purely plant-based products and that additions indicating the plant origin of the products (''soy'' milk) does not influence that prohibition.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-40274645|title=Dairy names for soya and tofu face new ban|date=14 June 2017|access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref> Major retailers in countries such as Ireland<ref>{{cite web |title=Dairy Free Drinks & Milk Alternatives |url=https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/en-IE/shop/fresh-food/dairy-free-and-dairy-alternatives/dairy-free-drinks-and-milk-alternatives/all?sortBy=relevance&shelf=Soya+Drinks |website=Tesco Ireland |access-date=28 August 2025}}</ref> and Italy<ref>{{cite web |title=Drink |url=https://www.lidl.it/h/drink/h10071022?brand=vemondo |website=Lidl Italia}}</ref> instead sell products with the label "soy drink" or "soy beverage".

== History ==
The earliest record of soybean milk is on a stone slab of the [[Eastern Han dynasty]] unearthed in China, on which is engraved a description of the making of soy milk in ancient kitchens.

A tofu broth (''doufujiang'') {{c.|1365}} was used during the [[Mongol Empire|Mongol]] [[Yuan dynasty|Yuan]].{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|pp=5 & 23–4}}{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2014|pp=9 & 127}} As ''[[doujiang]]'', this drink remains a common watery form of soy milk in China, usually prepared from fresh soybeans. The [[compendium of Materia Medica]], which was completed in 1578, also has an evaluation of soymilk. Its use increased during the [[Qing dynasty]], apparently due to the discovery that gently heating ''doujiang'' for at least 90 minutes [[hydrolyze]]d or helped to break down its undesirable [[raffinose]] and [[stachyose]], [[oligosaccharide]]s, which can cause [[flatulence]] and digestive pain among [[lactose-intolerant]] adults.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|pp=23–4}}{{sfnp|Huang|2008|p=52}} By the 18th century, it was common enough that [[street vendor]]s were hawking it;{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|p=29}} in the 19th, it was also common to take a cup to [[tofu]] shops to get hot, fresh ''doujiang'' for breakfast. It was already often paired with [[youtiao]], which was dipped into it.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|pp=5 & 33}} The process was industrialized in early [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republican China]]. By 1929, two Shanghai factories were selling over 1000 bottles a day, and another in Beijing was almost as productive itself.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|p=6}} Following disruption from the [[Second Sino-Japanese War|Second World War]] and the [[Chinese Civil War]], soy milk began to be marketed in soft drink-like fashion in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan in the 1950s.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|pp=7–8}}

Soymilk was mentioned in various European letters from China beginning in the 17th century.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|p=5}} "Soy milk" entered the English language (as "soy-bean milk") in an 1897 [[USDA]] report.{{sfnp|Langworthy|1897}}{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2009|p=174}} [[Li Shizeng|Li Yuying]] established Caséo-Sojaïne, the first soy milk "dairy", in [[Colombes]], France, in 1910; he received the first British and American patents for soy milk manufacturing in 1912 and 1913.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|p=6}} J.A. Chard began production of "Soy Lac" in New York City, United States, in 1917.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|p=6}} Harry W. Miller—an American businessman forced to relocate his factory from Shanghai owing to [[Second Sino-Japanese War|World War II]]—was similarly compelled by the [[USDA|US Department of Agriculture]] and the US dairy industry to use the term "Soya Lac" rather than "soy milk".{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|p=6}} [[John Harvey Kellogg]] had been working with what he called "soymilk" at his [[Battle Creek Sanitarium]] since 1930, but was similarly compelled to market his [[acidophilus]]-enriched beverage as "Soygal" when it began commercial production in 1942.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2004}}

A string of 40 court cases against Rich Products between 1949 and 1974 finally established that non-dairy "milks" and imitation dairy products were "a new and distinct food", rather than inferior and illegal knock-offs.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|p=6}} [[Cornell University|Cornell]] researchers established the [[enzyme]] [[lipoxygenase]] as responsible for the "[[bean]]y" flavor of soy milk made in 1966; the same research established a process for reducing or eliminating the bean flavor from commercial products.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|p=8}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Soy milk: terrible or terrific|url=http://www.prosoya.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/br_intsoy.pdf|author=Raj Gupta|publisher=ProSoya|date=2014|access-date=9 May 2020}}</ref> With [[Tetra Pak]] [[carton]]s extending soy milk's [[shelf life]], Hong Kong-based [[Vitasoy]] reintroduced the product to the US market in 1980 and brought it to 20 other countries within a few years.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|p=8}} [[Alpro]] similarly began production in [[Belgium]] in 1980, quickly becoming Europe's leading producer.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|p=8}} New production technology and techniques led to soy beverages with an appreciably more milk-like flavor and consistency in the mid-1980s.{{sfnp|Shurtleff|Aoyagi|2013|pp=8–9}}

== Preparation ==

Soy milk is made from whole soybeans or full-fat soy flour.<ref name="jiang">{{cite journal |pmc=5302266|year=2013|last1=Jiang|first1=S.|title=Food quality improvement of soy milk made from short-time germinated soybeans|journal= Foods|volume=2|issue=2|pages=198–212|last2=Cai|first2=W.|last3=Xu|first3=B.|pmid=28239109|doi=10.3390/foods2020198|doi-access=free}}</ref> The dry beans are soaked in water for a minimum of three hours up to overnight depending on the temperature of the water. The rehydrated beans then undergo wet grinding with enough added water to give the desired solids content to the final product which has a protein content of 1–4%, depending on the method of production.<ref name=jiang/> The ratio of water to beans on a weight basis is 10:1 for traditional soy milk.<ref name=jiang/> The resulting [[slurry]] or purée is brought to a boil to improve its taste properties (see "Soy odor" below), by heat inactivating soybean [[trypsin inhibitor]], and to sterilize the product.<ref name=jiang/><ref name=bharti/> Heating at or near the boiling point is continued for a period of time, 15–20 minutes, followed by the removal of insoluble residues ([[soy pulp]] fiber) by straining/filtration.<ref name=jiang/>

Processing requires the use of an [[anti-foaming agent]] or natural defoamer during the boiling step. Bringing filtered soy milk to a boil avoids the problem of foaming. It is generally opaque, white or off-white in color, and approximately the same consistency as cow's milk.<ref name=jiang/> Quality attributes during preparation include [[germination]] time for the beans used, [[acidity]], total [[protein]] and [[carbohydrate]]s, [[phytic acid]] content, and [[viscosity]].<ref name=jiang/> Raw soy milk may be sweetened, flavored, and [[food fortification|fortified]] with [[micronutrient]]s.<ref name=bharti/> Once fully processed, soy milk products are typically sold in [[plastic bottle]]s or [[Plastic-coated paper|plastic-coated cartons]], such as [[Tetra Pak|tetrapaks]].<ref name=bharti/>

=== Soy odor ===
Traditional East Asian soymilk has a "beany" odor, partly of [[hexanal]], considered disagreeable by most Westerners. This is caused by the [[lipooxygenase]] (LOX) in the soy oxidizing the fat in the beans. Rehydrating the beans allows the reaction to proceed with the oxygen gas dissolved in soaking water.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hildebrand |first1=David |last2=Kemp |first2=Thomas |last3=Andersen |first3=Roger |last4=Loughrin |first4=John |title=Method of Reducing Odor Associated with Hexanal Production in Plant Products |url=https://uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_patents/27/ |journal=Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Patents |date=21 May 1991}}</ref> To eliminate the odor, one can either disable the LOX enzyme with heat or remove the oxygen dissolved in the water. The former can be achieved by soaking beans in hot water (a "hot grind"), skipping the soak entirely, or [[Blanching (cooking)|blanching]] the soy in water or steam first.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zhang |first1=Yan |last2=Guo |first2=Shuntang |last3=Liu |first3=Zhisheng |last4=Chang |first4=Sam K. C. |title=Off-Flavor Related Volatiles in Soymilk As Affected by Soybean Variety, Grinding, and Heat-Processing Methods |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |date=1 August 2012 |volume=60 |issue=30 |pages=7457–7462 |doi=10.1021/jf3016199 |pmid=22812487|bibcode=2012JAFC...60.7457Z }}</ref> The latter can be achieved by a variety of chemical means, such as adding glucose and [[glucose oxidase]] to consume the oxygen.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Takenawa |first1=Seishi |last2=Takeda |first2=Hideki |last3=Horikoshi |first3=Mie |title=Process for preparation of soya milk with an improved flavor |url=https://patents.google.com/patent/EP0328322A2 |language=en |date=16 August 1989}}</ref> The soybean cultivar also influences the odor<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Yuan |first1=S |last2=Chang |first2=SK |title=Selected odor compounds in soymilk as affected by chemical composition and lipoxygenases in five soybean materials. |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |date=24 January 2007 |volume=55 |issue=2 |pages=426–31 |doi=10.1021/jf062274x |pmid=17227075|bibcode=2007JAFC...55..426Y }}</ref> and a mutant cultivar lacking LOX completely has been produced.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zhou |first1=Yanping |last2=Li |first2=Xingfei |last3=Hua |first3=Yufei |last4=Kong |first4=Xiangzhen |last5=Zhang |first5=Caimeng |last6=Chen |first6=Yeming |last7=Wang |first7=Shaodong |title=The absence of lipoxygenase and 7S globulin of soybeans and heating temperatures on the properties of soymilks and soy yogurts |journal=LWT |date=November 2019 |volume=115 |article-number=108431 |doi=10.1016/j.lwt.2019.108431|s2cid=199647823 }}</ref>

The issue and preference of soy odor also affects products made from soymilk, especially tofu. See {{section link|Tofu|Flavor}}.

==Commerce==
With soybean production increasing worldwide during the early 21st century,<ref name="bw">{{cite web |title=Top 4 Trends Impacting the Global Soy Milk and Cream Market Through 2020: Technavio |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161107006231/en/Top-4-Trends-Impacting-Global-Soy-Milk |publisher=BusinessWire |access-date=9 January 2020 |date=7 November 2016}}</ref> and consumer interest in plant milks growing from demand in Asia, Europe, and the United States,<ref name=bw/><ref name="bim">{{cite web |title=2019 State of the Beverage Industry: Dairy category benefits from flexible consumers: New forms of alternative milks emerge |url=https://www.bevindustry.com/articles/92237-2019-state-of-the-beverage-industry-dairy-category-benefits-from-flexible-consumers |publisher=Beverage Industry Magazine |access-date=9 January 2020 |date=15 July 2019}}</ref><ref name="bharti">{{cite web |author1=Achla Bharti |title=The Growth Of Soy-Milk As A Dairy Alternative |url=https://industryeurope.com/the-growth-of-soy-milk-as-a-dairy-alternative/ |publisher=Industry Europe, Focus Media Group Ltd |access-date=9 January 2020 |date=25 August 2019}}</ref> soy milk became the second-most consumed plant milk (after [[almond milk]]) by 2019.<ref name="clara">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46654042|title=Climate change: Which vegan milk is best?|author1=Clara Guibourg |author2=Helen Briggs |date=22 February 2019|work=BBC News: Science and Environment |access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref><ref name="lucas">{{cite news |author1=Amelia Lucas |title=5 charts that show how milk sales changed and made it tough for Dean Foods to avert bankruptcy |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/13/5-charts-that-show-how-milk-sales-have-changed.html|work=CNBC |access-date=9 January 2020 |date=13 November 2019}}</ref> Soy milk sales declined in the United States during 2018–19,<ref name=bim/><ref name=lucas/> mainly due to the rising popularity of almond milk and loss of market share to the successful introduction of [[oat milk]].<ref name="vp">{{cite web |author1=Emily Saladino |title=Got Milk Decision Fatigue? The Pain and Politics of Soy, Almond, Oat, and Cow's Milks |url=https://vinepair.com/articles/best-milk-soy-almond-health-environment-guide/ |publisher=VinePair Inc. |access-date=9 January 2020 |date=17 January 2019}}</ref>

According to market research in 2019, the worldwide market for soy milk was growing at an annual rate of 6%, and was forecast to reach $11&nbsp;billion in total commerce by 2025.<ref name="grand">{{cite web |title=Soy Milk Market Size Worth $11.08 Billion By 2025; CAGR: 6.1% |url=https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-soy-milk-market |publisher=Grandview Research |access-date=9 January 2020 |date=1 April 2019}}</ref> Growth in consumption was due mainly to expanding the flavors of sweetened soy milks and uses in desserts, whereas unsweetened soy milk was being used particularly in Asia-Pacific countries as an ingredient in [[snack]]s and various prepared foods.<ref name=grand/>

== Usage ==
=== Nutrition ===
A [[cup (unit)|cup]] (243&nbsp;mL) serving of a generic unsweetened commercial nutrient-fortified brand of soy milk provides 80 [[calories]] from 4&nbsp;g of [[carbohydrates]] (including 1&nbsp;g of sugar), 4&nbsp;g of fat and 7&nbsp;g of [[protein]].<ref name="nd">{{citation |contribution-url=https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/4913 |contribution=Basic Report: 16222, Soymilk (All Flavors), Unsweetened, with Added Calcium, Vitamins A and D |publisher=US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service |title=USDA Food Composition Database |url=https://fdc.nal.usda.gov |location=[[Washington, DC|Washington]] |date=2016}}.</ref> This processed soy milk contains appreciable levels of [[vitamin A]], [[B vitamins]], and [[vitamin D]] in a range of 10 to 45% of the [[Daily Value]], with [[calcium]] and [[magnesium]] also in significant content.<ref name=nd />

It has a [[glycemic index]] of 34±4.<ref name=International-Tables-2008>{{harvp|Atkinson|Foster-Powell|Brand-Miller|2008}}.</ref> For [[protein quality]], one study gave soya milk a [[Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score]] (DIAAS) of 78% for infants, 99% for young children, and 117% for older children, adolescents, and adults, with the [[limiting amino acid]] for those groups being [[leucine]], [[lysine]], and [[valine]] respectively.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Reynaud| first1=Yohan |collaboration=y |year=2021 |title=True ileal amino acid digestibility and digestible indispensable amino acid scores (DIAASs) of plant-based protein foods |journal=[[Food Chemistry (journal)|Food Chemistry]] |volume=338 |article-number=128020 |doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128020 | pmid=32932087 | s2cid=221746468 | url=https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02946774/file/Manuscript%20DIAAS%20V10%20DR-reveiwed.pdf }}</ref> A DIAAS of 100% or more is considered to be an excellent/high [[protein quality]] source.<ref>{{citation|title=Report of an FAO Expert Consultation, 31 March - 2 April 2011, Auckland, New Zealand|year=2013|publisher=[[Food and Agriculture Organization]]|isbn=9789251074176|page=43}}</ref>

{{Milk nutrition}}

=== Taste ===
{{Infobox Chinese
| title          = Doujiang
| pic            = File:Taipei breakfast with fresh soymilk 20071023.jpg
| piccap         = A [[youtiao]] with a bowl of ''doujiang''
| t              = 豆漿
| s              = 豆浆
| l              = [[soybean]] [[broth]]
| p              = dòujiāng
| w              = tou chiang
| mi             = {{IPAc-cmn|d|ou|4|.|j|iang|1}}
| j              = dau<sup>6</sup>-zoeng<sup>1</sup>
| y              = dauh-jēung
| altname        = Historic name
| t2             = 豆腐漿
| s2             = 豆腐浆
| p2             = dòufujiāng
| w2             = tou-fu chiang
| l2             = [[tofu]] [[broth]]
}}
Manufactured, sweetened soy milk has an [[oatmeal]]-like, nutty flavor.<ref name="ball">{{cite web |author1=Serena Ball |title=All the Non-Dairy Milks on the Market, Reviewed and Ranked |url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/food-and-nutrition-experts/2018/4/newest-plant-based-milks |publisher=FoodNetwork |access-date=21 May 2021 |date=22 January 2021}}</ref> In [[acidic]] hot drinks, such as coffee, [[curdling]] may occur, requiring some manufacturers to add acidity regulators.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Brown |first1=Mairi |last2=Laitano |first2=Francesca |last3=Williams |first3=Calum |last4=Gibson |first4=Bruce |last5=Haw |first5=Mark |last6=Sefcik |first6=Jan |last7=Johnston |first7=Karen |title='Curdling' of soymilk in coffee: A study of the phase behaviour of soymilk coffee mixtures |journal=Food Hydrocolloids |date=1 October 2019 |volume=95 |pages=462–467 |doi=10.1016/j.foodhyd.2019.04.032 |s2cid=145932645 |url=https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/67572/8/Brown_etal_FH_2019_Curdling_of_soymilk_in_coffee_a_study_of_the_phase_behaviour.pdf }}</ref>

====Phytic acid====
Soybeans, and soy milk in particular, contain [[phytic acid]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Soy Antinutrients - Today's Dietitian Magazine |url=https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0421p22.shtml |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=www.todaysdietitian.com}}</ref> which may act as a [[Chelation|chelating agent]] and inhibit mineral absorption, especially for diets already low in minerals.<ref>{{cite book | chapter = Phytates | title = Toxicants Occurring Naturally in Foods | author = Committee on Food Protection, Food and Nutrition Board, National Research Council | publisher = National Academy of Sciences | location = Washington, DC | year = 1973 | isbn = 978-0-309-02117-3 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/toxicantsoccurri0000unse/page/363 363–71] | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=lIsrAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA363 | url = https://archive.org/details/toxicantsoccurri0000unse/page/363 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=How do phytates impact calcium absorption? |url=https://americanbonehealth.org/nutrition/how-do-phytates-impact-calcium-absorption/ |agency=American Bone Health |date=2011}}</ref> However, dietary intake of phytic acid may help reduce the risk of developing colon cancer.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Graf |first1=E. |last2=Eaton |first2=J. W. |date=1993 |title=Suppression of colonic cancer by dietary phytic acid |journal=Nutrition and Cancer |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=11–19 |doi=10.1080/01635589309514232 |issn=0163-5581 |pmid=8383315}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Reddy |first=Bandaru S |date=1999-01-25 |title=Role of dietary fiber in colon cancer: an overview |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002934398003416 |journal=The American Journal of Medicine |language=en |volume=106 |issue=1, Supplement 1 |pages=16–19 |doi=10.1016/S0002-9343(98)00341-6 |pmid=10089109 |issn=0002-9343|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

===Regional===
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2020}}
[[File:Soy milk soup with wonton cc flickr user jetalone 2.jpg|thumb|Soy milk soup with salt and vinegar, along with vegetables and [[wonton]]s]]
Soy milk is a common beverage in [[East Asian cuisine]]s.

* In [[Chinese cuisine]], "sweet" soy milk is made by adding [[cane sugar]] or [[simple syrup]]. "Salty" or "savory" soy milk is often combined with chopped [[pickled]] [[mustard greens]], [[dried]] [[shrimp]], ''[[youtiao]]'' [[crouton]]s, chopped [[spring onion]]s, [[cilantro]], [[rousong|pork floss]], and/or [[shallot]]s, along with vinegar, [[sesame oil]], [[soy sauce]], and/or [[chili oil]]. Both are traditional breakfast foods, served hot or cold [[traditional Chinese medicine|depending on the season]] or personal preference. At breakfast, it is often accompanied by [[starch]]y [[carbohydrate]]-rich foods like ''[[mantou]]'' (a thick, fluffy kind of roll or bun), ''[[youtiao]]'' (deep-fried dough sticks), and ''[[shaobing]]'' (sesame flatbread).
* [[Japanese cuisine]] uses soy milk to make ''[[Yuba (food)|yuba]]'' and as an occasional [[base soup|base]] for ''[[nabemono]]''.
* In [[Korean cuisine]], soy milk is used as the broth for making ''[[kongguksu]]'', a cold [[noodle]] [[soup]] eaten mostly in summer.
* In [[Taiwanese cuisine]], soy milk is a popular breakfast item, often served with Chinese donuts (you tiao).

In many countries, soy milk is used in [[Veganism|vegan]] and vegetarian food products and as a substitute replacement for cow's milk in many recipes.<ref name=clara/><ref name=bw/> Soy milk is also used in making imitation dairy products such as [[soy yogurt]], [[Plant cream|soy cream]], soy [[kefir]] and soy-based [[cheese analogue]]s.<ref name=bw/><ref name=bim/> It is also used as an ingredient for making [[milkshake]]s, [[pancake]]s, [[smoothie]]s, bread, [[mayonnaise]], and [[baking|baked good]]s.<ref name=bharti/>

== Ecological effects ==

{{Bar chart |title=Mean [[water footprint]] for one glass (200&nbsp;g) of different milks<ref name=bbc/> |float=right |label_type=Milk types |data_type=Water use (L per 200&nbsp;g) |bar_width=20 |width_units=em |data_max=131 |label1=[[Milk|Cow's milk]] |data1=131 |label2=[[Almond milk]] |data2=74 |label3=[[Rice milk]] |data3=56 |label4=[[Oat milk]] |data4=9 |label5=Soy milk |data5=2 |label6= |data6=}}
{{Bar chart|title=Mean [[greenhouse gas emissions]] for one glass (200g) of different milks<ref name=clara/>|float=right|label_type=Milk Types|data_type=Greenhouse gas emissions (kg CO<small>2</small>-C<small>eq</small> per 200g)|bar_width=20|width_units=em|data_max=.6|label1=[[Milk|Cow milk]]|data1=0.62|label2=[[Rice milk]]|data2=0.23|label3=Soy milk|data3=0.21|label4=[[Oat milk]]|data4=0.19|label5=[[Almond milk]]|data5=0.16|label6=|data6=|label7=|data7=|label8=|data8=|label9=|data9=|label10=|data10=|label11=|data11=|label12=|data12=|label13=|data13=}} Using [[soybean]]s to make milk instead of raising cows is [[ecology|ecologically]] advantageous.<ref name="Holmes">{{cite journal |last1=Holmes |first1=Bob |title=How sustainable are fake meats? |journal=Knowable Magazine |date=20 July 2022 |doi=10.1146/knowable-071922-1|s2cid=250938804 |doi-access=free |url=https://knowablemagazine.org/article/food-environment/2022/how-sustainable-are-fake-meats |access-date=1 August 2022 |language=en|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e02.pdf |title=Livestock's long shadow – Environmental issues and options; Chapter 2, Livestock in geographic transition |publisher=United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome |date=2006}}</ref> Cows require much more energy to produce milk, since the farmer must feed the animal, which can consume up to {{convert|24|kg|lb}} of food in dry matter basis and {{convert|90|to|180|L|gal}} of water a day, producing an average of {{convert|40|kg|lb}} of milk a day. [[Legume]]s, including the soybean plant, also replenish the [[Nitrogen fixation#Legume family|nitrogen content]] of the soil in which they are grown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nitrogen in the Environment: Nitrogen Replacement Value of Legumes {{!}} MU Extension |url=https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/wq277 |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=extension.missouri.edu}}</ref>

The cultivation of soybeans in South America is a cause of [[deforestation]]<ref name="wwf-deforestation" /> (specifically in the Amazon rainforest) and a range of other large-scale environmental harm.<ref name="wwf">{{cite web |url=http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/agriculture/soy/impacts/ |title=Environmental & social impacts of soy |publisher=World Wildlife Fund |access-date=14 August 2015}}</ref> However, the majority of soybean cultivation worldwide, especially in South America where cattle farming is widespread, is intended for [[animal feed|livestock fodder]] rather than soy milk production.<ref name="wwf-deforestation">{{cite web |url=http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/agriculture/soy/consumers/ |title=Soy is Everywhere |publisher=World Wildlife Fund |access-date=14 August 2015}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of soy-based foods]]
* [[Milk substitute]]
* [[Plant milk]]
* [[Soy boy]]
* [[Soy milk maker]]
* [[Soy yogurt]]
* [[Tofu]] (soy milk curd)
* [[Tofu skin]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==

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* {{cite book |last1=Huang |first1=H.T. |editor1-last=Du Bois |editor1-first=Christine M. |editor2-last=Tan |editor2-first=Chee Beng |editor3-last=Mintz |editor3-first=Sidney Wilfred |title=The World of Soy |date=2008 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |isbn=978-0-252-03341-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tW6fjds6YwkC&q=9789971694135 |access-date= |language=en |chapter=Early Uses of Soybean in Chinese History"}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Lawrence |first1=S. E. |last2=Lopetcharat |first2=K. |last3=Drake |first3=M.A. |title=Preference Mapping of Soymilk with Different U.S. Consumers |journal=Journal of Food Science |date=February 2016 |volume=81 |issue=2 |pages= S463–76 |doi=10.1111/1750-3841.13182 |pmid=26677062 |url= |access-date= |language=en |issn=0022-1147}}
*  {{cite journal |last1=Langworthy |first1=C.F. |title=Soy Beans as Food for Man |journal=USDA Farmers' Bulletin |date=7 July 1897 |issue=58 |pages=20–23 |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc6324/ |access-date= |via=UNT Digital Library |language=English}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Ma |first1=Lei |last2=Li |first2=Bin |last3=Han |first3=Fenxia |last4=Yan |first4=Shurong |last5=Wang |first5=Lianzheng |last6=Sun |first6=Junming |title=Evaluation of the chemical quality traits of soybean seeds, as related to sensory attributes of soymilk |journal=Food Chemistry |date=15 April 2015 |volume=173 |pages=694–701 |doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.10.096 |pmid=  25466078 |url= |access-date=   |issn=0308-8146|doi-access=free }}
*{{cite journal |last1=Shi |first1=Xiaodi |last2=Li |first2=Jingyan |last3=Wang |first3=Shuming |last4=Zhang |first4=Lei |last5=Qiu |first5=Lijuan |last6=Han |first6=Tianfu |last7=Wang |first7=Qianyu |last8=Chang |first8=Sam Kow-Ching |last9=Guo |first9=Shuntang |title=Flavor characteristic analysis of soymilk prepared by different soybean cultivars and establishment of evaluation method of soybean cultivars suitable for soymilk processing |journal=Food Chemistry |date=15 October 2015 |volume=185 |pages=422–429 |doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.04.011 |pmid= 25952888 |url= |access-date= |issn=0308-8146}}
* {{citation |last1=Shurtleff |first1=William |last2=Aoyagi |first2=Akiko |date=2004 |author1-link=William Shurtleff |author2-link=Akiko Aoyagi |url=https://www.soyinfocenter.com/HSS/john_kellogg_and_battle_creek_foods.php |title=Dr John Harvey Kellogg and Battle Creek Foods: Work with Soy] |series=History of Soybeans and Soyfoods, 1100 BC to the 1980s |location=Lafayette |publisher=Soyinfo Center}}
* {{citation |last1=Shurtleff |first1=William |last2=Aoyagi |first2=Akiko |date=2009 |url=https://www.soyinfocenter.com/pdf/130/Miso.pdf |title=History of Miso, Soybean Jiang (China), Jang (Korea), and Tauco/Taotjo (Indonesia), 200 BC–2009 |location=Lafayette |publisher=Soyinfo Center |isbn=9781928914228}}
* {{citation |last1=Shurtleff |first1=William |last2=Aoyagi |first2=Akiko |date=2013 |url=https://www.soyinfocenter.com/pdf/166/Milk.pdf |title=History of Soymilk and Other Non-Dairy Milks, 1226 to 2013  |location=Lafayette |publisher=Soyinfo Center}}
* {{citation |last1=Shurtleff |first1=William |last2=Aoyagi |first2=Akiko |date=2014 |url=https://www.soyinfocenter.com/pdf/176/Chin.pdf |title=History of Soybeans and Soyfoods in China and Taiwan and in Chinese Cookbooks, Restaurants, and Chinese Work with Soyfoods outside China, 1024 BCE to 2014 |location=Lafayette |publisher=Soyinfo Center}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* {{cookbook-inline|Soy Milk}}

{{Plant milk}}
{{Soy}}
{{portal bar|Drink}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ancient dishes]]
[[Category:Chinese drinks]]
[[Category:Chinese inventions]]
[[Category:Hong Kong drinks]]
[[Category:Japanese drinks]]
[[Category:Korean drinks]]
[[Category:Milk substitutes]]
[[Category:Non-alcoholic drinks]]
[[Category:Plant milk]]
[[Category:Soy-based foods]]
[[Category:Taiwanese drinks]]
[[Category:Vegan cuisine]]
[[Category:Vegetarianism and drinks]]
[[Category:Nigerian drinks]]