Choosing Healthy Soymilk

1 min

Soymilk is made by soaking dried soybeans in water, then grinding, heating and pressing them. The fluid is strained and packaged as “milk.” Among its many benefits, soymilk:

• Can substitute for cow’s milk in many culinary applications.
• Does not contain the milk protein (casein), which can increase mucus production and irritate the digestive or immune system in some people.
• Does not contain milk sugar (lactose), which can cause digestive distress in those who are lactose intolerant.
• Is a good source of protein – one cup contains 4 to 10 grams of soy protein.

When choosing soymilk, opt for a brand that is:

• Fortified with calcium – while soymilk is naturally a good source of calcium, it doesn’t have as much as cow’s milk.
• Organic – often non-organic soy crops are heavily treated with pesticides.
• Free of the thickening agent carrageenan, a seaweed derivative, which Dr. Weil has concluded may be harmful and irritating, especially to the intestinal tract in those with a history of IBS.
• Does not contain added sugar, or at least opt for a version with the lowest sugar content you can find, as long as it meets the other criteria above.

Dr. Weil recommends 1-2 one cup servings daily. It works well as the liquid base for a berry-full smoothie.

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