Many people instead of popular cow's milk, opt for drinking soy milk on a daily basis. Whatever the reason for switching to soy milk may be - being allergic to dairy, lactose intolerant, choosing vegan lifestyle- to people that use soy milk as a substitute for dairy milk, it comes as a blessing. The list of various advantages of consuming soy milk is quite long – mostly based on different health benefits, but it also has a longer shelf life considering dairy milk.
Digestion
Soy milk is made exclusively of soybeans and it is dairy, fat, and lactose-free. Lactose is the natural sugar that dairy milk contains, which poses a problem to many people who cannot digest it, causing them to suffer from diarrhea, cramps, vomiting and gas. On the other hand, soy milk is rich in proteins and calcium, which is why it is such a great option for lactose-intolerant people.
Heart
Soy milk has proven to benefit your cholesterol level and prevent heart issues. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health states that bad cholesterol called LDL is noticeably lowered by proteins found in soy milk. It is also rich in vitamin, minerals and polyunsaturated fats, which is another evidence it improves your heart health. One cup of plain, unsweetened soy milk contains 7 grams of protein.
Bones
Given that soy milk is rich in calcium and iron, it is very beneficial for the bones. It helps build up their strength, that way decreasing the probability of bone fracture. One cup of unsweetened plain soy milk contains 301 milligrams of calcium.
Blood vessels
The iron in soy milk aids the function of blood vessels. This way, they also help to provide oxygen to every tissue in the body. One cup of unsweetened plain soy milk contains 1.1 milligrams of iron.
Skin
Soy milk has also proven to help with some skin conditions, such as frequent acne breakout and hyperpigmentation. It also consists of strong anti-aging properties.
Hair
Soy milk helps with frizzy hair and thanks to its richness in proteins, it promotes hair growth and has a good influence on hair in general.
Workout recovery
After burning calories and fat during a workout, the soy milk's ingredient called riboflavin will help you with recovering the lost energy. One cup of soy milk contains 0.5 milligrams of riboflavin.
Antidepressant
Soy milk contains vitamin B6 and vitamin B complex, as well as magnesium, all of which are very beneficial for boosting your mood. Magnesium is responsible for serotonin hormone release, which has potent antidepressive properties. One cup of soy milk contains 3 micrograms of vitamin B12.
All that being said, it's important to mention that soy milk is not the best choice for everybody. In the first place are, obviously, people that are allergic to soy. Furthermore, since soy milk consists of ingredients similar to estrogen, it is unsafe to consume soy milk for persons that have recently suffered from breast cancer.