Whats the deal with soy milk?!???

Any general thoughts/opinons would be appreciated.

Perhaps:
- why do people generally drink it?
- is it 'better' for you?
- what are the best brands?
- does it actually taste good?! (opinions, obviously)
- can you drink it straight or is it used mostly as a creamer?

ps - I searched for threads and couldnt find any relevant and I also dont know anyone who regularly drinks the stuff.

THANKS!

Wed. Feb 20, 4:31pm

Reasons I drink:
- I like the taste better than milk
- Soy protein is good for you, supposed to be healthy for your heart
- I have a mild milk allergy (causes ear and sinus infections)
- Many dairy cows are not treated humanely, and are also given growth hormones and antibiotics which are passed into the milk

Is it better for you?
- That's debatable. I think it is.

Best brands:
- Silk is my favorite. 8th Continent is popular too. It's personal preference though. Any brand in chocolate is awesome. I like the smooth texture of silk. 8th Continent is a little thinner. Edensoy is pretty thick. Trader Joe's store brand is kind of middle-of-the-road.

Does it taste good:
- Yes, but I recommend NOT starting with plain flavor. It's comparable to flavored yogurt v. plain yogurt. It's just...plain.

Drink it straight:
- Yes, definitely. Especially the chocolate.

Other things:
Try rice milk and almond milk, which are also really delicious. Rice Dream and Almond Breeze are my favorites. I also enjoy The SoyNog in wintertime.

Don't forget to get the fortified type for the added Vit. D and Calcium.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 5:18 PM

I love soy milk (much more than cow's milk) but it is high in cals. try the Silk vanilla light - esp. in cereal and coffee.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 7:01 PM

Try rice or almond milk instead. I can't stand the taste of soy, and I personally think soy isn't healthy.

For some, they phyto estrogen in soy can help, but that's more often a benefit to menopausal women. I'm estrogen senstivite and I avoid any and all things related to soy.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 10:04 PM

I drink soymilk because I love the flavor and it makes me feel full and satisfied. My favorite kind is Edensoy, so rich and creamy.

Besides the health benefits already listed, it has both Essential Fatty Acids not produced by the body, not to mention plenty of protein and other vitamins.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 10:59 PM

Do your own research about the breast cancer issue, because I don't think 10:18 is right. According to several RDs I know, if you have a family history of breast cancer, you're supposed to limit your intake of soy protein to decrease your chances of carrying on the family tradition. Since regular ol' cow's milk doesn't come with a risk of the big bad C word, I'm sticking with the original.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 11:09 PM

11:09 -- I've heard the exact other way around.
http://www.webmd.com/news/20000505/milk-ovarian-cancer-risk

Milk seems to be the worse perpetrator when it comes to "the big C word" as you say.

Thursday, February 21, 2008, 12:03 PM

Oh my God! Here we go again. Round 2!

Thursday, February 21, 2008, 12:17 PM

This is why I advocate almond or rice milk. You can bypass the soy issue, and the dairy/cow issue. It should be a happy alternate, but noooooooooooo, people still want to go off in their dairy bad, soy bad arguments. I don't drink milk, but I put a little cream on my oatmeal, and I don't have any soy products.

Thursday, February 21, 2008, 12:59 PM

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