soya milk
It is a creamy, milk-like product made by soaking and grinding soybeans in water.Soymilk has been known in mainland China for centuries. Hot soymilk is used as a breakfastbeverage in mainland China, Japan, Taiwan andThailand.
The product is generally popular with thelocal Chinese population. During the last fewdecades soymilk has been introduced in other partsof the world also.Besides being rich in protein, vitamins andminerals. Soymilk is very economical, lactosefree, highly digestible and nutritious alternative ofdairy and meat centered diet. It can do almosteverything that bovine milk could.
It is cholesterol free product, has a very low fat content and is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids of phospholipids especially lecithin and also linolenic acid.
Generally soymilk contains around 7-8% total solids in it. Adding 3-4% sugarand about 0.05% salt brings it to a sugar, salt and total solid level approximately identical totoned (2% fat) cow’s milk, i.e. about 12-13% total solids. This can be consumed as such orafter sweetening and diluting. Alternatively, it can be made into yogurt (curd) or tofu (paneer) or used directly in cooking. Soy food chart, gives an idea about various products made from soymilk, tofu and okara.
In addition to that blends of the soymilk with cow/buffalo milk have been successfully tried for the preparation of “Rasogolla “, a chana (coagulated product similar to the silken tofu in texture) based very popular Indian sweet. Flavored soymilk is available in bottles and also in loose packing at some places in the market.
Soybean contains some anti-nutritional constituents also in it but its careful processing in proper scientific ways during soymilk and other product manufacturing makes it suitable for human consumption.
