What do soy milk and other vegetable drinks contain?

Vegetarians like them, they are the first choice of vegans and they are also favored by omnivores: vegetable drinks are increasingly consumed, but do they guarantee an adequate contribution of minerals?

That contain?

An investigation by the American Institute for Food Safety and Health, a consortium of which the US Food and Drug Administration is also a member, has tried to answer the question. On the label of nutritional elements it is not mandatory to indicate the amount of minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, zinc or selenium, but since these are important substances for health and are found in discrete amounts in milk of cow, it is important to know if, when replacing it, you are taking sufficient amounts of these micronutrients.

Researchers analyzed 85 samples from various brands of almond, oat, soy, rice, hemp, coconut and pea beverages sold in the US using mass spectrometry.. They found there were substantial differences in minerals: pea- and soy-based products are the richest. Those of peas present on average the highest concentrations of phosphorus, zinc and selenium; those of soy are the richest in magnesium.

They are less 'natural'

These indications are an average, because there are differences even between different brands, which are highly dependent on production procedures.. As Andrea Ghiselli, former president of the Italian Society of Food Sciences, explains, “there are minerals above all because they are added: vegetable milks are considered 'natural' by consumers, but they are less so than animal milks”.

“The soy drink is the closest to cow's milk: it contains around 3% protein and can be an alternative even for children who do not consume animal milk; however, the procedures to produce it are complex and, for example, they include steps to remove certain odors from soybeans (it would otherwise be reminiscent of beans). Flavorings and/or sugars are often added. Regarding minerals, what is always added is calcium, which however tends to precipitate in brick containers and adhere to the walls, even when the container is shaken vigorously before consuming. In addition, drinking cow's milk absorbs 10% more calcium. In conclusion, it is correct to call them 'vegetable drinks' and not milk: they can be enjoyed at any time of the day, if you like them, but they do not have the same characteristics as milk”, Ghiselli emphasizes.

soy in menopause

Soy, even as a drink, helps women in menopause to alleviate their symptoms: this is confirmed by a small survey published in the magazine Menopause, in which a few dozen women received a control diet low in calories and vegetables or enriched every day with half a cup of boiled soybeans. Within three months, the frequency and intensity of the hot flashes they suffered were reduced, to the point that 60% said they no longer suffered from them.

According to the authors, soy in its legume form is the best choice in this case, but beverages or tofu can also be a good option to enrich the diet with isoflavones.. Soy is rich in these estrogen-like substances, which can therefore counteract symptoms due to the inevitable hormonal decline that occurs at menopause.

But these data should be taken with caution since it is a small study.. A meta-analysis of 16 studies published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, for example, highlighted that soy isoflavones produce modest effects and take many weeks to develop.. As an alternative, hormone replacement therapy prescribed correctly to those who can benefit from it, and taking into account possible contraindications, is more effective and acts more quickly.

The caution is also due to the fact that isoflavones share the strengths and weaknesses of standard hormones and therefore stress the breast and uterus in the same way, although to a lesser extent, so they might be discouraged in those with high cancer risk.

According to a paper from Harvard University “it is difficult to give an exact verdict on the safety and efficacy of soy in menopause and beyond because its effects on the body are many, complex and depend on many factors, including the mode of consumption : the effect of fermented soybeans, raw soybeans, that introduced in the form of a drink or tofu or isoflavone supplements, are probably different. The level of hormones present in the woman also affects.”

Unfinished business about soybeans

Can soy “feminize” men, given its content of estrogen-like molecules? There have been sporadic alarms in this regard, but until now they have always been in extreme cases such as that of an American man who had developed gynecomastia (increased breast tissue) because he drank three liters of soy milk every day.

Other doubts stem from animal studies, but all research based on normal consumption has never reported significant dangers.. More data is needed for Western populations, where eating soybeans and derivatives has been a trend in recent years, but the data from the East are also reassuring.. A moderate intake may offer some modest health benefits, for example a reduction in cardiovascular risk, and is especially positive if red meat is replaced by soy.