CONTENT

1. Acknowledgement



2. What is Soy Milk?


3. Preparation of Soy Milk


4. Benefits of Soy Milk

5. Soy Uses & Effectiveness

6. Soy Side Effects & Safety








ACKNOWLEDGEMENT




I would like to express my special
thanks of gratitude to SANGITA
MAAM who gave me this golden
opportunity to do this wonderful
project on the topic SOY MILK which
also helped me in doing a lot of
research and I came to know about so
many new things.







SOY MILK

Soy milk is a complete protein and has
about the same amount of protein as
cow's milk; it can replace animal
protein and other sources of dietary
fiber, vitamins and minerals. Soy milk
contains little digestible calcium
because calcium is bound to the
bean's pulp, which is indigestible by
humans. To counter this,
manufacturers enrich their products
with calcium carbonate. Unlike cow's
milk, soy milk has little saturated fat
and no cholesterol.
Soy products contain sucrose as the
basic disaccharide, which breaks down
into glucose and fructose. Since soy
does not contain galactose, a product
of lactose breakdown, soy-based
infant formulas can safely replace
breast milk in children with
galactosemia. Like lactose-free cow's
milk, soymilk contains no lactose,
which makes it an alternative for
lactose-intolerant people.
It has been suggested that soy
consumption is associated with a
reduction in low-density lipoprotein
("bad cholesterol") and triglycerides.
Research has refuted claims that soy
affects bone mineral density. Research
has found no link between soy and
increased estrogen levels in men,
although studies thus far have been
limited in duration.

For people who suffer from gout,
purine in soy can make the condition
worse. The US National Institutes of
Health (NIH) recommends gout
sufferers limit consumption of soy
products, although also suggest that
soy may have health benefits by
reducing the risk for heart disease.








PREPARATION OF SOY MILK

Soy milk can be made from whole
soybeans or full-fat soy flour. The dry
beans are soaked in water overnight
or for a minimum of 3 hours or more
depending on the temperature of the
water. The rehydrated beans then
undergo wet grinding with enough
added water to give the desired solids
content to the final product. The ratio
of water to beans on a weight basis
should be about 10:1. The resulting
slurry or pure is brought to a boil in
order to improve its nutritional value
by heat inactivating soybean trypsin
inhibitor, improve its flavor and to
sterilize the product. Heating at or
near the boiling point is continued for
a period of time, 1520 minutes,
followed by the removal of an
insoluble residue (soy pulp fiber or
okara) by filtration.

There is a simple yet important
difference between traditional Chinese
and Japanese soy milk processing: the
Chinese method boils the filtrate (soy
milk) after a cold filtration, while the
Japanese method boils the slurry first,
followed by hot filtration of the slurry.
The latter method results in a higher
yield of soy milk but requires the use
of an anti-foaming agent or natural
defoamer during the boiling step.
Bringing filtered soy milk to a boil
avoids the problem of foaming. It is
generally opaque, white or off-white
in colour, and approximately the same
consistency as cow's milk.
Package and glass of Malaysian soy
milk
For all raw soybean protein products,
heat is necessary to destroy the
activity of the protease inhibitors
naturally present in the soybean. As
the human pancreas naturally secretes
proteases to digest a meal contain
proteins, eating raw soybeans on a
regular basis can cause the pancreas
to hyper secrete, leading to benign
tumours of the pancreas.

When soybeans absorb water, the
endogenous enzyme, Lipoxygenase
(LOX), EC 1.13.11.12 linoleate:
oxidoreductase catalyzes a reaction
between polyunsaturated fatty acids
and oxygen {hydroperoxidation}. LOX
initiates the formation of free radicals,
which can then attack other cell
components. Soybean seeds are the
richest known sources of LOXs, which
are thought to be a defensive
mechanism by the soybean against
fungal invasion.
In 1967, experiments at Cornell
University and the New York State
Agricultural Experiment Station at
Geneva, NY led to the discovery that
paint-like, off-flavours of traditional
soy milk can be prevented by a rapid
hydration and grinding process of
dehulled beans at temperatures above
80 C. The quick moist heat treatment
inactivates the LOX enzyme before it
can have a significant negative effect
on flavor. All modern soy milks have
been heat treated in this manner to
destroy LOX.

In 1969, Mattick and Hand at Cornell
University discovered that most of the
so-called beany flavor in soybeans was
not inherent in the beans themselves
but was produced by the enzyme
lipoxygenase when the split beans
came in contact with water.
Lipoxygenase could be inactivated and
most of the beany flavor removed by
either dropping unsoaked soybeans
directly into boiling water or by
removing any cracked or split beans
prior to soaking, then carefully
dropping the soaked beans into
boiling water.

Normal mature soybeans actually
contain three LOX isozymes (SBL-1,
SBL-2, and SBL-3) that influence
undesirable flavor development. One
or more of these isozymes have
recently (1998) been removed
genetically from soybeans yielding soy
milk with less cooked beany aroma
and flavor and less astringency.

The University of Illinois has
developed a soy milk that makes use
of the entire soybean. What would
normally constitute "insoluble's" are
ground so small by homogenization as
to be in permanent suspension.

BENEFITS OF SOY MILK

As the taste of commercial soy milk
improves more and more people are
drinking it as enjoyment. But many
people drink soy milk for the added
health benefits. So what are the
benefits of drinking soy milk as
compared to cow's milk?
Benefit 1: Soy milk contains only
vegetables proteins
Vegetable proteins have the
advantage that they cause less loss of
calcium through the kidneys. It is
known that a diet rich in animal (and
dairy protein) creates a higher risk for
osteoporosis.
Benefit 2: Soy milk contains no lactose
About 75 percent of the world
population cannot tolerate lactose.
Some ethnic groups are more affected
than others. For example 75 percent of
Africans and 90 percent of Asians have
lactose intolerance. As an additional
benefit, soy milk contains the prebiotic
sugars stachyose and raffinose. These
prebiotic sugars boost immunity and
help decrease toxic substances in the
body.
Benefit 3: Fewer people are allergic to
soy milk
Only 0.5 percent of the children are
allergic to soy milk, whereas 2.5
percent is allergic to cow's milk.
Benefit 4: Soy milk reduces cholesterol
The saturated fats in cow's milk are
unhealthy and increase your
cholesterol. The protein in cow's milk
has no benefits for the cholesterol. Soy
protein can decrease cholesterol
levels. The FDA (Food and Drug
Administration of US) confirms that
soy protein, as part of a diet low in
saturated fat and cholesterol may
significantly reduce the risk of
coronary heart. The FDA recommends
to incorporate 25 grams of soy protein
in your daily meals.
Benefit 5: Soy milk contains no
hormones
Cow's milk contains natural hormones
(from the cow) but also synthetic
hormones, which can influence the
good working of our own body. The
synthetic hormone rBGH (recombinant
bovine growth hormone) increase milk
production by as much as 20 percent.
Benefit 6: Soy milk does not cause
insulin dependent diabetes
Although no general consensus exists
among scientists, some studies have
shown an association between
drinking cow's milk in early life and
the development of insulin dependent
diabetes. This association does not
exist with soy milk.
Benefit 7: Soy milk is rich in
isoflavones
The presence of isoflavones is the
most important and unique benefit of
soy milk. Each cup of soy milk contains
about 20 mg isoflavones (mainly
genistein and daidzein). Cow's milk
does not contain isoflavones.
Isoflavones have many health benefits
including reduction of cholesterol,
easing of menopause symptoms,
prevention of osteoporosis and
reduction of risk for certain cancers
(prostate cancer and breast cancer).
Incidents of these cancers are very low
in countries with high intake of soy
products, including soy milk.
Isoflavones are also antioxidants
which protect our cells and DNA
against oxidation.









SOY USES & EFFECTIVENESS

Possibly Effective for:
High cholesterol. Eating soy
protein in place of other dietary
protein seems to slightly reduce
total cholesterol and bad
cholesterol (low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol
levels). However, not all evidence
is positive. Some studies have
shown no significant benefit.
Hot flashes caused by
menopause. Eating soy protein
seems to help hot flashes caused
by menopause, but it doesn't
seem to help hot flashes in
women with breast cancer.
Reducing the risk of
osteoporosis (weak bones),
especially in women who have
passed menopause. Most
evidence suggests that soy
protein can increase bone
mineral density (BMD), or slow
BMD loss in women near or
beyond menopause. Soy does
not seem to help BMD in younger
women.
Reducing the risk of developing
breast cancer. Researchers think
early exposure to soy may be
key. Asian women who eat a
traditional diet high in soy seem
to be less likely to develop breast
cancer. This benefit continues
even when Asian women move to
western cultures where soy is
less likely to be a regular part of
the diet. This suggests that
exposure to soy early in life (i.e.,
before menopause) provides the
most protection against breast
cancer.
Reducing the duration of diarrhea
in infants.
Preventing and treating diabetic
nerve problems.
Providing nutrition to infants who
can't digest milk sugars.
Reducing protein in the urine of
people with kidney disease.
Treating diabetes type 2.
Treating infants who have trouble
digesting lactose (galactosemia,
hereditary lactose deficiency,
lactose intolerance).
Possibly Ineffective for:
Reducing muscle soreness
caused by exercise.
Insufficient Evidence for:
Preventing thyroid cancer.
Getting a lot of soy from the diet
might help to prevent thyroid
cancer.
Endometrial cancer. There is
some evidence that increasing
soy intake might lower the risk of
endometrial cancer. Endometrial
cancer is less common in J apan,
China, and other Asian countries
where the usual diet is low in
calories and high in soy and
whole grain foods, vegetables,
and fruits.
Lung cancer. Research suggests
that men and women who
consume a higher amount of
dietary phytoestrogens, such as
isoflavones from soy, are less
likely to develop lung cancer than
people who consume smaller
amounts. Soy seems to prevent
lung cancer more in men than
women.
Prostate cancer. Research on the
effect of soy on prostate cancer
risk has been mixed. Men who eat
an Asian diet, which contains 10
times more soy than the average
American diet, seem to have a
lower risk of prostate cancer. But,
it's unclear whether its the soy in
the diet of Asian men or other
factors (such as genetic
differences or differences in
dietary fat) that protect against
prostate cancer.
Improving memory. Some
research suggests that a high
soy diet might slightly improve
performance on memory tests.
Reducing breast pain. There is
some limited evidence that
soymilk (34 grams soy
protein/day) might reduce
monthly breast pain in some
women.
Weight loss. Limited evidence
suggests that eating soy protein
along with a low-calorie diet for
six months seems to reduce
weight in obese and overweight
people more than a low-calorie
diet alone.
High blood pressure. Some
evidence suggests that eating
soy protein might reduce systolic
blood pressure (the top number
in a blood pressure reading) by
about 4 mmHg and diastolic
blood pressure (the bottom
number) by about 3 mmHg in
people with pre-high blood
pressure or mild high blood
pressure. This is a relatively
small reduction.
Asthma.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Heart disease.
Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate
soy for these uses.








SOY SIDE EFFECTS & SAFETY

Consuming soy food such as soy
protein is LIKELY SAFE. Taking
soy dietary supplements also
seems to be safe for most people
when used short-term (up to six
months). Soy can cause some
mild side effects such as
constipation, bloating, and
nausea. It can also cause allergic
reactions involving rash and
itching in some people.
Long-term use of high doses of
soy dietary supplements is
POSSIBLY UNSAFE. There is
concern that taking high doses
might cause abnormal tissue
growth in the uterus.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding:
Soy protein is LIKELY SAFE in
pregnancy and during breast-
feeding when consumed in
amounts normally found in food.
Higher doses during pregnancy
might harm development of the
baby. Not enough is known about
the safety of higher doses during
breast-feeding. Stay on the safe
side and avoid larger doses.
Children: Soy is LIKELY SAFE for
children when used in amounts
commonly found in food or infant
formula. Using soy formula does
not seem to cause health or
reproductive problems later in
life. However, soymilk that is not
designed for infants should not
be used as a substitute for infant
formula. Regular soymilk could
lead to nutrient deficiencies.
Soy is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when
used as an alternative to cows
milk in children who are allergic
to cows milk. Although soy
protein-based infant formulas are
often promoted for children with
milk allergy, these children are
often allergic to soy as well.
Dont give children soy in
amounts larger than what is
found in food or formula.
Researchers dont know whether
soy is safe for children at higher
doses.
Cystic fibrosis: Soymilk can
interfere with the way children
with cystic fibrosis process
protein. Dont give these children
soy products.
Breast cancer: The effects of soy
in people with breast cancer are
unclear. Some research finds that
soy might feed certain breast
cancers because it can act like
estrogen. Other studies have
found that soy seems to protect
against breast cancer. The
difference in effects might have
something to do with the amount
taken. Because there isnt
enough reliable information
about the effects of soy in women
with breast cancer, a history of
breast cancer, or a family history
of breast cancer, its best to
avoid using soy until more is
known.
Endometrial cancer: Long-term
use of concentrated soy
isoflavone tablets might increase
the occurrence of precancerous
changes in the tissue lining the
uterus. Dont take concentrated
soy isoflavone supplements if
you have endometrial cancer.
Kidney disease: There is some
concern that soy products might
increase the risk of kidney stones
because they contain large
amounts of a group of chemicals
called oxalates. Oxalates are the
main ingredient in kidney stones.
Another concern is that people
with serious kidney disease
arent able to process some of
the chemicals in soy. This could
lead to dangerously high levels of
these chemicals. If you have
kidney disease or a history of
kidney stones, avoid taking large
amounts of soy.
Urinary bladder cancer: Soy
products might increase the
chance of getting bladder cancer.
Avoid soy foods if you have
bladder cancer or a high risk of
getting it (family history of
bladder cancer).
Under-active thyroid
(hypothyroidism): There is a
concern that taking soy might
make this condition worse.
Asthma: People with asthma are
more likely to be allergic to soy
hulls. Avoid using soy products.
Hay fever (allergic rhinitis):
People with hay fever are more
likely to be allergic to soy hulls.