There could be many reasons that one chooses to drink cows milk or soy milk. Aside from ethical reason and personal taste preference, we will focus solely on the nutrition and health aspects in this article. Sometimes you don't need to be an expert to make a choice; all you need is some common sense, and a little bit research. Let's just read the labels.
Here we pick four products for nutrition comparison. They are Horizon organic whole milk, Horizon organic lowfat milk, Silk soymilk plain and Silk soymilk unsweetened. Since pictures are not allowed here, so please click the link at the end of this article to see the complete nutrition comparison chart.
Some obvious and undeniable conclusions can be drawn as follows:
1. For calories and fat, you can get your desired amount per serving by picking the right product in both cows milk and soy milk;
2. Both have similar amount of Protein, Calcium (fortified product in this case);
3. Cows milk is high in saturated fats and cholesterol compared with soy milk;
4. Soy milk contains significant amount of Riboflavin (B2) and Vitamin B12 while cows milk contains zero amount;
Other health issues you may consider that can not be seen on the labels:
1. Allergy and lactose intolerance;
2. Soy naturally contains isoflavone, which is claimed to be beneficial to health;
3. It is commonly believed that unless a baby shows signs of a dairy allergy, soy milk is not recommended as an infant formula.
Poll: You were trapped on an island, and could have either cow's milk or soy milk as your only food source. Which one do you think would help you better survive?
Please visit our site in the link below to vote and see the results :)
Additional information: Soybean Nutrition and Function
Soybeans are considered by many agencies, including the US Food and Drug Administration, to be a source of complete protein. A complete protein is one that contains significant amounts of all the essential amino acids that must be provided to the human body because of the body's inability to synthesize them. For this reason, soy is a good source of protein, amongst many others, for many vegetarians and vegans or for people who cannot afford meat.
According to the FDA, "Soy protein products can be good substitutes for animal products because, unlike some other beans, soy offers a "complete" protein profile. Soybeans contain all the amino acids essential to human nutrition, which must be supplied in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the human body. Soy protein products can replace animal-based foods-which also have complete proteins but tend to contain more fat, especially saturated fat-without requiring major adjustments elsewhere in the diet."
Soy in your diet can lower cholesterol. There are many scientific studies that support this conclusion. In fact, the FDA agreed that 25 grams per day of soy protein, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Soy may also reduce symptoms of menopause and the risk of osteoporosis. Soy products may possibly prevent certain hormone-dependent cancers, including breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and prostate cancer.
