What’s in Soy Milk? A Closer Look at Ingredients and More

Soy milk offers a variety of health benefits, supported by research.

May improve cholesterol

High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease (10).

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The foods you eat can significantly affect your cholesterol levels. Many foods, including soy milk, may have beneficial effects.

In a review, 5 out of 8 studies reported significant improvements in LDL (bad) and HDL (good) cholesterol as well as triglycerides in people who consumed between 1 cup (240 mL) to slightly more than 4 cups (1 L) of soy milk per day for 4-8 weeks (11).

Triglycerides are a type of blood lipid or fat that, when elevated, can increase your risk of stroke and heart disease (12).

The beneficial effects on cholesterol and triglyceride levels may be related to soy milk’s content of certain proteins and isoflavones — a class of beneficial plant compounds found largely in soybeans (11, 12).

May reduce high blood pressure

Like high cholesterol, high blood pressure is a significant risk factor for heart disease. It also increases the risk of kidney disease.

Some research suggests that soy milk has blood-pressure-lowering effects.

In a small, older study from 2002, 40 participants with high blood pressure were randomized to consume about 16 ounces (1 L) of either soy or cow’s milk every day for 3 months. At the end of the study, blood pressure levels had dropped in both groups (13).

Those who received soy milk had a 92% greater decrease in systolic (the top number) and 77% greater decrease in diastolic (the bottom number) blood pressure compared with those who received cow’s milk (13).

Although it’s been established that protein has beneficial effects on blood pressure, researchers in this study linked soy milk’s blood-pressure-lowering effects with the drink’s content of a specific isoflavone called genistein (13, 14).

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Other studies have also confirmed the blood-pressure-lowering effects of soy, though not necessarily soy milk.

For instance, a review of 15 randomized controlled trials in healthy participants and participants with one or more heart disease risk factors like high blood sugar or cholesterol explored how various soy products may affect health (15).

The study demonstrated a significant reduction of 1.70 mmHg systolic and 1.27 mmHg diastolic blood pressure with soy products compared with placebo after 16 weeks (15).

Yet, because most of the studies in this review used soy protein or soy isoflavone supplements, it cannot be said for certain if the findings translate to soy milk.

The review also didn’t address changes in body weight. If someone with overweight or obesity lost weight during the trials, their blood pressure could improve regardless of soy consumption (16).

In either case, the authors of the review suggest that the isoflavones found in soy are largely responsible for any blood-pressure-lowering effects. Ultimately, more research is needed to learn more on the topic.

May lower inflammation

Inflammation is your body’s natural healing mechanism against injuries and infections.

However, when inflammation becomes chronic or long-term, it can be damaging and increase your risk of conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis (17).

Diet and chronic inflammation are closely tied. For instance, Western-style diets rich in saturated fats, refined sugars, and sodium are linked to inflammation and the development of chronic diseases (18).

On the other hand, diets rich in plant-based foods like soy have been shown to offer anti-inflammatory effects and decrease the risk of chronic disease (19).

One review of seven studies found that consuming soy milk significantly reduced two major inflammatory proteins known as c-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) (20).

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It’s thought that the isoflavones in soy milk inhibit the processes that generate these inflammatory proteins.

Still, whether these observed reductions in inflammatory markers have a meaningful impact on health requires further research.

May support weight loss and weight maintenance

Losing weight comes down to eating fewer calories than your body needs to support normal bodily functions and activity.

While studies haven’t demonstrated consistent effects of soy milk on body weight, 1 cup (240 mL) of unsweetened soy milk contains just 80 calories, making it an excellent low-calorie choice (6, 21).

In addition to being low-calorie, it’s also a great source of protein.

Protein offers three main benefits for weight loss — it promotes feelings of fullness, requires more calories than carbs or fats to digest and absorb, and helps you maintain muscle mass which means you may burn more calories at rest (22).

Another benefit is that the quality of soy milk protein is high.

Among all sources of plant-based protein, soy protein has the highest biological value. This means it contains the essential amino acids, also known as the building blocks of protein, in the right proportions required by humans (18).

In fact, the high biological value of soy protein is comparable to animal-based proteins like milk.

Summary

Soy milk may improve cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, lower inflammation, and promote weight loss.

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