Soy milk and milk, which one is more nutritious? How to choose?

Author: Yu Liang, registered nutritionist in China, sports nutritionist for the national team

This article was reviewed by Liu Shaowei, food safety expert, former deputy director and professor of Food and Drug Regulatory Research Center of East China University of Science and Technology

Soy milk and milk play an important role in people's daily diet. Soy milk and fried dough sticks, milk and bread have become a classic breakfast combination.

Of course, everyone has their own choices. Some people like soy milk, while others prefer milk. People also have different opinions on the nutritional value of soy milk and milk.

So, is it better to drink soy milk or milk? How to choose the one that suits you best?

First, let’s take a look at the main nutritional characteristics of soy milk and milk and the differences between them through a table.

Nutritional composition: Soy milk 100g Milk 100g
Energy 31kcal54kcal
Protein 1-3g 3-3.8g
Carbohydrates 1.2g 3.4g
Fat 1.6g3.2g
Calcium 5mg104mg
Potassium 117mg/
Sodium 3.7mg 37.2mg

The above chart lists the data on seven main nutrients of soy milk and milk. We can see that soy milk and milk have their own advantages in nutritional value.

energy

Since soy milk and milk are both liquid foods, the energy difference between the two is not that big.

According to the recommended amount of "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" 2016, Chinese people are advised to drink about 300g of milk every day.

Whether you drink milk or soy milk for these 300g, there is actually not much difference in total energy intake, and it will not bring any extra burden to the body.

protein

Currently, the protein content of milk on the market is generally higher than 3.0g/100g, and some products even go as high as 3.8g/100g.

Due to improvements in soy milk production technology, the protein content of commercially available pre-packaged soy milk has reached 3g/100g. However, not all soy milk is pre-packaged and is affected by various factors. The actual protein content in every 100g of soy milk that people drink ranges from 1g to 3g, with large fluctuations.

carbohydrate

The carbohydrate content in soy milk is very low and is mainly oligosaccharides, which can be almost ignored.

The carbohydrates in milk are mainly lactose. According to reports, the proportion of Chinese Han people with varying degrees of lactose intolerance is as high as 90%. Although lactose intolerance does not significantly harm human health, its discomfort does bring psychological and physical burdens to many people.

However, we have many good ways to avoid lactose intolerance, such as drinking small amounts multiple times, replacing lactose-free milk, drinking with staple foods, etc., all of which can reduce the impact of lactose intolerance on the body.

Fat

The fat content in milk is higher than that in soy milk. The fat in milk is mainly saturated fatty acids, while the small amount of fat in soy milk is mainly unsaturated fatty acids.

Therefore, for middle-aged and elderly people who are obese, have dyslipidemia, or suffer from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, it is recommended to choose skimmed or partially skimmed milk when drinking milk.

calcium

Calcium is a very important nutrient in our daily diet. Compared with soy milk, the calcium content in milk is overwhelming. Milk is also recognized by the nutrition community as the best source of calcium for humans, and soy milk cannot be compared with milk in this respect.

In fact, from a nutritionist's perspective, whether it is protein, fat, carbohydrates, or potassium and sodium to be mentioned later, these nutrients can be easily supplemented through other foods even if you don't drink milk and soy milk.

However, in terms of calcium supplementation, milk is indeed an indispensable supplement channel among natural foods. According to 300g of milk per day, it can supplement about 40-50% of the calcium needed by the human body every day. If this part of milk is missing, it is difficult to meet the body's daily calcium needs by relying only on other daily foods.

Potassium, sodium

Soy milk is rich in potassium, while milk contains almost no potassium. The sodium content in milk is higher than that in soy milk.

Sodium and potassium play an important role in maintaining body fluid balance. Especially for those who love sports and sweat easily, drinking milk or soy milk before or after exercise is a good supplement to help maintain a good hydration state.

For people with high blood pressure, the potassium ions in soy milk help eliminate excess sodium ions in the body, so drinking soy milk regularly is helpful in maintaining blood pressure.

In summary

Soy milk and milk

All great natural foods

They have their own characteristics in nutritional value

You can choose according to your own conditions and needs

Make scientific choices

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