Tofu is rich in high-quality protein. It is also a good source of B-vitamins and iron. When the curdling agent used to make tofu is calcium salt, the tofu is an excellent source of calcium.

Soyoil

Soyoil is the natural oil extracted from whole soybeans. It is the most frequently consumed oil in the United States, accounting for nearly 75 percent of our total vegetable oil intake. Oil sold in the grocery store under the generic name “vegetable oil” is usually 100 percent soyoil. But “vegetable oil” isn’t always soyoil. Be sure to read the label to make sure cooking oils don’t contain fats that are highly saturated like palm kernel oil or coconut oil. Soyoil also is used by the food industry in a variety of products including mayonnaise, coffee creamers, margarine, sandwich spreads and salad dressings.

Using Soyoil

Use soyoil in any recipe that calls for vegetable oil. Soyoil is light in flavor and has almost no odor. Cooking with soyoil allows the flavor of other foods in a recipe to shine through. Soyoil also has a high smoking point: 440° F. It won’t fill your kitchen with smoke when you are frying at high temperatures.

Nutritional Value of Soyoil

Like all vegetable oils, soyoil is cholesterol-free. It is also low in saturated fat. Soyoil has a unique blend of two types of fatty acids called omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids in soyoil are similar to the type of fat found in fish oil, which has been shown to reduce risk of heart disease. Soyoil is 100 percent fat. One teaspoon of soyoil contains about 5 grams of fat and 45 calories.

Although fat is an essential nutrient in the diet, most Americans get too much of this nutrient. Health experts suggest that consumers should get no more than 30 percent of their calories from fat. Many nutritionists feel that fat intake should be as low as 20 percent. Americans currently consume about 37 percent of their calories from fat. The total amount of fat in the diet is just part of the story. When choosing fats to cook with, it is important to choose fats that are high in polyunsaturated and/or monounsaturated fatty acids, which help to reduce blood cholesterol. Soyoil is high in polyunsaturated fat.

Soy Milk

Soymilk is the rich creamy milk of whole soybeans. With its unique nutty flavor and rich nutrition, soymilk can be used in a variety of ways.

In China and Japan, fresh soymilk is made daily using a simple, centuries-old process of grinding soaked and cooked soybeans and pressing the dissolved soymilk out of the beans. In these countries, soymilk is sold by street vendors or in cafes. It is served hot or cold and is often sweetened for a delightful beverage or flavored with soy sauce, onion and vegetables to produce a spicy soup.

A faux soymilk can be made from soy flour, or soybeans.

Buying & Storing Soymilk

Soymilk is sold in supermarkets, health food stores and specialty food shops. It is most commonly found in aseptic (non-refrigerated) quart and 8-ounce containers, but is also sold refrigerated in plastic quart and half-gallon containers.

Unopened, aseptically packaged soymilk can be stored at room temperature for several months. Once it is opened, the soymilk must be refrigerated. It will stay fresh for about 5 days.

Soymilk also is sold as a powder, which must be mixed with water.

Soymilk powder should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Types of Soymilk

Soymilk is available as a plain, unflavored beverage or in a variety of flavors including chocolate, vanilla, carob and almond. With the growing interest in lower-fat products, a number of “lite” soymilks, with reduced fat content, are appearing on the market.

Nutritional Value of Soymilk

Plain, unfortified soymilk is an excellent source of high-quality protein, B-vitamins and iron. Some brands of soymilk are fortified with vitamins and minerals and are good sources of calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B-12. Soymilk is free of the milk sugar lactose and is a good choice for people who are lactose intolerant. Also, it is a good alternative for those who are allergic to cow’s milk. Children can enjoy homemade or commercially prepared soymilk after the age of 1 year. Infants under 1 year of age should be fed breast milk, commercially prepared infant formula or commercial soymilk infant formula.

Nutrients in 8 ounces of plain soymilk:

Regular Soymilk and Lite Soymilk (reduced fat)
Calories (gm) 140 100
Protein (gm) 10.0 4.0
Fat (gm) 4.0 2.0
Carbohydrate (gm) 14.0 16.0
Sodium (mg) 120.0 100.0
Iron (mg) 1.8 0.6
Riboflavin (mg) 0.1 11.0
Calcium (mg) 80.0 80.0

Source: product analysis

Tips For Using Soymilk

Soymilk can be used in almost any way that cow’s milk is used.