Calories in Soy milk, sweetened, plain

What makes soy milk so powerful?

Soy milk’s origins trace back to Han Dynasty China around AD 25–220, where it was initially consumed as a medicinal broth rather than a daily beverage. The traditional process involves soaking, grinding, and boiling soybeans, which deactivates trypsin inhibitors that would otherwise make raw soybeans indigestible. A key challenge in soy milk production is the 'beany' flavor, caused by lipoxygenase enzymes oxidizing the beans' unsaturated fats upon grinding. Modern commercial processing often uses rapid heating or vacuum extraction to deactivate these enzymes, yielding a milder taste. Sweetened plain soy milk simply incorporates added sugars to balance the inherent earthiness of the legume. Unlike dairy milk, soy milk contains no lactose, making it a naturally suitable option for those with lactose intolerance. Its protein profile is notably complete, containing all nine essential amino acids in ratios closely resembling animal protein, which is relatively rare among plant-based beverages. Today, it remains one of the few plant milks that naturally approaches the protein density of cow's milk without fortification.