For me, as a person with type-2 diabetes, I accept that soy milk can be a healthful addition to the diabetic food list. Its source, the soy bean is a low glycemic index food and like other soy food items, it is rich in hormone-like compounds called is isoflavones, usually considered as a good thing. It is claimed that a cup of soy milk contains about 20 mg of flavones. Other soy foods are listed below.
But I will mention up front that there are still some controversies associated with soy, some of its isoflavones are estrogen-like compounds, and questions regarding their suitability for human beings have been raised. Those questions are partly based on the results of studies and experiments with rodents — who have much less body weight than humans of course. Countering that, human studies have shown soy to be safe for humans.
For some positive viewpoints and several ultra-brief videos with comments by some leading doctors check out: Soy Myths & Facts. At that site, also check the FAQ’s and the Related Links to The American Cancer Society and others.
Dr. James Anderson of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, well-known in diabetes research, gives his opinion that soy foods are among the healthiest foods available because they help fight “The Big Five”, namely heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity and high-blood pressure.
Soy milk, high in nutritional values
Plain soy milk is an excellent source of high quality proteins, B-vitamins, and flavones. Soy milk does not contain lactose, the sugar found in the milk of cows and is therefore suitable for people who are lactose intolerant. It is also a good alternative for those who are allergic to the proteins in the milk of cow.
Of the most highly recommended types of soy milk available in grocery stores is the low fat unsweetened variety fortified with several vitamins and minerals such as calcium.
So probably the natural is best, but I find that a bit too bland, so for sweet loving diabetics like me, the Vanilla Flavored Soy milk is delicious alternative and like most soy milk products is fortified with vitamins and minerals. It’s pleasant on cereals and cooked oatmeal and a tastier alternative to 2% milk. But milk is good too!
For better clarity, click on the following Nutritional Facts Label — This is for one brand of Vanilla flavored Soy Milk.
Vanilla Soy Nutrition Facts
Soybeans source of many soy products
The creamy liquid we know as soy milk is pressed from soaked and cooked soybeans and America is the world’s major producer of soybeans. Soybeans have an ultra low Glycemic Index rating of just 1 (one) and are the source for many other popular soy foods such as tempeh, tofu, endamame, and miso.
Soybeans and the other foods made from soybeans are ideal for inclusion in the diabetic food list since they have abundant fiber and the nuts contain less fats than other nuts.
As a long-time drinker of tea, made fairly strong from regular tea bags with added milk (no sugar or sweetener), I have found of late that substituting generously with soy milk for the usual 2% cows milk, gives a much richer and more flavored cup of tea.
And for the nut lovers, you can buy non-roasted or roasted soy nuts that can be eaten a snack or mixed with other nut varieties, peanuts, almonds, Brazil bits, walnut pieces, for a snack of mixed flavors — but don’t eat too many at one sitting, they are a little fattening — but the good type of unsaturated fats.
Soy milk does not cause insulin dependent diabetes
Although there is not full agreement among scientists, some studies have indicated an association between the consumption of cow’s milk in early life and the development of insulin dependent diabetes. Such an association does not exist with soy milk.
But soy foods are not suitable for babies under one year old
The phytoestrogen like isoflavone compounds in soy foods are not suitable for babies under one year old, who should preferably be fed by breast milk — rather than cow’s milk or soy milk.
Government standards define the nutrient levels of baby foods and for babies there are appropriate soy based and dairy based formulas available, although most pediatricians recommend a dairy based formula for infants because it more closely matches breastmilk.
But that is another topic, not needed for discussion at this time.
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