Soy milk is one of the most popular milk alternatives. This dairy-free milk has numerous health benefits, and it is especially suitable for people with lactose intolerance. When you make it at home, it has only two ingredients – soybeans and water. You’ll get plain soy milk by soaking soybeans in water overnight and grinding them.
While many supporters of the vegan diet enjoy soya milk, people with more diverse eating habits could benefit from using it, too. The main reason they hesitate to try this plant milk is its taste.
You can confidently guess that coconut milk has a mild coconut taste, while almond milk reminds of almonds. But how about soy milk? What does soy milk taste like? Does it have a flavor of soy beans? Does it have an aftertaste? Is there any way to improve its taste?
In today’s article, we’ll give our best to explain what does soy milk tastes like to people who never tasted it.
Contents
What taste does soy milk have?
Soy milk has a unique taste that is more pronounced in unsweetened and unflavored versions. As you might assume, flavored soy milk will have added flavor as the primary taste, like chocolate soy milk.
We could say that soymilk tastes like soybeans, but not aggressively. Soybean’s taste is mild and easily covered by any other flavor you might add to your milk. It is gentle, creamy, and sweeter than all other non-dairy milks. If you’re trying to find a non-dairy alternative to cow’s milk, soy milk could be best.
Soy milk taste good, and you should give it a try.
Does soy milk tastes like tofu?
Tofu is prepared from three ingredients: soybeans, water, and coagulant. We have already mentioned that this milk is prepared from soybeans and water, so we can conclude that soy milk is for tofu; what is cow’s milk for cheese.
Either way, soy milk, and tofu do not taste identical, although they are somewhat similar. Soy milk is mild, has a good taste that resembles tofu in sequences, may be a little burnt. It is as thick as dairy milk, creamy, and perfectly smooth.
Does soy milk tastes like dairy milk?
Different brands of soy milk might vary in the intensity of taste. Soy milk is among the best alternatives for cow milk, as well as oat milk, coconut milk, and almond milk. Still, their flavors are incomparable. Commercial dairy might be the closest to the taste of dairy milk, as it reminds them of a creamy texture and thickness. Still, it is typically sweeter, and it has a mild beany flavor.
Making blind taste test, you could never mix soy milk with real milk.
What does soy milk tastes like comparing to other non-dairy milks?
All types of milk differ in taste and nutritional value. Let’s take a look at the table that compares them:
| Value | Soy milk | Almond milk | Oat milk | Hemp milk | Cow’s milk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 101 | 29 | 130 | 60 | 259 |
| Protein | 6 g | 1.01 g | 4.01 g | 3 g | 9 g |
| Total fat | 3.5 g | 2.5 g | 2.5 g | 4.51 g | 10.99 g |
| Sugars | 9 g | 0 g | 19.01 g | 0 g | 31.01 g |
| Calcium | 451 mg | 451 mg | 350 mg | 283 mg | 300 mg |
| Vitamin D | 120 IU | 101 IU | 101 IU | 0 IU | 0 IU |
Taste comparison:
- Almond milk is the most popular nut milk. It has nutty and slightly earthy taste, while soy milks have beanny taste.
- Oat milk has a milder taste than soy and almond milk. It’s ideal choice for all people who are lasctose intolerant and want to avoid animal kinds od milk.
- Rice milk is the lightest lactose free milk. Rice milk has watery texture, it’s really thin, while it tastes naturally sweet. Comparing to soy milk, rice milk is lighter and milder in every possible way.
- Hemp milk has nutty flavor, somewhere between sunflower seeds and nuts. Unlike soy milk it doesn’t separate and it’s much milder.
- Coconut milk has recognizable coconut flavor and aroma and it’s not comparable with soy milk.
Homemade vs store-bought soy milk – does it taste different?
Yes. Homemade soy milk can taste a lot different than store-bought. Many people complain that homemade milk has an intensive bean-like flavor and is bitter. If you’re used to drinking soy milk straight from the carton, the taste of the homemade products might surprise you. It has a lot to do with the way of preparation of soy for a further procession.
Store-bought versions have often added sugar, while many brands also add other flavors.
Why does soy milk taste bitter and how to make it better?
Chemical structures, such as isoflavones, saponins, and phenolic acids, are the reasons beans of soy can taste bitter. Enzymes in beans develop a bitter taste when a bean is exposed to oxygen in the air. That mainly happens when you grind beans after soaking in water, without heating them. Heating is the key to improving the taste of soy milk – it destroys enzymes and makes you enjoy soy milk.
Of course, there are other ways to improve the taste of soy milk. For example, you can make chocolate milk. Heat soy milk, add melted chocolate or cocoa powder and sugar, stir well, and enjoy.
Adding soy milk to cereal is also an option that will improve its taste.
Also, you can add soy milk to any baked good you’re making as a substitute for animal milk.
If you’re lactose intolerant, you can also add it to a cup of coffee, but be careful. If the temperature difference between coffee and this plant milk is significant, milk will separate and become curly and lumpy (in all hot drinks, such as tea, not just coffee). To avoid this inconvenience, heat soy milk before adding it to one cup of coffee, so they are the approximately the same temperature.
Does soy milk have an aftertaste?
While flavored kinds and soy milk products don’t have aftertaste, plain soymilk has it, which can be unpleasant. To avoid aftertaste, dedicate more time to the homemade preparation of this milk. Heating beans before grinding them will leave you with satisfying results.
Citations:
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325425
- https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/best-alternative-to-milk/#:~:text=What%20does%20soy%20milk%20taste,is%20probably%20your%20best%20option.
- https://eatdelights.com/soy-milk-taste/
