Soy milk leapt into the limelight in the midst of the health boom. The juice squeezed from the raw soybean soup “Go”, which is made from milled soybeans and simmered to thicken, is soymilk, and bittern (nigari) is added to this to make tofu.

In China…

In China, there was a custom of drinking soy milk in the morning. Although soy milk is now widely acclaimed for its rich nutritional value and health benefits, just a few decades ago the existence of soy milk was known only to a few. It was a hidden treasure known only to tofu makers.

The soy milk used to make cotton (momen) tofu contains 8-11% soybean solids. The soy milk is slightly thicker for silken (kinugoshi) tofu, and the percentage of soybean solids rises to 12-13%. Soy milk is a highly nutritious drink that contains the same levels of protein and vitamin B1 as cow’s milk. As it is derived from a plant, it is also low in calories. People who are concerned about lifestyle related diseases or who suffer from upset stomachs after drinking milk due to lactose intolerance can drink soy milk without worrying a bit about these things.

According to the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS), the definition of “soy milk” stipulates more than 8% soybean solids. When the percentage of soybean solids is between 6-8%, the milk is called “modified soy milk”. There are also soy milk drink products on the market that are made from this “modified soy milk” mixed with coffee, fruit, vegetable juice, etc.
The soy milk currently available in packs is either modified soy milk that has been thinned to match the thickness of cow’s milk and subsequently flavored, or soy milk drink products that have been simply flavored to make it easier to drink. Many of these soy milk drinks have also added calcium or vitamin E in order to increase their nutritional value.