Food - Drink
Is Fresh Soy Milk Actually Different From Grocery Store Soy Milk?
By HOPE NGO
A decades-long push to give soy milk appeal in a broader market has meant that mass-produced, grocery soy milk now tastes completely different from its freshly made counterpart. While some believe this has made soy milk taste better, fans of traditional soy milk say that it has been stripped of its flavor, texture, and character.
Fresh soy milk is made with just water and soybeans that are soaked, ground down, and have their liquid extracted before the milk is cooked over medium heat. Alternatively, grocery soy milk is made by adding flavors, tweaking textures, and removing natural enzymes and sugars to make it more palatable to western consumers.
While the fact that fresh soy milk has the same flavor profile as tofu may turn some people off, its straightforward list of ingredients is enough to make many prefer it over the alternative. However, mass-market soy milk is better as an addition to other beverages like coffee, even in places like Asia where fresh soy milk is preferred.