In recent years, the consumption of plant milks and their derivatives has exploded. And among these, soybeans occupy a predominant place. Yet we hear everything and anything about this plant-based alternative to dairy products. So we asked ourselves the following question: is soy yogurt a good plant-based alternative?

A little update on soy, a very controversial food

This oilseed, native to East Asia, has been consumed for thousands of years in these regions but has experienced a real boom in recent years in our country.

Very richin protein (40 grams per 100 grams), it contains all the amino acids known as "essential", making it very interesting as a substitute for animal products in vegetarian, vegan and vegan diets.

It is alsorich in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (including omega 3 and omega 6), which makes it interesting in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

It also contains numerous nutrients such as iron, calcium (less than cow's milk products), magnesium and potassium.

The presence of isoflavones, phytoestrogens present in large quantities and behaving like estrogen, makes it a very controversial food.

Indeed, these isoflavones have the advantage, in some women, of correcting an estrogen deficiency during (pre)menopause and they protect against breast cancer.

On the other hand, they can sometimes producehormonal actions that promote the proliferation of cancer cells or the acceleration of a cancerous process if the cells are estrogen-sensitive.

Soybeans is therefore a food to be avoided in young children, pregnant or lactating women, women with or who have had hormone-dependent cancer, or men and women with hypothyroidism.

Let's now come to the subject of our article: soy yogurt

Made from soybeans, soy yogurt or "fermented soy dessert" has the great advantage of not containing lactose, sugar present in yogurt with milk and difficult to digest for many people.

It triggers a quick feeling of satiety and is relatively low in calories (at least in its "plain" version).

Beware, however, that it contains naturally less calcium than a conventional dairy product, although many brands enrich them in this mineral.

Although they are extremely easy to make at home, most consumers buy them in supermarkets or organic stores. Be careful, however, to read the labels because most supermarket soy yogurts contain calcium phosphate, an additive added to have an equivalent calcium content to cow's milk yogurts. Yet this additive is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and certain cancers.

In conclusion, for me soy yogurt, due to its richness in proteins and nutrients, is and remains a very good plant-based alternative to cow's milk yogurt for peopleintolerant to lactose, vegetarians, vegans and vegans or for anyone wishing to decrease their consumption of animal proteins.

Beware, however, that the key word remains "balance ", the ideal being to vary as much as possible between the different vegetable yogurts.

Let's see now, how to make, in a simple way homemade soy yogurt with a yogurt maker.

Recipe for homemade soy yogurt "Nature"

Ingredients:

• 1 plain soy yogurt
• 1 liter of plain soy milk (or juice)

Instructions:

Mix a store-bought soy yogurt or organic store-bought ferments with a liter of plain soy drink.

Pour into yogurt cups, close them and place them in your yogurt maker.

Leave them for a minimum of 10 hours.

Finish by letting them cool in the refrigerator for about 4 hours before enjoying.

Tips:
Natural soy yogurt ferments the soy milk without any other added ferments.

It is also the only plant-based yogurt that doesn't require a thickener or gelling agent.

Recipe for homemade soy yogurt "with fruit"

Ingredients:

• 1 plain soy yogurt
• 1 liter of vanilla soy milk
• 4 tablespoons of light cane sugar
• 7 tablespoons of jam of your choice

Put soy yogurt in a container then while stirring pour soy milk vanilla on top.

Add the blond cane sugar then stir to dissolve.

In the pots of a yogurt maker, put a jam base (preferably homemade as it's richer in fruit) and then pour the yogurt mix on top.

Put the lid on the yogurt maker and turn on for 10 hours, or 1 night.

The next day, put the lids on the yogurt cups and let them solidify for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator before serving.