Is Soy Milk a complete protein?

By Dr Jorge Metri (PhD) | Reviewed by Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)
Page last updated: 30/04/2023 | Next review date: 30/04/2025
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The contents of this article are fact-based except otherwise stated within the article.

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Author bio

Dr Jorge Metri PhD is a Nutritionist with vast experience in food design with natural ingredients. He also researches sensory sciences and food quality with cutting-edge technologies like Machine Learning. He writes and reviews content on these topics.

Dr Jorge Metri’s highlights:

  • Invited Reviewer of two international scientific Journals
  • PhD in Food Science with emphasis on reduced-fat salad dressings with non-animal derived proteins at Universidad De Las Américas Puebla
  • Diploma in Artificial Intelligence at Universidad Anáhuac, México
  • Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition at the Universidad Latino

“Science shows its true impact when we make it understandable for everyone” – Dr Jorge Metri PhD.

Professional experience:

Prior to doing his PhD, Jorge Metri worked as an independent nutritionist for almost two years, focusing on sports nutrition to enhance the performance of swimmers and triathletes.

Jorge Metri has worked on several multidisciplinary research projects, including fruit processing, the production of protein-based products, spices, seasonings, jams, and artificial intelligence applied to agriculture production and food quality.

In the food technology area, Jorge Metri has contributed to improving sales and profits of two entrepreneurs of artisanal food products by reformulating their products and standardizing their processes.

Due to the high volume of food production and innovation, the food industry will need new technologies for food characterization in the next years; Jorge Metri is looking for studying such technologies, in 2022, he was selected as a finalist in the IFT FIRST 2022 Food Science event for the Sensory & Consumer Sciences Division Graduate Student Pangborn Oral Competition with the work titled: Machine Learning Models for Mayonnaise Acceptability Prediction.

Education:

  • 2018 – 2023: PhD in Food Science at Universidad De Las Américas Puebla of Puebla, México
  • 2022: Diploma in Artificial Intelligence at Universidad Anáhuac, México
  • 2011 – 2016: Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition at the Universidad Latino of Mérida Yucatán, México.

Main publications of Jorge Metri:

Conference papers:

You can view some of Dr Metri’s work below and links to his professional profiles:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorge-metri-ojeda/ 

Research Gate:  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jorge-Carlos-Metri-Ojeda-2 

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SBi5hE8AAAAJ&hl=es 

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7333-3688 


Dr Jorge Metri (PhD)
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Reviewer bio

Dr Anny Manrich PhD is a food Engineer with expertise in Food Technology, Natural Polymers, Edible Films, Enzymes, and Nanotechnology. She writes and reviews content on these topics.

Dr Anny Manrich’s Highlights: 

  • Research and Technology at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
  • PhD in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Biochemistry at the Federal University of Sao Carlos/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany
  • Bachelor of Food Engineering at the University of Campinas/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany

 

“To solve a problem, global vision and multifactorial understanding are necessary. Therefore, in addition to expertise, one should seek multidisciplinary thinking connected with science and reality” – Dr Anny Manrich, PhD.

Professional Experience: 

Dr Anny Manrich’s Experience Joining the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, as soon as she completed her doctorate, 

 

Dr Anny Manrich has worked on several projects, including the more than three-year partnership project with BRF, a major food producer in Brazil. As a postdoctoral fellow. 

 

Dr Anny Manrich has also contributed to several business consultancies and research projects of the National Nanotechnology Laboratory System in areas such as food technology, fibres, films and coatings and Nanotechnology; in a very determined way, having a great team relationship, being creative and committed. 

Growing concerns about the safe introduction of nanomaterials into today’s life emphasises the need to create regulatory documentation in front of characterising, using and testing them. Dr Anny Manrich worked for two years on a characterization project for nanoscale materials, with the aim of exploring their possible health effects.

 

Despite not having specific academic training in packaging or polymeric films, Dr Anny Manrich works at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation in areas of edible and biodegradable films produced from agricultural waste and in the development of films with greater resistance to water, having articles published in renowned scientific journals, which demonstrates her multidisciplinary understanding and creativity. 

 

In addition, she worked for four years as a consultant to a food company to develop a line of snacks that are healthy and that add functional ingredients, physiologically active compounds that bring health benefits, made from fruits and vegetables, enabling diet improvement, disease prevention and reduction of nutritional deficiencies. 

Dr Anny Manrich participated as a member of the examination board for two Master’s exams and one PhD exam at the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Federal University of São Carlos.

Education:

  • 2001 Bachelor in Food Engineering at the State University of Campinas, Brazil
  • 1999 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich
  • 2004 Master in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
  • 2012 PhD in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
  • 2010 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich

The main publications of Dr. Anny Manrich are:

Articles

Manrich, A., Moreira, F. K., Otoni, C. G., Lorevice, M. V., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. (2017). Hydrophobic edible films made up of tomato cutin and pectin. Carbohydrate Polymers, 164, 83-91.

Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H. A., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Correlating emulsion characteristics with the properties of active starch films loaded with lemongrass essential oil. Food Hydrocolloids, 100, 105428.

Norcino, L. B., Mendes, J. F., Natarelli, C. V. L., Manrich, A., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Pectin films loaded with copaiba oil nanoemulsions for potential use as bio-based active packaging. Food Hydrocolloids, 106, 105862.

Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization of trypsin on chitosan gels: Use of different activation protocols and comparison with other supports. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 43.1 (2008): 54-61.

Manrich, Anny; Komesu, Andrea ; Adriano, Wellington Sabino; Tardioli, Paulo Waldir ; Giordano, Raquel Lima Camargo . Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by Multipoint Covalent Attachment on Agarose and on Chitosan Supports. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, v. 161, p. 455-467, 2010.

Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Neto, A. S., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Mattoso, L. H. C., & Martins, M. A. (2019). Development and physical-chemical properties of pectin film reinforced with spent coffee grounds by continuous casting. Carbohydrate polymers, 210, 92-99..

Milessi, T. S., Kopp, W., Rojas, M. J., Manrich, A., Baptista-Neto, A., Tardioli, P. W., … & Giordano, R. L. (2016). Immobilization and stabilization of an endoxylanase from Bacillus subtilis (XynA) for xylooligosaccharides (XOs) production. Catalysis Today, 259, 130-139.

Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Manrich, A., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Development, physical‐chemical properties, and photodegradation of pectin film reinforced with malt bagasse fibers by continuous casting. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 137(39), 49178.

Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Luchesi, B. R., Dantas, A. P. S., Vanderlei, R. M., … & Martins, M. A. (2021). Thermo-physical and mechanical characteristics of composites based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) e spent coffee grounds (SCG). Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 29, 2888-2900..

Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Development of quaternary nanocomposites made up of cassava starch, cocoa butter, lemongrass essential oil nanoemulsion, and brewery spent grain fibers. Journal of Food Science, 86(5), 1979-1996.

Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Manufacture and performance of peanut skin cellulose nanocrystals. Scientia Agricola, 79.

Nascimento, V. M., Manrich, A., Tardioli, P. W., de Campos Giordano, R., de Moraes Rocha, G. J., & Giordano, R. D. L. C. (2016). Alkaline pretreatment for practicable production of ethanol and xylooligosaccharides. Bioethanol, 2(1)..

Manrich, Anny, de Oliveira, J. E., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. Physicochemical and Thermal Characterization of the Spirulina platensis. J. Agric. Sci. Technol. B, v. 10, p. 298-307, 2020.

 

Book Chapter

Terra, I. A. A., Aoki, P. H., Delezuk, J. A. D. M., Martins, M. A., Manrich, A., Silva, M. J., … & Miranda, P. B. (2022). Técnicas de Caracterização de Polímeros. Nanotecnologia Aplicada a Polímeros, 614.

 

Conference Papers

Ferreira, L. F., Luvizaro, L. B., Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., Júnior, M. G., & Dias, M. V. (2017). Comparação da estabilidade de suspensões poliméricas de amido/tocoferol e quitosana/tocoferol. In: CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DE POLÍMEROS, 14., 2017, Águas de Lindóia, SP.

Manrich, A., Hubinger, S. Z., & Paris, E. C. (2017). Citotoxicidade causada por nanomateriais: avaliação do micronúcleo. In: WORKSHOP DA REDE DE NANOTECNOLOGIA APLICADA AO AGRONEGÓCIO, 9., 2017, São Carlos. Anais… São Carlos: Embrapa Instrumentação, 2017. p. 655-658. 

Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by multipoint covalent attachment on Glyoxyl Agarose Support. The 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2009.

 

Manrich, Anny, et al. Application of immobilized xylanase on hydrolysis of soluble wood hemicelluloses after using microwave and organosolv pre-treatments. The 32nd Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2010.

 

You can view some of Dr Anny’s work below and links to her professional profile. 

 

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anny-Manrich-2  

 

Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=23103497100  

 

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Ea9qpr0AAAAJ  

 

Linkedin: https://br.linkedin.com/in/anny-manrich-20693129

 


Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)
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In this brief article, we will address the query: “Is Soy Milk a complete protein?”. Additionally, we will cover the process to obtain soy milk and its composition; the possible health benefits and risks associated with its consumption; and finally, a brief comparison with cow’s milk and some recipes to incorporate it in your diet.

Is Soy Milk a complete protein?

No, Soy Milk and soybean do not have all amino acids, they are lacking sulfur containing amino acids like Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine, and Tryptophan (1,2).

Which food items are considered a complete protein?

All animal foods are considered complete proteins. This is because foods like meats, milk, eggs, and fish all have essential amino acids (those your metabolism can synthesize) (3).

Regarding Soy Milk, it contains very low quantities of Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine, and Tryptophan (2). You can see the content of essential amino acids of Soy Milk in the following table:

Amino acidContent (%)
Histidine0.61
Isoleucine1.07
Leucine1.69
Lysine1.22
Methionine0.22
Cysteine0.35
Phenylalanine1.12
Tryptophan0.57
Valine1.04

* Adapted from Reynaud et al. (2).

What is Soy Milk, and how is it obtained?

Soy Milk is a cow’s milk alternative originated in Asia and adopted in the rest of the world. Because it does not contain lactose, cholesterol, and is plant-based, it is appreciated by people with lactose intolerance, hypercholesterolemia, and vegetarians (4). 

To obtain Soy Milk, you just have to soak the soybeans, then grind the soaked seeds, filtering to remove the solids, and boil the Milk. The food industry uses the same process, but on a larger scale, and they add other ingredients like sugars, preservatives, vitamins, and minerals (4).

What can you eat along with soy milk to have a complete protein?

To complement the protein of soy milk you could combine it with foods containing complete proteins, for example, eggs or yogurt. Another option is to add a cereal, like oats, to complement the missing amino acids in Soy Milk (3); but going for an animal-based protein could be the best option!

What are the health benefits of Soy Milk?

The health benefits of Soy Milk are varied, for example, it could help (if consumed with moderation) prevent some types of cancer and promote bone and gastrointestinal health (5-9). 

Soybean and Soy Milk contains some molecules called isoflavones; after your body digest those isoflavones, they become “active” and can exert a potent antioxidant effect that is responsible for protecting you against breast or prostate cancer (5,6)

Soy isoflavones and proteins contained in Soy products could provide your body with the building blocks necessary to prevent osteoporosis; however, the available evidence only suggests this is true in women, but it has not proven in men yet (7,8).

Another interesting role of Soy Milk isoflavones is that they are anti-inflammatory. If you suffer from bowel inflammation, Soy Milk isoflavones could help to alleviate the inflammation on your intestine (9). 

What are the potential health risks of Soy Milk?

There are not too many health risks about consuming Soy Milk. The only risk is an anaphylaxis or allergic reaction if you are allergic to soy’s proteins (10). 

What is better between Cow Milk and Soy Milk?

If you are looking for a good protein source, cow’s milk is definitely a better option. It contains complete proteins with a high bioavailability (your body can digest it and absorb it) (11,12).

However, if you can not consume cow’s milk for any reason, you can prioritize Soy Milk in your diet in combination with other foods to achieve your protein requirements (3). 

Please take into account that substituting cow’s milk with soy milk (or any other vegetable milk) is not recommended for children! This kind of intervention should always be prescribed by a pediatrician (13, 14). 

How to Incorporate Soy Milk into Your Diet

The most common way to incorporate Soy Milk in your diet is with smoothies or beverages, however, you can spice up your options with all the recipes in this BBC website. There you can find breads, desserts, ice creams, pancakes, and more.

Conclusion

In this brief article, we addressed the query: “Is soy Milk a complete protein?”. Additionally, we presented the process to obtain soy milk and its composition; the possible health benefits and risks associated with its consumption; and finally, a brief comparison with cow’s milk and some recipes to incorporate it in your diet. 

References

  1. Qin P, Wang T, Luo Y. A review on plant-based proteins from soybean: Health benefits and soy product development. J Agric Food Res, 2022;7(100265):100265.
  1. Reynaud Y, Buffière C, Cohade B, Vauris M, Liebermann K, Hafnaoui N, et al. True ileal amino acid digestibility and digestible indispensable amino acid scores (DIAASs) of plant-based protein foods. Food Chem, 2021;338:128020.
  1. Day L. Proteins from land plants – Potential resources for human nutrition and food security. Trends Food Sci Technol, 2013;32(1):25–42
  1. Li Y-T, Chen M-S, Deng L-Z, Liang Y-Z, Liu Y-K, Liu W, et al. Whole soybean milk produced by a novel industry-scale micofluidizer system without soaking and filtering. J Food Eng, 2021;291(110228):110228.
  1. Tan M-M, Ho W-K, Yoon S-Y, Mariapun S, Hasan SN, Lee DS-C, et al. A case-control study of breast cancer risk factors in 7,663 women in Malaysia. PLoS One, 2018;13(9):e0203469.
  1. Chatterjee C, Gleddie S, Xiao C-W. Soybean bioactive peptides and their functional properties. Nutrients, 2018;10(9):1211.
  1. Rizzo G, Baroni L. Soy, soy foods and their role in vegetarian diets. Nutrients, 2018;10(1):43. 
  1. Valtueña S, Cashman K, Robins SP, Cassidy A, Kardinaal A, Branca F. Investigating the role of natural phyto-oestrogens on bone health in postmenopausal women. Br J Nutr, 2003;89 Suppl 1(S1):S87-99. 
  1. Al-Nakkash L, Kubinski A. Soy isoflavones and gastrointestinal health. Curr Nutr Rep, 2020;9(3):193–201.
  1. Vallath A, Shanmugam A, Rawson A. Prospects of future pulse milk variants from other healthier pulses – As an alternative to soy milk. Trends Food Sci Technol, 2022;124:51–62.
  1. Scholz-Ahrens KE, Ahrens F, Barth CA. Nutritional and health attributes of milk and milk imitations. Eur J Nutr, 2020;59(1):19–34.
  1. Walther B, Guggisberg D, Badertscher R, Egger L, Portmann R, Dubois S, et al. Comparison of nutritional composition between plant-based drinks and cow’s milk. Front Nutr, 2022;9:988707.
  1. Verduci E, Di Profio E, Cerrato L, Nuzzi G, Riva L, Vizzari G, et al. Use of soy-based formulas and cow’s milk allergy: Lights and shadows. Front Pediatr, 2020;8:591988.
  1. Collard KM, McCormick DP. A nutritional comparison of cow’s milk and alternative milk products. Acad Pediatr, 2021;21(6):1067–9.

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