Soy Milk Nutritional Info: Comparing shelf-stable and refrigerated soy milk

Grocery stores carry a wide selection of plant-based beverages, including different types of soy milk. Enjoying soy foods like soy milk in your plant-based diet can help manage symptoms of menopause and protect against breast cancer and heart disease. 

But is all soy milk the same nutritionally? Are there any differences between the soy milk you find in the refrigerated section and the ones on the shelf? When choosing the soy milk for you, it’s important to look at the soy milk nutritional information.

Refrigerated Soy Milk Nutritional Info

There are two ways of making fresh soy milk: traditional and modern.

In the traditional processing method, whole soybeans are washed in water and soaked overnight. Then the soybeans are ground, filtered, and heated gently. This is the soy milk you’ll often find in Asian grocery stores that have a strong soybean flavor. Because the heating process is minimal, more nutrients from the soybean are preserved, but this type of fresh soy milk tends to spoil faster.

Soy milk made from modern processing methods involves boiling the soybeans first before they are ground and filtered. This results in a beverage that has a less beany flavor. Modern-processed soy milk also has added emulsifiers and nutrients that produce a texture and nutritional composition similar to cow’s milk. This kind of soy milk is more popular in North America and is the type you’ll find in the fridge in most major grocery chains.

Shelf-Stable Soy Milk Nutritional Info

Soy milk you find on the shelf is made from a process called Ultra High Temperature (UHT processing. UHT processing heats modern-processed soy milk at very high temperatures for a very short amount of time so it can help preserve the nutrients in soy milk while also killing bacteria. One study showed that UHT processing increased the antioxidant properties in soy milk compared to traditional processing methods. Because UHT soy milk uses modern processing as well, it also has a creamy texture and minimal bean flavor. 

Comparing the Soy Milk Nutritional Info

So what’s the difference? Let’s compare a common brand of refrigerated modern soy milk and shelf-stable soy milk.

At first glance of the ingredients list, refrigerated and shelf-stable soy milk look pretty similar.

Refrigerated Soy Milk

Shelf-Stable Soy Milk 

The nearly identical ingredients list may suggest that refrigerated soy milk and shelf-stable soy milk are the same nutritionally. But looking at the nutritional information tells another story.

Refrigerated Soy Milk

Shelf-Stable Soy Milk 

The shelf-stable soy milk has more Vitamin D and calcium but less Vitamin B12 and Vitamin A. It’s important to keep in mind that this is also just for one particular brand. Every brand will fortify and process their soy milk a little differently. This means each brand of soy milk will have slightly different amounts of nutrients. 

So, Which Soy Milk Should You Choose?

It comes down to preferences. If you like to stock-pile your beverages or rely on your soy milk for vitamin D and calcium, shelf-stable soy milk is the way to go. But if you’re more concerned about getting your Vitamin B12, refrigerated soy milk may be the better choice for you.

Which kind of soy milk do you buy? Or do you prefer another kind of plant-based beverage? Let us know in the comments below!

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