Soy milk Soy milk Soy milk or soymilk is a plant-based drink produced by soaking and grinding soybeans, boiling the mixture, and filtering out remaining particulates. It is a stable emulsion of oil, water, and protein. Its original form is a natural by-product of the manufacture of tofu. It became a common beverage in Europe and North America in the 21st century, as production techniques were developed to give it taste and consistency more closely resembling dairy milk. Along with similar vegetable-based "milks", like almond and rice milk, soy milk may be used as a substitute for dairy milk by individuals who
Soy milk are vegan or lactose intolerant. In China, the usual term "doujiang" ("[soy]bean broth") is used for the traditional watery and beany beverage produced as a by-product of the production of tofu, whereas store-bought products designed to imitate the flavor and consistency of dairy milk are more often known as "dounai" ("[soy]bean milk"). In other countries, there are sometimes legal impediments to the equivalents of the name "soy milk". For example, in the European Union, "'Milk' means exclusively the normal mammary secretion obtained from one or more milkings without either addition thereto or extraction therefrom". Often, only cow's milk is allowed