Chapter 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE
Introduction
Soymilk is a popular dairy alternative in the west, and it has long been traditional in beverage in China, Japan and other parts of Asia. Some people drink soy milk because they are lactose intolerant sensitive. Soymilk is a healthy drink containing the essential nutrients and phytochemicals.
Products made with soy, including soy milk, contain chemicals known as isoflavones. These molecules are potent antioxidants that can help protect the body from dangerous molecules known as reactive oxygen species. Isoflavones are also interesting because they have a chemical structure that is similar to estrogen, reports the Harvard School of Public Health, which is why they are called phytoestrogens. In theory, these isoflavones may be able to have a similar effect on the body as naturally produced estrogen.
Soy milk, have a low-glycemic index value. Glycemic index, or GI, is a numerical system that measures the amount of sugar in a particular food. Soy foods are digested and absorbed slowly, which means your body converts them to sugar and absorbs them into your bloodstream gradually. This gradual release of sugar helps minimize blood sugar swings. Consumption of soy foods may also increase production of insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes, according "Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease," by Maurice Edward and Moshe Shike.
Eating food is how you provide fuel to your body to stay alive. Food is digested by a complex system of organs, hormones and enzymes and eventually becomes the usable energy for your cells called glucose. Your brain and muscles must have a supply of glucose to function. Blood glucose is the amount glucose (sugar) present in the blood of a human or animal. The body naturally tightly regulates blood glucose levels as a part of metabolic homeostasis.
The purpose of this study is to determine the