Re:Soy-milk -Organic Soy Beans???

[Guest guest]

I may be mistaken (poor memory?), but I think on my most recent trip to Super

Wal-Mart store, their store-brand soy milks had also changed the wording on the

carton to " natural " , rather than " organic " . 

 

If the ingredients list SAYS " certified organic " , then it does HAVE to be

organic--and not be

pesticide-sprayed, gentetically modified or synthetically fertilized.  Even with

the USDA stepping in (bad move!--don't get me started on that one!) to take over

the labeling of things called " organic " --it STILL has to be pesticide, chemical

fertilizer and GMO-free to be labeled " organic " at all.  It may be possible

(again, blame USDA and our government's interests in the chemical industries)

that labeling can say " organic " [ingredient on list]

and it may not be 100% organic for that ingredient.  But it does have to have a

certain PERCENT be organic to have that on the label.

 

I have seen just a FEW store brand organic soy milks that SEEM to be still

labeling their product as " organic " .  Aldi stores (we have them in Illinois and

Indiana--I don't know where else) have a FAIRLY decent store soymilk that is

organic.  I've purchased it.  So does the

Meijer store chain.  Best I've found is from the HY-VEE grocery store chain.  We

don't have one very close to us--nearest is about 1 1/2 hours' drive from here. 

Last week, I found

" Organic Valley " brand in a health food store in Springfield, IL.  I've not

tried it yet.

 

Now, what I've written about here are the soymilks I've found in the cooler

cases (like for " dairy " products).  There are some stores, and, of course,

health foods stores, thta carry the " boxed " products that are " aseptic " and 

shelf-life stable.  I will, if I HAVE to, revert to buying those, but the price

is high and the amount in the cartons about half of the containers

(half-gallons) that I had been getting before the switch to " natural " instead of

organic.  Some of the " boxed " brand soymilks, IMHO, have inferior flavor and

texture, too.

They may be made from beans, but I really don't like to have a " beany " flavor in

something I drink.  It certainly doesn't have to taste like MILK--because I

don't like that anyway; I just like a smooth and " rounded " , rather than beany

flavor and not a watery/grainy/gritty/pasty texture.

 

Okay.  I'm done ranting and raving about the state of my soy-milk!  Tomorrow, a

good friend and I have some time off and we might be making a trek down to St.

Louis to shop--and I hope to hit both Whole Foods and Global Foods, if we are up

to it.  I'll be able to find some soy milk that's up to par there somewhere, I

think. (My friend's husband is vegetarian, so she likes to shop in the same

places I do.)

 

Another of my friends told me about a bunch of folks in my area that co-op and

purchase

thru a natural/organic foods catalog--I could start buying what I want

(soy-milk, organic yogurt) by the case.  I don't know if I could use it fast

enough, but it's tempting, even though cost-wise, it's quite an outlay to get

that many (6 half-gals.) all at once.  Still, I can use up almost 3 in a

week--it might be cost-effective to try it.

 

That's all for now.  I am still not very focused this morning.  Sorry about the

rambling!

 

Peace!

--Laura B., in Illinois

 

 Soy-milk -Organic Soy Beans???

    Posted by: " genny_y2k " genny_y2k genny_y2k

    Wed Aug 19, 2009 6:12 am ((PDT))

 

Now I'm wondering if the store brand(Walmart and King Soopers) plain and

chocolate soy milk with the label " certified organic soy beans " really is

" organic " .

I'm guessing if the Soy Beans are from China they are not organic.

I'll do some checking.

Deanna in Colorado

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

What a great post, Laura! I found it to be quite informative and useful

information... not a rant at all! This is the beauty of this group!

 

Maggie

 

, " L.B. " <elbee577 wrote:

>

> I may be mistaken (poor memory?), but I think on my most recent trip to Super

Wal-Mart store, their store-brand soy milks had also changed the wording on the

carton to " natural " , rather than " organic " . 

>  

> If the ingredients list SAYS " certified organic " , then it does HAVE to be

organic--and not be

> pesticide-sprayed, gentetically modified or synthetically fertilized.  Even

with the USDA stepping in (bad move!--don't get me started on that one!) to take

over the labeling of things called " organic " --it STILL has to be pesticide,

chemical fertilizer and GMO-free to be labeled " organic " at all.  It may be

possible (again, blame USDA and our government's interests in the chemical

industries) that labeling can say " organic " [ingredient on list]

> and it may not be 100% organic for that ingredient.  But it does have to have

a certain PERCENT be organic to have that on the label.

>  

> I have seen just a FEW store brand organic soy milks that SEEM to be still

labeling their product as " organic " .  Aldi stores (we have them in Illinois and

Indiana--I don't know where else) have a FAIRLY decent store soymilk that is

organic.  I've purchased it.  So does the

> Meijer store chain.  Best I've found is from the HY-VEE grocery store chain. 

We don't have one very close to us--nearest is about 1 1/2 hours' drive from

here.  Last week, I found

> " Organic Valley " brand in a health food store in Springfield, IL.  I've not

tried it yet.

>  

> Now, what I've written about here are the soymilks I've found in the cooler

cases (like for " dairy " products).  There are some stores, and, of course,

health foods stores, thta carry the " boxed " products that are " aseptic " and 

shelf-life stable.  I will, if I HAVE to, revert to buying those, but the price

is high and the amount in the cartons about half of the containers

(half-gallons) that I had been getting before the switch to " natural " instead of

organic.  Some of the " boxed " brand soymilks, IMHO, have inferior flavor and

texture, too.

> They may be made from beans, but I really don't like to have a " beany " flavor

in something I drink.  It certainly doesn't have to taste like MILK--because I

don't like that anyway; I just like a smooth and " rounded " , rather than beany

flavor and not a watery/grainy/gritty/pasty texture.

>  

> Okay.  I'm done ranting and raving about the state of my soy-milk!  Tomorrow,

a good friend and I have some time off and we might be making a trek down to St.

Louis to shop--and I hope to hit both Whole Foods and Global Foods, if we are up

to it.  I'll be able to find some soy milk that's up to par there somewhere, I

think. (My friend's husband is vegetarian, so she likes to shop in the same

places I do.)

>  

> Another of my friends told me about a bunch of folks in my area that co-op and

purchase

> thru a natural/organic foods catalog--I could start buying what I want

(soy-milk, organic yogurt) by the case.  I don't know if I could use it fast

enough, but it's tempting, even though cost-wise, it's quite an outlay to get

that many (6 half-gals.) all at once.  Still, I can use up almost 3 in a

week--it might be cost-effective to try it.

>  

> That's all for now.  I am still not very focused this morning.  Sorry about

the rambling!

>  

> Peace!

> --Laura B., in Illinois

>  

>  Soy-milk -Organic Soy Beans???

>     Posted by: " genny_y2k " genny_y2k genny_y2k

>     Wed Aug 19, 2009 6:12 am ((PDT))

>

> Now I'm wondering if the store brand(Walmart and King Soopers) plain and

chocolate soy milk with the label " certified organic soy beans " really is

" organic " .

> I'm guessing if the Soy Beans are from China they are not organic.

> I'll do some checking.

> Deanna in Colorado

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

If you don't mind a suggestion, how much nicer it is to buy bulk grains and

beans and put them through a soymilk machine. They can be delivered to your door

by places like Walton feed and Azure standard. They can be as organic as you

want them and store almost forever. After a little practice the result is very

good in taste and texture. You can have as much or as little soymilk and nonfat

veggie yogurt as you want when you want it. It costs pennies per quart. And you

stop throwing away the cartons.

 

Take care, I agree, peace indeed.

 

Slim

[Guest guest]

I prefer rice milk to soy milk. Unfortunately it is quite expensive too. Can the

soy milk maker make the other milks too, like rice milk? It would be handy to

have something that would make both. I had understood (maybe misunderstood) that

the soy milk makers only make soy milk.

 

MIchelle in NV

 

, " slim_langer " <slim_langer wrote:

>

> If you don't mind a suggestion, how much nicer it is to buy bulk grains and

beans and put them through a soymilk machine.

[Guest guest]

Yes, indeed most soymilk making machines come with recipes for making ricemilk.

Scrolling down this page gives you an idea of some of the fresh bean and grain

milks you can make:

 

http://www.soymilkquick.com/

 

One that's not listed is using lentils and oats to make a thick nutritious milk

that sets up in the fridge to a thick pudding texture that's great for making

non-fat veggie yogurt and pudding.

 

Slim

 

 

, " jabaldja " <Petagoatjunction

wrote:

>

> I prefer rice milk to soy milk. Unfortunately it is quite expensive too. Can

the soy milk maker make the other milks too, like rice milk? It would be handy

to have something that would make both. I had understood (maybe misunderstood)

that the soy milk makers only make soy milk.

>

> MIchelle in NV

>

[Guest guest]

I told my husband about this and now he has some questions.

 

1. How much does each batch of soy milk or rice milk make as in quarts or half

gallons?

 

2. What are the advantages to the machine vs just boiling, blending, skimming at

home?

 

3. Can tofu be made in one of the machines or be prepared and then put into

molds?

 

Basically he wants to know WHY I want one and if this is something we need and

not just something that sounds cool. Since people on here have more first hand

experience I would appreciate your response to forward to him. He is realizing

how much the rice milk and tofu are costing us each week now so is willing to

consider this even though expenses are tight.

 

Michelle in NV

 

, " slim_langer " <slim_langer wrote:

>

> Yes, indeed most soymilk making machines come with recipes for making

ricemilk. Scrolling down this page gives you an idea of some of the fresh bean

and grain milks you can make:

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Michelle,

 

1) My soy milk maker (SoyaJoy) makes 1-1/2 quarts per batch, but I think

there are others that have a slightly larger capacity.

 

2) The big advantages of the machines are convenience and consistently

good taste, but I think the taste being " off " and the amount of time

involved are less of an issue with " handmade " rice milk, so if that's

most of what you're making, or if you're just better at making soy milk

by hand than my partner and I are , that may not be a big deal for you

. Except for clean-up, it's about as fussy as making coffee in an

electric coffee maker. (Clean-up needs to be fast and thorough, but

isn't a big deal.)

 

3) I've never done it, but here are the instructions for making tofu

that came with my soy milk maker:

http://www.soymilkmaker.com/making_tofu.html .

 

In terms of expense, I did the math before buying mine and it paid for

itself in about a year.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Peace,

Mo

 

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