Soy foods are typically free of cholesterol, which means that Vitasoy Soymilk, Ricemilk and Oatmilk are cholesterol free and typically low in saturated fat.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is naturally produced by our bodies, and is needed to make vitamin D and certain hormones. Meat, egg yolks and several dairy foods are also sources of cholesterol. However, because it travels in the blood, too much cholesterol in our body can have a negative effect, particularly on our heart. Over time, excess amounts of cholesterol can begin to accumulate on the walls of blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the heart.

Maintaining a healthy diet low in saturated fats can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

View our range of cholesterol free milks

• Viasoy Original
• Vitasoy High-Fibre
• Vitasoy Calci-Plus
• Vitasoy Vitality
• Vitasoy Light
• Vitasoy Soy Milky Lite
• Viasoy Ricemilk Original
• Vitasoy Ricemilk Protein Enriched
• Vitasoy Oatmilk
• VitaGO Chocolate
• VitaGO Vanilla
• ViaGO Banana & Honey

While most people think all fats are bad, it's actually an essential nutrient needed for many processes in our bodies. Some of these fats are produced by the body while fats like the essential fatty acid, omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid or ALA), has to come from our food.

Soybeans are a source of plant-based omega-3 (ALA), which can help look after your heart.

The American Heart Association recommends that soy products can be beneficial to cardiovascular and overall health due to the nutrients they can provide, including plant omega-3 fats (ALA), which are often low in saturated fat and contain a variety of vitamins and minerals.

The National Heart Foundation also recommends Australians eat at least 2 grams of ALA per day for heart health. ALA can be found in foods like canola or soybean-based oils and margarines; seeds, nuts and legumes such as soybeans.

View our range of low fat milks

• Viasoy Original
• Vitasoy High-Fibre
• Vitasoy Calci-Plus
• Vitasoy Vitality
• Vitasoy Light
• Vitasoy Soy Milky Lite
• Viasoy Ricemilk Original
• Vitasoy Ricemilk Protein Enriched
• Vitasoy Oatmilk
• VitaGO Chocolate
• VitaGO Vanilla
• ViaGO Banana & Honey

Types of fats

The fats in food can be broken down into four basic types - saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated and trans fats, each one behaving in a different way inside our bodies.

In general, nutritionists recommend a diet low in fat, made up mainly of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Saturated fats and trans fats can impact on cholesterol levels and are best kept to a minimum.

Saturated fats can be found in:

• fatty cuts of meat
• dairy products, including cheese, butter and cream
• commercially-baked products, such as biscuits and pastries
• deep-fried fast foods
• coconut and palm oils

Monounsaturated fats can be found in:

• oils, such as olive, canola and peanut, and margarine spreads made from these oils
• avocados
• nuts, such as peanuts, hazelnuts, cashews and almonds

Polyunsaturated fats can be found in:

• fish
• poly-unsaturated margarines
• vegetable oils, such as safflower, sunflower, corn and soy
• nuts, such as walnuts and brazil nuts

Trans fats

These are mostly created during the processing of vegetable oils and are mainly found in commercially produced foods such as cakes, biscuits, and some margarines and solid spreads. They can act like saturated fats in the body and have a negative impact on the heart. When buying these foods, always check the label and use brands that have less than one percent trans-fatty acids.

Good fats in soy

Soybeans are relatively low in saturated fats and contain mainly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. All Vitasoy Soymilk, Ricemilk and Oatmilks are cholesterol free and contain no trans-fats.

There are 20 common amino acids that form the building blocks in making protein. The body is able to make all but 9 of these amino acids.  These 9 amino acids are called essential amino acids, and must come from our diet.

Soy protein is the only plant protein classified as ‘complete'. Almost half (40%) of the soybean is protein. This protein is of a higher biological value than most vegetable proteins and is of similar quality to milk and egg proteins. This is good news for our hair, nails, muscles, enzymes and more!

View our protein enriched milks

• Viasoy Original
• Vitasoy High-Fibre
• Vitasoy Calci-Plus
• Vitasoy Vitality
• Vitasoy Light
• Vitasoy Soy Milky Lite
• Viasoy Ricemilk Original
• Vitasoy Ricemilk Protein Enriched
• Vitasoy Oatmilk
• VitaGO Chocolate
• VitaGO Vanilla
• ViaGO Banana & Honey

Calcium

Vital for developing and maintaining healthy bones and teeth, calcium is also necessary for normal nerve, heart and muscle function.

In the Australian and New Zealand diet, the richest source of calcium is dairy foods. While calcium can be found in some nuts, fish with bones and dark green leafy vegetables, calcium-enriched soy products can be a great source of calcium.

There are 300-400 milligrams of calcium per 250mL serve of Vitasoy Calci-Plus, High-Fibre, Vitasoy Vitality for Women, Soy Milky Chocolate, Soy Milky Vanilla, Soy Milky Lite (98.5% fat free), Soy Milky Regular, Ricemilk Original, Ricemilk Vitamin & Mineral Enriched, Ricemilk Protein Enriched and Vitasoy Oatmilk. This makes up 37-50% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of calcium for Australian adults.

View our calcium enriched products

• Viasoy Original
• Vitasoy High-Fibre
• Vitasoy Calci-Plus
• Vitasoy Vitality
• Vitasoy Light
• Vitasoy Soy Milky Lite
• Viasoy Ricemilk Original
• Vitasoy Ricemilk Protein Enriched
• Vitasoy Oatmilk
• VitaGO Chocolate
• VitaGO Vanilla
• ViaGO Banana & Honey

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is another important mineral used in forming bones and teeth. Although dairy foods are a good source of phosphorus, Vitasoy Calci-Plus offers 275 milligrams of phosphorus per 250mL serve, which is 27% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for an Australian adult.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that activates many of the body's enzymes and is important for:

• making protein from amino acids
• converting fats and carbohydrates into energy

It is also important for our bones and may be important for the heart. Dairy and soy products naturally contain magnesium in very small amounts.  Vitasoy Calci-Plus contains 50 milligrams per 250mL serve, which is 16% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for Australian adults.

Vital body functions, such as growth, reproduction and repair, need 14 essential vitamins each day. Eating a diet with a wide variety of nutritious foods can help give us the nutrients our bodies need.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is necessary for our skin, eyes, bones, and immune and reproductive systems. Also called retinol, it can be found in eggs, some dairy foods and vitamin A-fortified margarines. Carotene in oranges and green vegetables is also converted to vitamin A in the body.

Vitasoy Calci-Plus, High-Fibre, Soy Milky Chocolate and Soy Milky Vanilla contain 137 micrograms of vitamin A per 250mL serve, which is 18% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for Australian adults.

Vitamin B12

Essential for the formation of red blood cells and a healthy nervous system, Vitamin B12 and folate also make our DNA.

Vitasoy Calci-Plus, High-Fibre, Soy Milky Chocolate and Soy Milky Vanilla contain 1 microgram of vitamin B12 per 250mL serve, or 50% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for Australian adults.

Vitamin B2

Also called riboflavin, this vitamin is often called an ‘energy vitamin', because it helps release energy from our food. It can be found in dairy foods, nuts, eggs, yeast extract spreads and many fortified breakfast cereals.

You can also find 0.53 milligrams of vitamin B2 per 250mL serve, or 31% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for Australian adults, in Vitasoy Calci-Plus, High-Fibre, Soy Milky Chocolate and Soy Milky Vanilla.

Vitamin D

Needed throughout our lives, Vitamin D helps keep our bones and teeth strong by enhancing our absorption of calcium. Regular dairy foods contain small amounts of Vitamin D, and reduced and low fat versions contain even less. Oily fish, eggs and Vitamind D enriched foods like margarine and soy foods also contain vitamin D.

Just one 250mL serve of Vitasoy Calci-Plus delivers 50% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI), or 5 micrograms of Vitamin D for Australian adults.

In 2006, the National Heart Foundation reported that there was good evidence that soluble fibre can have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels.

Vitasoy High-Fibre provides 5 grams of fibre per 250mL serve, helping you towards the recommended daily intake of 30 grams a day. Vitasoy Oatmilk is another great choice as it contains a type of soluble fibre naturally found in oats called beta-glucan. This is thought to be heart-friendly because of its ability to help lower cholesterol re-absorption. One 250mL glass provides 3.7 grams of total fibre, of which 1 gram is beta-glucan.

Lactose, or milk sugar, is the main carbohydrate in dairy milk. To digest lactose we need the enzyme called lactase. For some people who have low levels of lactase or are unable to produce it at all, consuming dairy products may cause discomfort.

Soymilk is lactose free and is an ideal choice for people trying to avoid dairy but still wanting to enjoy using a ‘milk'. There are a range of Vitasoy Soymilks, including Ricemilk and Oatmilk, that are calcium enriched, all dairy and lactose free to offer plenty of satisfying alternatives.

The texture and flavour of ricemilk, oatmilk and soymilk vary so you may like to give them all a try to see what you prefer. We recommend the creamier soymilk in your coffee, for example, and ricemilk on your cereal. See what you think.

The Glycemic Index (GI) ranks foods according to their affect on blood sugar levels, therefore classifying a carbohydrate (or food source) as a slow or a fast releasing energy source. Slow releasing carbohydrates are often recommended for over fast releasing options when maintaining a healthy balanced diet, and here is why.

Carbohydrates and the Glycemic Index…

How GI ranking works:

As pure glucose has a GI of 100, all other foods are ranked in comparison to this. To measure the GI of food, participants eat 50g of carbohydrate and have the effect on their blood sugar levels monitored over the next two hours.

• Low GI: ≤ 55
• Medium GI: 56-69
• High GI: ≥ 70

Click here to view the Vitasoy GI table.

What is the advantage of low GI foods

Because low GI foods provide a sustained energy release they help to keep you feeling fuller for longer. This in turn may help to minimise hunger for better appetite control, and provide the energy needed for an active lifestyle, leading to better weight management.

Vitasoy Soymilks and other Low GI foods

Vitasoy Soymilks are Low GI, while our Ricemilk has a High GI and our Oatmilk, a Medium GI. Other Low GI foods include rolled oats, wholegrain breads, legumes and pasta. Dairy products, such as milk and yoghurt, are also Low GI, while most fruit juices fall under Low or Medium GI.

The GI of Vitasoy Soymilk, Ricemilk and Oatmilk has been scientifically tested by an Australian University, in accordance with international standards for conducting ethical research with humans, and the study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of Sydney.

By now, most of us are familiar with the National Heart Foundation of Australia's healthy eating recommendations to look after your heart.

• Eat a variety of foods
• Include vegetables, wholegrains, fruit, nuts and seeds in your diet every day
• Choose healthier fats and oils
• Try to limit sugary, fatty and salty take-away meals and snacks
• Drink mainly water
• Getting regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight are also important
• Heart-healthy soy

While most people think all fats are bad, it's actually an essential nutrient needed for many of our bodies' processes. It's also a great energy source, with 37 kilojoules per gram, about double that of protein or carbohydrate, and a source of vitamins A and D, which are particularly important for young children.

While our bodies produce some fats, there are some we can't make, like the essential fatty acid, omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid or ALA), which has to come from our food. Soy beans are a source of plant-based omega-3 (ALA), which is important for a healthy heart.

The American Heart Association recommends soy products for cardiovascular and overall health due to the nutrients they can provide, including plant omega-3 fats ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which are often low in saturated fat and contain a variety of vitamins and minerals.

The National Heart Foundation also recommends Australians eat at least two grams of ALA per day for heart health, which can be found in foods like canola or soybean-based oils and margarines, seeds, nuts and legumes (including soy beans).

So it's all good news when you start including soy foods into your everyday!

But wait, there's more

In 2006, the National Heart Foundation reported that there was good evidence that soluble fibre can have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels.

Vitasoy High-Fibre provides 5 grams of fibre per 250ml serve, helping you towards the recommended daily intake of 30 grams a day.

Vitasoy Oatmilk is another great choice, as it contains a type of soluble fibre naturally found in oats called beta-glucan. This is thought to be heart-friendly because of its ability to help lower cholesterol re-absorption. One 250ml glass provides 3.7 grams of total fibre, of which 1 gram is beta-glucan.

View our products

• Vitasoy Soy Milky Lite
• Vitasoy High-Fibre
• Vitasoy Oatmilk