I’ve brought home the Soy Slender Vanilla Soymilk Soymilk for review, to use as a low-fat substitute for dairy-based milk products. The carton says that this product contains just 70 calories per 8-ounce serving, and has just 1 gram of net carbs. They sweeten this product with Splenda (sucralose) instead of sugar. Nice!
I find this vanilla soy “milk” roughly the same as dairy low-fat white milk in texture, and enjoy the Soy Slender brand soy drink vanilla flavor.
Benefits, Advantages, Pros, And Features
- While this brand does not have added DHA omega-3 fatty acids, the label indicates that it comes bundled with extra added vitamins. Plus, it is soy-based.
- No added sugar or fats here. While this drink does have 3 grams of fat per serving, that fat appears to be entirely naturally-occurring in the soybeans.
- This vanilla soy drink is made with only whole soybeans (not extracted soy proteins).
- The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., the makers of this product, say on the label that it contains 6.25 grams of soy protein, 33 milligrams of isoflavones, that it’s low fat and reduced calorie, that it’s an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D, and riboflavin, and that this beverage is cholesterol free.
- This soymilk alternative to cow’s milk has some additives; including sea salt, carrageenan, natural flavors, and a few vitamin additives. But it is lactose and dairy free.
- Soy Slender vanilla flavored soy drink has only 0.5 grams of saturated fat, and contains a bit of “good” fat (mono- and polyunsaturated fats), and 3 grams of fiber per serving. These great nutritional numbers suggest that this product is indeed a heart-healthy soy product.
- The packaging protects the soymilk from excessive light exposure, which can also affect its flavor as well as sap some of the nutrition.
- The light ivory color of this beverage resembles that of unflavored soymilk.
- No bland taste from this soy drink product. Sucralose has no aftertaste that I’ve found, and is never bitter as it appears here.
- The one-quart version of this product is packaged in a carton; not a plastic bottle, and I believe that its taste therefore, is far less affected by the leeching plastic compounds from plastic bottles that transfer to the chocolate drink inside, that can destroy its chocolaty flavor.
- Soy Slender products are available at health food and bigger grocery stores like Walmart and Giant Eagle here in PA. So they’re easy to find in most areas.
- You need not refrigerate this beverage until you break its seal. Until then, it will keep well in a cool place for up to a year, according to the best-if-used-by date on my carton.
- After you open it, this Splenda-sweetened chocolate soy drink keeps for seven to ten days in the refrigerator. It should be refrigerated after opening.
- I like the color and consistency of this product. It closely resembles traditional dairy-based white whole milk in terms of its opacity.
Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, and Concerns
- I could only find this product in the 1-quart size but would prefer buying it in a half-gallon size.
- Artificially sweetened. Added sucralose.
Ingredients
Organic soymilk (filtered water, whole organic soybeans), filtered water, natural vanilla flavor with other natural flavors, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, carrageenan, sucralose (Splenda brand), vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, riboflavin (vitamin B2).
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 1 cup, or 240 milliliters. Servings per container: 4.
- Calories: 70. Calories from fat: 25.
- Total fat: 3 grams, 5% DV.
- Saturated fat: 0.5 grams, 2% DV.
- Trans fat: 0 grams.
- Polyunsaturated fat: 2 grams.
- Monounsaturated fat: 0.5 grams.
- Cholesterol: 0 milligrams, 0% DV.
- Sodium: 125 milligrams, 5% DV.
- Potassium: 210 milligrams, 6% DV.
- Total carbohydrate: 4 grams, 1% DV.
- Dietary fiber: 3 grams, 13% DV.
- Sugars: less than 1 gram.
- Protein: 6 grams.
- Vitamin A: 10% DV.
- Calcium: 30% DV.
- Vitamin D: 25% DV.
- Phosphorus: 25% DV.
- Vitamin C: 0% DV.
- Iron: 8% DV.
- Riboflavin: 25%.
- Magnesium: 10%.
Product Rating
On the whole, Soy Slender Vanilla Soymilk is a delicious value. Due to its great taste, low sugar and fat, fairly high fiber, and economy, I’d rate this product at 91 out of 100.
Where To Buy Soy Slender Vanilla Soymilk
So buy a quart carton at your favorite larger local grocer now and then. Look for it in the blue, light brown, and white carton with picture of a big and frothy glassful of the product on the front, and with the white cap, in the refrigerated dairy section.
It’s very easy to enjoy this soy product.
References
Revision History
- : Moved this post to the Tom’s Diet Quest blog, added whitespace, revised tag and category assignments, fixed typos, and adjusted ad placements.
- 2012-06-13: Originally published.