Barley Milk vs Soy Milk: How Do They Compare?

In this article, we are going to compare barley milk and soy milk to see how they compare in many aspects including calories, nutritional content, taste, usage, effects on weight loss, and environment.

To make this comparison as fair as possible and get a realistic picture of how barley and soy milk compare, we’ve used USDA’s date on products that are unsweetened and that aren’t fortified or that are minimally fortified if the completely unfortified product isn’t available.

Both barley and soy milk are dairy-free, and therefore suitable for vegans and people that stick to a plant-based diet for a variety of reasons, but there are also many differences between these plant-based drinks.

Let’s see what barley and soy drinks are, how they are produced, and finally how they compare in various ways.

What is Barley Milk and How It’s Made?

Barley is a type of grain. It is one of the most consumed grains in America.

It is very rich in nutrients. It contains many vitamins and minerals and is associated with a number of health benefits.

Another plant-based milk option made using barley is barley milk. It is frequently on the shelves and can reach many consumers thanks to both its taste and composition.

The nutritional value of barley is high due to its high content of vitamins, minerals, and other useful plant elements.

Pearl barley is the only kind of barley that does not utilize the whole grain; this type of barley has been polished, which removes part or all of the exterior bran layer as well as the husk. Nearly all other types of barley do use the complete grain.

When ingested in its whole-grain form, barley is a very rich source of fiber, selenium, molybdenum, and manganese. In addition, it has a respectable quantity of copper, chromium, magnesium, phosphorus, and niacin.

During the barley milk preparation process, however, the fiber and pulp are separated, so this is a crucial consideration to keep in mind. Because it is not ingested in its whole, it is unable to give all of the health advantages that are associated with consuming whole barley.

What is Soy Milk and How It’s Made?

Soy is a legume that originates from Asia and is very popular to be consumed today. Soy milk is a milk derivative made from soybeans.

Since it is plant-based and offers various health benefits, soy milk has an important place, especially in plant-based nutrition. It’s often used as a dairy-free alternative for coffee, breakfast oatmeal or cereals, rice puddings, baked goods, curries and so on.

Along with almond and oat milk, soy milk is one of the most popular plant-based nut milks.

Soy milk is prepared by combining soaked soybeans into the water and filtering off the particles to leave a clear, milk-like fluid. It is considered a whole soy food.

Both sweetened and unsweetened varieties are available.

Unsweetened variants are typically made up of solely filtered water and soybeans, while certain brands may additionally include vitamins, salt, or/and minerals.

Barley vs Soy Milk Nutrition and Calories

In this section, we’ll analyze the similarities and differences between barley milk and soy milk based on nutritional information provided by USDA.

Macronutrients

Plant-based milks mostly consist of water, and barley and soy milks are no exceptions.

3.5 oz or 100 g of barley milk contains 29 calories, and consists mostly of protein (2.08 g), followed by fat (2.08 g) and carbs (1.25 g).

Speaking of soy milk, the same amount contains 38 calories, and consists mostly of protein (3.55 g), followed by fat (2.12 g) and carbs (1.29 g).

The table below compares the nutrition of a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) portion of barley milk to the same amount of soy milk.

Fiber

Fiber is important for our health as it keeps us feeling full, prevents constipation, lowers sugar spikes and regulates sugar levels, lowers total and LDL cholesterol, and provides many other benefits.

When it comes to dietary fiber, soy milk is a better choice. It contains 0.45 g per 3.5oz (100g), while barley milk is lower in dietary fiber with 0.4 g.

Micronutrients

What about micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in barley and soy milk?

The table below shows the most important vitamins and minerals in unfortified or minimally fortified plant-based drinks available in the market. Some of these nutrients are hard to get on a vegan diet.

Weight Loss

If you’re trying to lose weight, you probably want to know whether barley or soy milk is better for you.

Barley and barley are very similar in calories.

Barley milk has 29 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g), while soy milk has 38 calories, so speaking strictly about calories, there’s no much difference.

Barley vs Soy Milk Taste and Uses

Barley milk is creamy and has a slightly earthy-grainy aftertaste.

Like other plant-based milk, you can use barley milk in coffee, tea, and smoothies. You can use it in your baked items for its earthy smell.

Barley milk can add to the taste of chocolate-based dishes.

It can enhance the flavor of chocolate fudge cake and brownies. You can use it in pasta sauces to add a grainy taste.

Soy milk has a mild beany taste. Some people may find it bitter and weird when trying for the first time.

While you may still have a slightly beany under-taste, the bitterness goes away during pasteurization in the commercially available soy milk. You may get a hint of vanilla in many commercial soy milk brands.

Soy milk has a creamy texture and a high nutritional density. It is high in protein and rich in healthy fats (PUFAs).

It can be used in pancakes, baked items, and smoothies. Home-made oat milk may add extra bitterness to your coffee. If you don’t like the taste, you can use commercially available sweetened soy milk.

You can use soy milk in your soups, sauces and curries as well. Soy milk is used to make tofu curd.

Conclusion

Barley milk and soy milk are both plant-based, non-dairy beverages, suitable for vegans.

Barley milk and soy milk have their similarities and differences, but both are nutritious and a healthful addition to your diet. When available, always choose unsweetened, fortified products or try making them at home.

Plant milks, including barley and soy milks are easy to add to a diet, and can be used in varieties of recipes and dishes.

Fortified products will help get different nutrients, including micronutrients that are usually hard to get on a plant-based diet, such as vitamin B-12, vitamin D, calcium and others.

If you’re willing to learn more about these non-dairy milks, read our articles about them: Barley Milk and Soy Milk.

Other Barley Milk Comparisons

• Almond vs Barley
• Barley vs Cashew
• Barley vs Coconut
• Barley vs Macadamia
• Barley vs Oat
• Barley vs Pea
• Barley vs Rice

Other Soy Milk Comparisons

• Almond Milk vs Soy Milk
• Cashew Milk vs Soy Milk
• Coconut Milk vs Soy Milk
• Macadamia Milk vs Soy Milk
• Oat Milk vs Soy Milk
• Pea Milk vs Soy Milk
• Rice Milk vs Soy Milk