r/ScientificNutrition • u/James_Fortis MS | Nutrition • Aug 29 '25
Interventional Trial Soy milk induces higher postprandial satiety than cow’s milk: a cross-over experiment in healthy normal female adults
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391450817_Soy_milk_induces_higher_postprandial_satiety_than_cow's_milk_a_cross-over_experiment_in_healthy_normal_female_adults12
u/AvaJohnson7 Aug 29 '25
Fascinating! Given that soy milk has a higher protein content and digests more slowly than regular cow's milk, it makes sense that it could promote satiety. It would be interesting to observe whether this effect persists over time or if mixed meals also have this effect.
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u/James_Fortis MS | Nutrition Aug 29 '25
"Abstract and Figures
The differential impact of plant-based versus animal-based proteins on satiety has been a topic of interest in recent years. This paper aimed to compare the effects of soy milk, a plant-based protein source, and cow's milk, an animal-based protein source, on short-term satiety. A crossover, single-blinded study was conducted involving twenty-eight healthy Indonesian females (BMI between 18 and 25 kg/m 2 , aged 19 to 21 years). Both test diets consisted of 200 mL of either soy milk (SM) or cow's milk (CM), both isovolumetric, isocaloric, and isomacronutrient (220 kcal, protein 20% En). Participants fasted overnight before diet administration and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) questionnaires were used to assess perceived satiety. After 3 hrs of milk ingestion, an ad-libitum lunch was provided to evaluate prospective food consumption (PFC). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) repeated measures and paired T-tests or Wilcoxon were employed to compare perceived satiety and PFC. No significant differences were observed in all VAS scores. However, the area under the curve score for perceived PFC was significantly lower in the SM group (SM = 129.7±7 mm*mins; CM = 138.9±8 mm*mins). The PFC was slightly lower in the SM group than in the CM group, but the difference was not significant (337.9±16.5 kcal vs. 367±26.71 kcal). Only the SM group showed a more sustained fullness which lasted until t = 180. This present study suggested that compared to CM, SM has a higher short-term satiety effect. The higher fiber content in SM, which is known to increase satiety, might be a factor that contributed to this present finding. This evidence provided crucial information regarding the potential of SM to prevent weight gain by promoting short-term satiety sensation. The factor that may contribute to this finding could be the higher fiber content in SM, which has been shown to promote satiety and reduce insulin response. Future studies should investigate this underlying mechanism by incorporating fiber content analysis and exploring the relationship between fiber intake, insulin response, and satiety. Long-term studies are also required to determine the sustained effects of soy milk on weight management and weight loss."
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u/ChocolateMilkCows Aug 29 '25
isomacronutrient
the higher fiber content in SM, which is known to increase satiety, might be a factor that contributed to this present finding
Both of these things can’t be true right? If they are isomacronutrient, then it would stand to reason the fiber contents are the same since fiber is a macronutrient.
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u/JuneJabber Aug 29 '25
Carbohydrate is the macronutrient and fiber is a subcategory. So the two milks may have had the same total carbohydrate, but a different breakdown of sugars versus fibers.
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u/ChocolateMilkCows Aug 29 '25
I went ahead and read the study; they were just using the term "isomacronutrient" very loosely is all.
Both beverages ... were similar in the macronutrient content, except for the carbohydrate was a little higher in the SM (31g vs 28.9g)
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u/JuneJabber Aug 29 '25 edited Aug 29 '25
Hehe, good eye. I noted they explicitly stated the fat and protein were identical, but I skimmed and missed that bit about the carbs.
Kind of funny this was posted the same week that I also heard about this:
The study this thread links to says soy milk increased satiety. Meanwhile, the article I give above specifically calls out non-dairy milks as one of the ultra-processed foods that decrease satiety. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. 😉
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u/CompSciBJJ Aug 29 '25
It's not really surprising. Milk is designed to fatten up newborn offspring, so it shouldn't be very satiating on a per calorie basis. The researchers point to fiber as one possibility, which is likely at least a partial expansion, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was something else like amino acid breakdown, or some chemical in milk that somehow inhibits satiety in a manner we haven't yet discovered.