Soy is nature’s nutritional treasure, especially for individuals who cannot tolerate cow’s milk. It contains important nutrients similar to cow’s milk including protein, calcium, B vitamins, iron and zinc.
A nutritious alternative
Unlike cow’s milk, soy formula is very low in saturated fat and is cholesterol-free. Soy is an excellent and natural source of important nutrients which are essential for a growth and overall health.
Populations with diets high in soy protein and low in animal protein have been documented to have lower risks of prostate and breast cancers than other populations1.
A source of dietary protein
It is well known that soy provides a complete source of high quality dietary proteins. Unlike most plant proteins, soy contains all the essential amino acids we need in our diet2.
This is why it is commonly consumed by vegetarians as well as children and adults who cannot tolerate animal protein, including cow milk.
Unlike cow’s milk, soy formula is free of lactose. Lactose intolerance can cause symptoms such as gas, abdominal pains, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, breathing difficulties and irritability3. This is because bacteria in your large intestine produce gas from the undigested lactose.
You may also develop a temporary case of lactose intolerance due to injuries to the gut linings, caused by conditions such as acute gastroenteritis and persistent diarrhoea.
Free from cow's milk proteins
Soy formula is free of proteins found in cow’s milk, which can cause an allergic reaction in some young children.
Cow’s milk allergy (CMA) is often confused with lactose intolerance but differs in that the proteins (not the lactose) in cow’s milk are the cause. It’s also the most common food allergy in young children and may persist up to school-going age4.
Symptoms include spit-ups, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, blood in the stool, skin rash, itch, swelling of the lips or eyelids, breathing difficulties, persistent distress, irritability, colic, fussiness and gas.
Added nutrients in soy-based formula
Soy formula is a type of formulated milk that consists of soy protein isolates, supplemented with the amino acid L-methionine. It is not a form of soy drink which is found in supermarkets. In terms of nutrient profile, it is similar to a cow’s milk formula.
Like cow’s milk, soy formula has also been shown to support normal cognitive development5.It’s also enriched with essential nutrients to support a child’s growth and development.
Today, improvements in soy formula have enriched the nutritious drink with added DHA, AA, lutein, prebiotics and calcium.
Babies fed with such soy formula showed similar performance compared to babies fed with cow’s milk formula in the areas of mental, psychomotor, and language development6.
1Michelfelder AJ. Soy: a complete source of protein. Am Fam Physician. 2009 Jan 1;79(1):43-7. Retrieved on Dec 30, 2015 from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19145965.
2Julia R. Barrett. The Science of Soy: What Do We Really Know? Environ Health Perspect. 2006 June; 114(6): A352–A358. Retrieved on Dec 30, 2015 from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1480510/.
3WebMD. Lactose Intolerance. Retrieved on Sept 1, 2015 from: http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tc/lactose-intolerance-topic-overview.
4Academy of Medicine Singapore. Ministry of Health Clinical Practice Guidelines - Management of Food Allergy. 2/2010, June 2010. Retrieved on Dec 30, 2015 from: https://www.moh.gov.sg/.
5Skripak J, et al. The natural history of IgE-mediated cow's milk allergy. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2007; 120(5): 1172-77. Retrieved on Dec 30, 2015 from: http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(07)01589-8/abstract.
6Andres A, et al. Developmental status of 1-year-old infants fed breast milk, cow's milk formula, or soy formula. Pediatrics, June 2012, Volume 129/ Issue 6. Retrieved on Dec 30, 2015 from: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/6/1134.