The benefits of soy protein

Much has been said and written about soy protein over many years. Unless you maintain a vegetarian diet, or you have a child who is allergic to cows milk protein, you may well have never considered soy protein as an alternate high quality protein to include in your daily diet.

We all know that in the early days of childhood, breastfeeding is the best way to feed your baby.  Never has it been said that infant formula milk is better than breast milk.

 

The purpose of this article is to highlight the benefits of soy protein in a growing toddlers diet.

 

Let’s look at the facts:

• Soy Protein-based formula has been available for over 40 years as a safe and effective alternative to cows milk based formula or human milk, when breast milk is not available.
• Today’s Soy based infant and toddler milks use Soy Protein Isolate (which replaced soy flour 45 years ago), which has been designed and fortified to produce adequate and digestible nutrition for milk allergy infants.
• Soy Protein Isolate is equivalent to animal protein in quality, and has an excellent concentration of essential amino acids to support growth and development.
• All Soy based milks have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Academy of Paediatrics and the Infant Formula Act as safe to use in full term infants and children.
• Soy protein is well tolerated:  studies have shown that only 0.5 % of infants show a true allergic response to soy protein (Halpern et al)
• 10 – 14 % of infants who are allergic to cows milk protein will also have a soy protein allergy (Halpern et al; Formon)
• The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) recently updated its position on soy formula (May 2008), and concludes that soy formulas meet the essential nutritional requirements to sustain and maintain growth and development in healthy full term infants and toddlers.
• Most importantly, the AAP states that there is no scientific evidence of hormonal or other adverse effects on human babies fed soy-based formulas, nor on adults who were fed soy-based formulas as babies. (American Academy of Paediatrics, Paediatrics Volume 121 number 5, May 2008)

 

Why should you consider giving your toddler a soy protein based toddler formula?

• If your child has been on an infant soy protein based formula for the first year of his life.
• If your child is allergic to Cows Milk Protein.
• No 3 Soya Formula is the only available toddler soy protein based formula on the market in South Africa that is scientifically designed to complement nutrients provided by table foods for babies older than one year.
• The formula has increased calcium and protein to meet the needs of a growing toddler.
• It contains a system of nutrients and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (the good fats) to support excellent brain development.
• This formula has a unique vegetable oil blend, which aids the absorption of calcium and fats.  No need to supplement with extra calcium.
• A natural source of Nucleotides found in the formula support immune development.

It contains a unique dual carbohydrate system to enhance greater carbohydrate absorption for optimal energy.

 

Ann Richardson  RN, RM

Private Nurse Practitioner
Dedicated to managing your well baby
Author and Parent Coach

 

Lonehill
Johannesburg
011 465 3480/8
info@toddlersense.co.za