Soy Vs Milk: Which Is Better For Babies?

I’ve heard some parents claim soy products are better for babies than similar ones made from milk and dairy.  Some, however, claim otherwise, insisting that soy will only help stimulate increased growth of fat cells.  When it comes to this argument, neither parent is wrong nor right.

Formulas based on either of the two should provide comparable nutritional value, making an argument on each other’s merits a difficult proposition.  In general, though, baby formula based on dairy is recommended by more pediatricians for its closer similarity to breast milk.  A soy-based formula is usually prescribed when the baby is potentially allergic to dairy or suffers from lactose intolerance.

The biggest difference in the composition of soy, which is often cited as the main reason to avoid it, are compounds called phytoestrogens.  Many researches are currently being done on its effects on babies and it is frequently the subject of hot debate.

Milk generally has a higher quality of protein than soy, apart from naturally containing calcium. Save for those differences, however, all their nutrient contents – whether fat, carbohydrates, calcium, calories, cholesterol or vitamins – are usually the same.

So which one is better?  Personally, I would go with dairy although there is absolutely nothing wrong, as far as science can tell, from soy-based baby products as well.  Thousands upon thousands (maybe millions even) of healthy children have been raised on either of the two.