Baby Nutrition Care

Soy milk (also known as soya milk) is a non dairy form of milk that is made from soya beans. Unlike cow’s milk, soy milk is 100% lactose free and therefore it is a great alternative for your toddler if he/she suffers from lactose intolerance.

According to a study, about 2.5% of toddlers are allergic to cow’s milk whereas only 0.5% of toddlers are allergic to soy milk. Toddlers can have a cow’s milk allergy, which is the result of their body not reacting well to the proteins that it contains. There are two parts of milk, – whey and caseins. Some toddlers have an allergic reaction to the proteins in both of them or just one of them. In this case, soy milk would be a good alternative for them.

Soy milk may also provide your toddler with beneficial protein, calcium, B vitamins, vitamin E and essential fatty acids, which is helpful in maintaining his/her healthy. Soy milk is also low in saturated fat and sodium, but high in dietary fiber.

Additionally, one of the other key features of soy milk is that it contains isoflavones. These are thought to be linked with a number of health benefits including the prevention of heart disease, some cancers and osteoporosis. In countries where soy milk is present in the diet rather than cow’s milk, the frequency of these diseases is much lower.

Isoflavones are antioxidants which help protect our cells against free radicles and oxidation. Isoflavones are not present in cow’s milk. Therefore, it is very important for us to provide our toddlers with soy milk as this will prevent them from developing heart related diseases and cancers when they grow up.

In conclusion, we shall include soy milk in our toddler’s diet due to its associated health benefits.

Toddlers should have 500 milligrams of calcium a day. This requirement is easily met if your child gets the recommended two servings of dairy foods every day. An important part of a toddler’s diet, milk provides calcium and vitamin D to help build strong bones. In addition, milk also contains carbohydrates, protein, fat, and zinc, as well as vitamins A, B2 and B12. Kids under age 2 should have whole milk to provide the dietary fats they need for normal growth and brain development. Offer cow’s milk in a cup after the child has begun the meal. If you are breastfeeding, only offer milk in a cup and avoid the bottle habit.

Most experts agree that kids can switch from infant formula or breast milk to whole cow’s milk when they reach 1 year of age. Before this age, cow’s milk is more likely to cause an allergic reaction and is tough for babies to digest. In addition, it is not the best source of iron.

Once you switch to cow’s milk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, and other health experts advise parents to buy only pasteurized milk, which has been heated and processed to kill bacteria. Raw milk, they warn, may harbor contaminants and micro-organisms that can cause food-borne illness.

Some kids initially reject cow’s milk because it doesn’t taste like the familiar breast milk or formula. If your child is around 12 months and having this difficulty, mix whole milk with some formula or breast milk. Gradually adjust the mixture over time so it becomes 100% cow’s milk.

Some parents are anxious to wean their babies to cow’s milk, especially those who have been feeding formula since it can be a bit costly, but there are several good reasons to wait. Cow’s milk isn’t as rich in several nutrients, especially iron, as breast milk or formula, which is important for healthy first year development. Until the baby is eating a variety of iron-rich foods, feeding breast milk or commercially prepared formula ensures that the baby will get a sufficient amount of iron. Additionally, there is evidence suggesting that the early introduction of cow’s milk increases the chances of developing diabetes later in life. This is especially important in families with a history of the disease. Finally, children who switch to cow’s milk before their first birthday have higher incidences of allergies and eczema than those who wait.