There is an enzyme called lactase which is responsible for breaking down the lactose. Many people have a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is normally made by cells lining the small intestine. Without this enzyme they can’t break down milk sugar into simpler forms that can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Lactose intolerance is not very common in toddlers under two years of age, unless the toddler has a lactase deficiency because of an injury to the small intestine. A rare cause of lactose intolerance is called congenital lactase deficiency. Toddlers with this condition do not produce any lactase.

Your toddler may need to take a calcium supplement if he/she doesn’t get enough of it from the diet, since milk and foods made with milk are the most common source of calcium for most people. Vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb calcium, therefore, your toddler’s diet should provide an adequate supply of vitamin D.

There are many of nondairy foods that are rich in calcium. These include :

• Green vegetables such as broccoli and kale.

• Fish such as salmon and sardines.

• Yogurt

Sources of vitamin D include eggs and liver. Sunlight is also a good source of vitamin D.

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.