How to choose the right soy milk for children's needs

Some mothers choose soy milk as a source of additional nutritional intake for their children every day. Naturally, soy-based formulas have been used and trusted by parents for more than 50 years. However, some mothers may not be familiar with this type of milk. For that, you need to know some facts and tips before choosing or choosing soy milk products for children. What are some of them?

Things to consider before choosing soy milk for children

For optimal child growth and development, your little one needs a complete and balanced nutritional intake. One way to meet their needs, Mother can provide soy milk.

Previously, you certainly had to be thorough and careful so that soy milk could provide the expected benefits. For that, here are some things you should pay attention to:

Types of protein and nutrients in soy milk

Soya milk contains different proteins from other proteins. The protein contained in soy milk is protein isolate.

In milk containing soy protein isolate, the protein content is higher. In addition, this type of milk does not contain lactose because it is replaced by compounds derived from corn, making it safe for children with lactose intolerance.

The quality of soy protein isolates is also comparable to those of animal sources, such as egg whites and meat. In addition, because it comes from vegetable sources, soy formula is low in saturated fat and cholesterol-free as well.

Choose formula milk with soy protein isolate that has gone through the process of adding nutrients such as mineral content, such as iron, as well as vitamins K, D, B12, and fiber.

The amount of nutrients that should be found in soy milk

Ideally, the soy milk that you want to choose should contain the appropriate nutrition for your child based on their age. In that sense, the coverage of macronutrient needs such as carbohydrates, protein and fat is fulfilled.

As a guide, you can follow the 2019 Nutritional Needs Number (RDA) recommended by the Indonesian Ministry of Health, namely:

1-3 years old; 20 grams of protein, 45 grams of fat, 215 grams of carbohydrates, and 19 grams of fiber.
4-6 years old; 25 grams of protein, 50 grams of fat, 220 grams of carbohydrates, and 20 grams of fiber.

Therefore, make sure you read the nutritional content listed on the soya milk product packaging to suit your child's needs.

Has a content that is beneficial for thinking power and brain growth

One reason for considering soya milk that has gone through the process of adding nutrients (fortification) is the need for an intake that can support brain growth and development.

The addition of ingredients in soy protein isolate formulas such as alpha-linoleic acid omega-3 is useful for inhibiting cell membrane damage, choline to support cell development, and maintaining a healthy nervous system.

Contains enough fiber to maintain a healthy digestive tract

As stated in the nutritional adequacy figure above, fiber is one intake that children need to fulfill every day.

Basically, the soy formula contains fiber. However, quoted from a study from the University of Indonesia in 2020, the fiber content in soy milk alone is quite low. Therefore, you can choose formula milk with soy protein isolate because it has gone through a process of adding nutrients and nutrients, including fiber.

The addition of fiber to the soy protein isolate formula is expected to help maintain the health of the child's digestive tract. According to research in 2011, the ratio of FOS Fiber (Fructooligosaccharide) to inulin 1: 1 supports the health of the digestive tract of children, by maintaining the consistency of the stool to keep it soft and stimulating the growth of good bacteria, namely Bifidobacteria in the digestive tract.

Make sure your little one matches the selected product

Mothers need to pay attention to whether your little one shows symptoms of an allergy to a product. Children may have allergies to certain allergens (allergens) which should be known before giving soy milk or other products.

Symptoms that are quite common when children do not match soy milk include:

Diarrhea
Red rash on the skin
Hard to breathe

Some children can even have allergies to soy milk and cow's milk at the same time. To overcome this, you can still give your little one protein isolate formula for mild and moderate allergic conditions.

If in doubt or unsure about your little one's allergies, you should consult a doctor. In addition, the doctor can recommend what type of product (in this case milk) is best and suitable for the child.

Why should you consider soy milk as an additional nutritional intake for your child?

The soy formula contains fat derived from plants and is also easily absorbed by the body. In addition, as you may already know, soy or soybeans are a plant-based food source, so they naturally contain fiber which is good for children's digestive health. This is suitable for mothers who want to start adopting a vegetarian lifestyle from an early age.

Make sure to give your little one milk formula that has been fortified or has increased the amount of nutrients and not regular soya milk. Based on a study written by Astawan and Prayudani (IPB, 2020), soy formula as a whole contains a better amount of nutrients than soy milk made from soaked soybeans or flour.

Ingredients such as essential amino acids, fiber, vitamins and minerals in the soy formula are specially formulated to meet the daily needs of children. Soya formula milk can be given to children even if they do not have any health conditions because it can still support the child's growth and development.

Good nutritional intake is part of how parents make children have optimal growth and development. Starting from the age of one year, your little one can start consuming various types of intake, including milk. In addition, the brain develops very rapidly between one and five years of age. This is the reason why formula milk is often given.

Armed with the knowledge after reading the explanation above, make sure the formula milk given to children contains various nutrients and essential nutrients and according to their needs.