Why soy infant formula is one of the absolute worst foods your baby

[krysalyss]

Well we aren't on the soy is evil bandwagon. We try to choose fermented soy products although we also use soy milk as an alternative to cows milk (which you could also dig up a whole load of evil about).
Moderation and choose your products is my advice. One soy product does not equal another.

[Junglemum]

No Krysalyss, you are right, one does not equal another. Some soy products are good for you. The problem is we don't really have a lot of choice. Soy is in almost all processed food so we are all consuming it with almost every mouthful that is not a basic food. If you pick up a product in the isles of a supermarket and read the label, most of them have soy in them. So unless you only eat unprocessed food you are already consuming a lot of soy.

And you are right also in saying there is also lot of bad press about cows milk. However the alleged negatives related to Soy i find much more alarming. Sure, there is a lot more study to be done to prove the allegations, but for now, i would rather avoid it until something was clearly demonstrated one way or the other.

Yup, it is a choice. And i will certainly not criticise my friends for their choices. I do talk to them about it, because i feel strongly that it is the root of more hormonal issues in woman then we think, and i am watching out for my friends. But if they choose to drink soy milk, then that is their choice. Rice milk is a great alternative.

[*Ash*]

I do not believe that it is as simple as saying all soy is evil. There is a lot of research showing the exact opposite. I know people have commented that the soy industry is a massive industry that wants to protect its profits and I am sure that is true. But there has been much independent research that has supported the health benefits of whole soy foods (not soy protein isolate).

I have provided a link to some information by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, in part it cites research that says:

'adults who had been fed soy infant formula as infants were found to have no difference in their reproductive health when compared with adults who had been fed cow’s milk formula.'

PCRM >> Preventive Medicine and Nutrition >> Soy and Your Health


Balance is important in all things. Comments have been made about soy being aded to a diverse range of products. I find the same thing happening with whey powder and milk powder. These three ingredients are cheap fillers in the manufacturing process.

In all honesty, we need to eat wholefoods as close to their natural state as possible. Tempeh, miso, tofu and endamame are all healthy soy foods.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth!

[Janie]

I totally agree that balance is important. But it's hard to see the balance when you have a kid who cannot consume soy, yet it is so difficult to avoid!

I love to eat/provide wholefoods, and make everything from scratch, but my life doesn't always allow for that. For goodness sake, even almost every mayonnaise available contains soy! I love to make my own, but it doesn't always happen

[*Ash*]

Yes, Janie. I totally get where you are coming from! It must be tricky when you are allergic to soy and it is in almost everything. I have the same problem with trying to avoid dairy, and I hate it when you find a product that you can eat, and then the company changes the recipe and adds the ingredient that you have been avoiding! So annoying. :wall

[Janie]

Yep, it is totally frustrating. Particularly as we both need to avoid dairy as well.........and 95% of dairy replacements are soy!!!! So I hear you!

[Kirley64]

Yep, it is totally frustrating. Particularly as we both need to avoid dairy as well.........and 95% of dairy replacements are soy!!!! So I hear you!

Oh my goodness, what do you do; i have a eight month old son who already i have to avoid both because it affects him thru bf...dairy i'm sure of but soy we are just steering away from for now (i didn't know it was in everything processed though so i guess i havent' been avoiding it as much as i could have!) we are yet to have an allergy test for dairy and soy....if he is positive what are some food ideas??

[Junglemum]

In all honesty, we need to eat wholefoods as close to their natural state as possible. Tempeh, miso, tofu and endamame are all healthy soy foods.

Absolutely, i totally agree.

Perhaps i should re word my statement. "Soy is evil, EXCEPT traditionally fermented soy products." I know it is not as simple as that, but i honestly think in years to come more studies like this will emerge and the trend for soy as a healthy alternative will fade. I don't believe there is concrete evidence supporting the soy is evil statement at the moment, but enough suggestion to make me concerned and avoid it.


This is one of those topics that people feel passionate about one way or the other, and there are many papers supporting both sides of the argument. I find these topics tend to end with, "Lets agree to disagree." As long as we are all happy with the choices we are making, and they are informed choices, then that's great.

[Aligater]

my little one looks like she has Coeliacs and secondary lactose intolerance she cant even have my breast milk any more it makes her sick I was told to put her on Lactose free not soy we had to get some weight back on her even if it meant the end of our breastfeeding journy. I got to 9 months exlusive

[Bathsheba]

Does anyone know if Bonsoy milk is fermented? Their website isn't working...

As a non-red meat eating family we supplement our diet with soy... but it's usually in the form of fermented products like tofu and tempeh. I don't believe all soy is evil... but I do believe it's used too frequently as a hidden additive. People do need to be aware.

[Trillian]

From what I can find in a google search it is fermented apparently.