Nutrition Hotline

QUESTION: "We plan to feed our 9-month-old a vegan diet. We started feeding her solid foods a couple of months ago, and so far, she has had some vegetables, fruits, and grains. "My husband and I are debating whether to give her any soy products at all. Do you think this is a good idea? If we do avoid soy, how do we make sure that she gets adequate calcium and protein? Are there any other major nutrients we have to make sure she gets if we go the soy-free route?" A.H., via e-mail ANSWER: I wonder why you are considering avoiding soy products. Some cultures have been using soy foods in moderate amounts for centuries, and soy foods can provide dietary variety and convenience. I think soy foods have been unnecessarily demonized on some websites and in some popular literature. There actually appear to be some health advantages to early use of soy, especially in terms of reducing breast cancer risk. I do not personally see any need to totally avoid soy products, unless, of course, your child has been diagnosed with a soy allergy.