During pregnancy, it’s normal to worry about whether the food you consume affects you and your baby. So you might wonder if drinking soy milk during pregnancy is okay.
Soy milk is a healthy choice during pregnancy because its nutritional profile consists of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fiber which are essential for pregnant women.
This article shares important tips for pregnant women who want to start including soy milk in their diet.
Read on to learn the pros, cons, and what to consider when drinking soy milk during pregnancy.
Pros Of Drinking Soy Milk During Pregnancy
Let’s look at soy milk’s major nutritional components and how they’ll benefit you and your baby.
Vitamin D
The American Pregnancy Association emphasizes getting enough vitamin D during pregnancy for the baby’s healthy development.
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphate. These minerals are important for developing the baby’s bones, teeth, nervous system, heart, and kidneys.
The association also mentions that low vitamin D levels are related to preeclampsia - a condition that occurs during pregnancy.
Although soy milk has a little vitamin D, it can help boost your daily intake if you include it in your diet.
Vitamin A
Soy milk contains about 15% of the recommended amount of vitamin A we should take every day.
Vitamin A is important for forming and maintaining the baby’s heart, lungs, eyes, and other organs. It may also help with postpartum repair and boost your immune system.
B Vitamins
Soy milk is a great source of Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) and Riboflavin (Vitamin B2). It also contains Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Vitamin B6, and FOLATE (Vitamin B9).
- Vitamin B12 is often combined with folic acid during pregnancy. It maintains both your nervous systems and neurological functions. The great thing about vitamin B12 is that it can also improve your mood and energy levels.
- Riboflavin offers the same benefits to you and your baby. It’s essential for healthy skin, good vision, nerve, muscle, and bone development.
- Thiamin helps with your baby’s brain development. It’s also needed for the baby’s proper heart, muscle, and nerve function. Additionally, it allows both of you to convert carbohydrates into energy.
- Vitamin B6 plays a part in your baby’s brain and nerve development. It can also help if you’re struggling with nausea and vomiting.
- According to the CDC, Folic Acid (a synthetic version of Folate) is important before and during pregnancy. It protects your baby from spinal cord, heart, neural tube, and brain defects. Folic acid also reduces the risk of preeclampsia, prevents forms of anemia, and lowers the chances of birth defects.
Related: Is Almond Milk Good For Pregnancy?
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is important for blood clotting.
Babies who don’t get enough vitamin K during pregnancy might experience deficiency bleeding later.
That means they’re at risk of bleeding too much because their blood lacks enough vitamin K to form a clot and seal their wounds.
Vitamin K is also important for expectant mothers to help them heal and recover after childbirth.
Aside from blood clotting, it’s essential for protein formation in the liver and healthy bone development.
Soy milk provides 6% of the daily recommended Vitamin K intake. It’s not much, but a cup a day can contribute to saving both you and your baby's lives.
Related: Is Oat Milk Good For Pregnancy?
Vitamin E
Vitamin E guarantees a strong immune system, healthy vision, and great skin.
Adding the amount of vitamin E in soy milk to your daily intake may also help create and maintain red cells for you and your baby.
Minerals
- Calcium can help maintain the density and strength of your bones. It’s necessary for the baby’s bone development and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
- Your blood volume increases when you’re pregnant. The copper in soy milk will support you by forming red blood cells. It also helps form the baby’s blood vessels, heart, nerve, and skeletal systems.
- Iron helps form extra blood for you and your baby. It also helps supply oxygen to your baby.
- Magnesium can uplift your mood. It helps release the hormone serotonin, which acts as a mood stabilizer. Magnesium also normalizes blood pressure, helps the baby’s bone and teeth development, and prevents pregnancy complications.
- Soy milk also contains phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, and zinc, which are important for you and your baby.
Fiber
During pregnancy, fiber helps reduce the risk of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Coupling soy milk with other fiber-rich foods may also improve your digestive health.
Protein
Research shows that soy protein in soy milk can improve your heart health by lowering your cholesterol. The plant-based protein may also help you build muscle and boost energy levels.
Choline
The American College Of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend soy products such as soy milk as a good source of Choline.
Choline helps prevent birth defects and plays a role in the baby’s brain development.
The amount of choline your body produces when you’re pregnant is insufficient, so it's important to get it from your diet as well.
To learn more about the nutrients inside soy milk, check out our Soy Milk 101 video below!
Other Benefits Of Drinking Soy Milk During Pregnancy
- Soy intake is positively associated with birth weight.
- Soy supplements and products may reduce the risk of preterm birth and maternal anemia.
- Soy milk and other soy products have the potential to prevent diabetes. One study showed they reduce the risk of diabetes mellitus in the second trimester.
- If you already have gestational diabetes mellitus, soy milk can improve your glucose levels and overall condition.
- Soy milk is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 helps prevent pre-term labor and delivery. It’s also important for the baby’s neurodevelopment.
- If you have trouble sleeping, the isoflavones in soy milk can help you sleep better.
Related: How To Tell If Soy Milk Is Bad
Cons Of Drinking Soy Milk During Pregnancy
- Soy milk contains plant estrogen (isoflavones) that can mimic human estrogen. Excess amounts of soy milk can increase your body's estrogen levels and cause pregnancy complications.
- Isoflavones in soy milk can trigger migraines when taken in high amounts.
- Some pregnant women develop allergy symptoms after consuming large quantities of soy milk. The symptoms range from breathing difficulties to swelling and vomiting.
- Too much soy milk increases isoflavones which can interfere with the baby’s development and cause birth defects.
- Excess soy milk can cause a severe life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.
How Much Soy Milk Should You Drink During Pregnancy?
Most of the negative effects of soy milk occur when you drink too much. Soy milk has more pros than cons when taken in moderation.
According to The American Institute For Cancer Research, you can safely consume 1 to 2 cups of soy milk daily.
You can include soy milk in your diet by:
- Baking with it
- Adding it to your smoothie
- Using it in your coffee
- Eating it with cereal
- Cooking with it
- Making sauces like bechamel sauce
Who Should Avoid Soy Milk During Pregnancy?
Women With Thyroid Issues
Research shows that soy foods might disrupt the absorption of thyroid medication in the body.
If you have thyroid issues, consult your doctor before adding soy milk to your diet. That way, you won’t interfere with the healthy progression of your pregnancy.
Women With Soy Allergies
Avoid soy milk if you have soy allergies to avoid triggering serious reactions that could endanger you and your baby.
Women With Low Levels Of Essential Minerals
Soy milk is not ideal for women with low levels of iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, calcium, and niacin.
It contains phytic acid, which blocks the uptake of metals like mercury and lead.
The downside is that it can also block some essential minerals required for the baby’s growth and development.
What To Consider When Drinking Soy Milk During Pregnancy?
Here are some tips to keep in mind if you choose to include soy milk in your diet:
- Choose soy milk with fewer preservatives.
- Buy organic instead of genetically modified (GMO) soy milk.
- Use fortified soy milk whenever possible since it's more nutritious for pregnant women.
- Avoid soy milk with lots of added sugar to avoid raising your blood sugar levels.
- Always make sure the soy milk is pasteurized.
- Try to eat some bread before drinking soy milk, so you don’t consume it on an empty stomach. Doing so can help prevent hiccups and flatulence.
Final Thoughts
Soy milk is a common dairy alternative that may benefit you and your baby if you drink it in moderation.
This plant-based milk has B vitamins which are highly recommended for pregnant women. It also has vitamins A, K, D, and E, which play important roles in your pregnancy journey.
Aside from vitamins, soy milk has sufficient amounts of minerals, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and choline.
Soy milk can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes, preterm and maternal anemia, preterm delivery, and lower cholesterol.
Drinking soy milk during pregnancy can also boost your energy, improve your mood, and help you sleep better.
Although its benefits might be tempting, avoid drinking soy milk if you have hypothyroidism, soy allergy, or low levels of iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, calcium, and niacin.
Lastly, consult your doctor before adding soy milk to your diet.
