Soybean

Soybeans can be offered from about 6 months. They are a common allergen and a firm bean that carries a choking risk, so how you prepare them matters.

Where it comes from

Soy is a staple in East Asia. Harvested green, it becomes edamame; left on the plant, it ripens and dries. It is at the center of dishes such as Japanese miso, Korean doenjang, and Indonesian tempeh. Today it is eaten in traditional forms and as soy protein powder and plant-based meat alternatives.

Nutrition

Soy is rich in protein, fiber, plant omega-3, folate, choline, vitamin B6, iron, and zinc. These support muscle function, digestion, nerve development, metabolism, energy, and immunity. Certain tofu and fortified soy products supply calcium and vitamin D as well.

The safest start is soft, spoonable forms. Silken tofu, soy yogurt, mashed edamame, and a purée mixed with soy milk are examples. As finger food, a stick of firm tofu or tempeh, roughly as big as an adult finger, works.

Fully grown soybeans keep a tougher bite than other beans, whatever the cooking time. Cook them in soups and stews until fully soft, then mash or flatten them.

You can use salty ingredients such as soy sauce and miso in moderation within shared meals.

Soy milk

Before 12 months the drinks for a baby are breast milk and formula. From six months on, you can add around 60 to 120 mL of water per day, given in an open cup. Soy milk can be used as an ingredient in food before 12 months but is not given as a drink. After the first birthday pick unsweetened, fortified soy milk.

Edamame and soybeans are hard, round, and slick. Those traits raise the choking risk. Fully grown soy keeps its firmness longer than other beans, whatever the cooking time.

Do not give whole beans to a young baby. Mash, flatten, split in half, or serve in soft forms. Set up a safe eating space and stay beside your baby.

Soy is a common food allergen in infants. Fewer than one child in a hundred is allergic to soy. Reactions are mostly mild, though severe ones have been reported. About 70 percent of allergic children outgrow it by age 10.

What to avoid

With a soy allergy, steer clear of tofu, tempeh, miso, natto, tamari, edamame, soy sauce, and any packaged food made with soy. Look for soy on labels. Most people with a soy allergy tolerate soy lecithin and highly refined soy oil. Still, ask your doctor before giving them.

When introducing

Soy products are often made alongside egg, fish, peanut, and sesame. Introduce common allergens on their own first. For soy, begin with something plain: edamame that is cooked and puréed, unflavored tofu strips, or a mash with soy milk stirred in. Give a small amount in the first few meals and raise it slowly if there is no reaction. After a successful start, keep it in the diet twice a week when possible.

Related conditions

Ten to 14 percent of young children with cow's milk allergy also react to soy. For babies with known milk allergy, doctors may suggest skipping milk and soy together during the first half year.

A child with soy allergy may also test sensitive to peanut. If peanut is already eaten without trouble, no need to stop it. People with birch pollen allergy may get short-lived mouth itching. Soy can also cause a delayed allergy called FPIES. Its sign is repeated vomiting and diarrhea starting hours after eating. FPIES that starts early usually fades by age 3 to 5.