Soymilk May Become Staple School Menu Item

Auburn, Dec. 10, 2003 --- Got soymilk?  More and more of the nation’s schools will be answering yes to that question if the American Soybean Association and others persuade Congress to include soymilk as an option in school lunch programs.

(Photo Courtesy of bkkmenu.com)

In October, representatives of the 25,000-member ASA asked the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Education and the Workforce to offer soymilk as a reimbursable item in school lunch programs.  The request occurred as Congress discussed changes in the Child Nutrition Act and the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, which form the basis of the nation’s school lunch program.

At least one nutrition expert believes it’s a good idea, especially for the millions of American children who either are allergic to cow’s milk or who are unable to digest lactose, the major sugar associated with milk.  Soymilk, he said, already is a major component in some American diets, particularly infants who are allergic to proteins in cow’s milk.

“Soymilk has the advantage of being less allergenic,” said Dr. Robert Keith, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System nutritionist and Auburn University professor of nutrition and food science.  “Some infants who are put on cow’s milk formulas have difficulty digesting the proteins or have allergic reactions. So, they’re switched to soymilk instead.”

For the vast majority of non-white Americans, there is the added problem of lactose intolerance.  Most Caucasians possess an enzyme in their small intestines that breaks down this carbohydrate so that it can be absorbed by the body, Keith said.  But the vast majority of blacks, Hispanics, Asians and American Indians do not produce the enzyme in adequate amounts.

In fact, the ASA cites studies that have shown lactose intolerance in America in up to 85 percent of Asians, 72 percent of blacks, 70 percent of American Indians and 56 percent of Hispanics.  Twenty-one percent of whites also are lactose intolerant.

Since milk currently is one of the only sources of calcium available on school lunch menus, this likely means millions of American school children are not getting adequate amounts of this essential nutrient, Keith said.  Calcium is a key safeguard against osteoporosis, a potentially crippling bone disease that usually develops late in life.

That’s why many nutritionists, including Keith, view soymilk as such an appealing alternative.

“Soymilk really has come a long way within the last 20 years in terms of taste, appeal and flavor,” he said.  “And it contains or has been enriched with all of the key nutrients associated with cow’s milk --- calcium, vitamin D and riboflavin, an essential b vitamin.”

In addition, while soymilk is not naturally sweet like cow’s milk, it is typically is flavored with sucrose or dextrose, neither of which causes the digestive problems associated with cow’s milk.

Even if the American Soybean Association persuades Congress and the president to accept soymilk as an alternative to cow’s milk, the battle will be only half won, Keith said. There is still the matter of persuading millions of American school children to use the product.

“Soy already is a staple within Asian cultures, so it’s very likely soymilk will be readily accepted by many Asian-American school children,” he said.  “But soymilk is no more a staple of African-American diets than cow’s milk, so there is no guarantee it’s going to be readily accepted by them or by other minority groups who typically don’t consume soy products.  It will all boil down to whether they acquire a taste for it and whether they can be persuaded to include it as a regular part of their diet.”

Under the American Soybean Association’s proposal, soymilk would not replace milk outright but would be included as an additional item.  The Soyfoods Association of North America, which has joined the ASA in this lobbying effort, has recommended to the U.S. Department of Agriculture a soymilk standard of 7 grams of protein, 300 milligrams of calcium, 100 international units of vitamin D and 500 international units of vitamin A per 8-ounce serving. 

Congress has deferred decision on this issue until next spring.

[Source: Dr. Robert Keith, Extension Nutritionist and Auburn University Professor of Nutrition and Food Science, (334) 844-3273; Writer: Jim Langcuster, Extension Communications Specialist, News and Public Affairs, (334) 844-5686.]

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Alabama Schools Striving to Serve Lactose-Intolerant Needs Despite Challenges

Auburn, Dec. 10, 2003 --- Alabama’s school systems are working within existing federal lunchroom guidelines to address the problems associated with lactose intolerance. 

In the Montgomery public schools, for example, lactose-intolerant school children can ask for 100-percent fruit juice instead.

The school system offered lactose-free milk for a while, but there were few takers, said Elise Todd, purchasing coordinator for the Montgomery public schools.

“Most parents didn’t provide it at home, so the children were not used to it,” she said.

The Montgomery public school’s strategy underscores the challenge facing many school lunch programs under current federal guidelines, said Dr. Robert Keith, Alabama Cooperative Extension System nutritionist and Auburn University professor of nutrition and food science.

“While fruit juices, with the one exception of fortified orange juice, supply vitamin C as well as some other minerals, they do not compare with cow’s milk as a calcium source,” he said.  “Milk has the added advantage of being a very good source of high quality protein.

“If school children aren’t consuming milk or some kind of fortified alternative such as orange juice, you’re going to have to find some product to replace milk,” he added.  “But if school children refuse to eat dairy products, they have few alternatives left --- at least, under the current federal guidelines.”

The Montgomery public schools provide other dairy sources, such as cheese and cheese with macaroni.  But due to the fat content associated with these products, federal guidelines limit these servings. 

In Huntsville, school nutritionists believe they’ve found a viable dairy alternative in sweet acidophilus milk. 

“Sweet acidophilus really is good,” said Jennifer Flynn, child nutrition specialist with the Huntsville city schools.  “It has a richer flavor than skim milk --- which is surprising considering that it contains only a little more milk fat.”

This marks the first year the Huntsville city schools have offered sweet acidophilus milk as an alternative to milk.

Children who refuse sweet acidophilus milk still have the option of purchasing fruit juice. 

Students in the Jefferson County schools can receive soymilk, but only with a doctor’s dietary prescription.  The school system stresses the importance of calcium as an essential nutrient, and milk is incorporated in all meals.

“We feel very strongly that children need that calcium option,” said Maureen Alexander, Child nutrition director with the Jefferson County Board of Education. 

Middle school and high school students, however, can receive a juice product or tea in addition to their milk.  The school system also is making an effort to offer other calcium sources --- dark, leafy vegetables; cheese and yogurt, for example --- as part of its salad bar selection. 

Still, as Alexander stresses, ensuring children receive adequate amounts of calcium remains a challenge.

[Source: Dr. Robert Keith, Alabama Cooperative Extension System Nutritionist and Auburn University Professor of Nutrition and Food Science, (334) 844-3273; Writer: Jim Langcuster, Extension Communications Specialist, News and Public Affairs, (334) 844-5686.]

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