An NIU study finds that soy milk is as effective as skim milk in promoting weight loss. The study was published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

The research also should please vegans and others striving to avoid growth hormones and pesticides found in non-organic milk, said Judith M. Lukaszuk, an assistant professor and the didactic program director in the NIU School of Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences.

After seeing flyers posted on campus, fourteen healthy women between the ages of 18 and 45 who were overweight of obese participated in the eight-week study.

“Soy is a great source of protein for people who don’t eat meat,” Lukaszuk said, “and soy milk, if fortified, is a great source of calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B-12.”