Around age 14, Williams says, he outgrew his allergy to cow's milk, and hasn't looked back since.

"I never liked [soy milk] that much," he says. "It has a disconcerting aftertaste."

Drink to Your Health?

Some people will consume anything for their health, regardless of the taste. But is soy milk the ticket to a longer life?

According to the homepage of the major Harvard soy supplier, Vitasoy U.S.A. (www.badminton.com/Vitasoy/intro.htm), soy milk contains "nutritional 'treasures'" that are "very effective in helping our body get rid of toxic waste."

But Shirley Hung, nutrition consultant for HDS, says Vitasoy's claims are only "partially true."

And Walter C. Willett, Frederick Stare Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at the School of Public Health, says the verdict is still out on soy milk's benefits.

"Whether it's substantially better than milk is unclear," Willett says. "It's probably a reasonable drink, but I don't think people should be counting on it for special health benefits."

According to Willett, recent studies have shown soy milk may contribute to relieving symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and reducing the risks of breast cancer.

For students who are lactose intolerant--which Hung says may constitute 25 percent of the population--soy milk is an excellent option, Hung says.

But for the general population, she adds, soy milk should not be considered a replacement for cow's milk.

According to Hung, a glass of unfprocessed soy milk can contain nine times as much fat as a glass of skim, less protein and just one-thirtieth the amount of calcium.

To reach the recommended daily allowance of calcium, students would need to drink 120 glasses of soy milk a day--compared with four glasses of skim milk.

Still, Hung says, soy milk is a worthy all-natural alternative to sodas and other high-calorie beverages.

"There's no magic in soy milk," Hung says. "I wouldn't promote it as a replacement for skim milk. If you're looking for something nutritious that doesn't have a lot of calories, this is good."