"Given its pros and cons, I don't think it's a bad choice," she adds.
Miller, the HDS chef, says he is hesitant to label soy milk a "health food."
"It grew out of a need for students who are lactose-intolerant," Miller says. "We basically have it available as an option for our students. We try to say yes as often as we can."
An Intelligent Choice
At Vitasoy U.S.A. headquarters in San Francisco, meanwhile, company executives have been "delighted" to find out their product is being downed by Harvard students, according to a company spokesperson.
Vitasoy, which is distributed nationwide, has seen its sales rise in the last few years, according to Nicole McGee, Vitasoy's media and consumer affairs supervisor.
"There's definitely been an increased awareness of the benefits of soy," McGee says. "Everyone's turning to a dairy-free milk alternative."
Soy milk appeals to an aging "baby boomer" population seeking plant-derived foods, McGee says.
But Vitasoy's rising popularity among Harvard students, McGee adds, is proof that not just the above-50 crowd are becoming soy fans.
"To find out that it's being served in the Harvard dining halls is really good news," she says. "We're at Harvard--now intelligent people are drinking soy milk."