When a person plans to become a parent, baby food is not the last question that terrifies a new mother or father. Dairy products are healthy because they improve digestion and are perfect snacks. Baby food also belongs to dairy, but baby formula ingredients are different from yogurt. What are they? What ingredients in baby formula should parents avoid to help their kids grow healthy and happy?
Ingredients in Baby Formula: The Good and the Bad
The First Rule is to Make It Similar to Breast Milk
What is in mom’s milk that all manufacturers try to reproduce in their baby formula ingredients? Breastfeeding is much advertised in European countries because breast milk is everything a baby needs during the first months of life. However, breastfeeding is not the best variant for most European families. That’s why baby food companies use advanced technology to explore and reproduce breast milk per every serving. Consequently, the developed organic formula gives a baby all the required nutrients.
So, what should a high-quality baby formula have to resemble a mother’s milk?
- water because breast milk contains over 80% of water; that’s why pediatricians say that infants do not require water until they are six months old;
- whey and casein protein in a 60:40 ratio because they are easy to digest;
- carbs that are mainly lactose because it helps the body to absorb the essential nutrients, including magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and oligosaccharides that help the organism resist harmful bacteria and viruses;
- fats but only long-chain ones that improve the neurological system, eye, and brain functionality; moreover, some vitamins like A, K, D, and E cannot be absorbed without healthy fats;
- hormones, enzymes, antibodies, and bifidobacteria that are essential for a strong immune system but are hard to introduce in baby formula.
To conclude, breast milk is rich in nutrients that are hard to copy. Fortunately, European companies made it real.
What Should a Top-Quality Baby Food Include or Not?
As one can see, the baby formula should be organic and provide a baby with all the required nutrients. If you want your child to feel comfortable, pay attention to baby formula ingredients. It should definitely have proteins, fats, carbs, vitamins, and minerals. Some formulas have prebiotics and probiotics for gassy babies or those who cannot poop properly.
The source of these nutrients can be different. There are two famous formulas based on cow’s and goat’s milk. Both variants are suitable, but a pediatrician can be very helpful here. Goat’s formula has the same nutrients as the cow’s, but it causes fewer allergic reactions. Though its taste is a bit stronger and most babies need time to adapt to its taste.
Organic baby formula is an excellent choice. It doesn’t contain harmful substances such as sugar, flavors, preservatives, non-organic oils, antibiotics, and other chemicals. All ingredients are natural, so animals eat grass that has nothing to do with chemicals and pesticides. Besides, animals do not take antibiotics or eat artificial food supplements when being milked. So, organic baby food must be eco-friendly and packed with nutrients to give the right start for a happy baby.
Jessi is the creative mind behind The Coffee Mom, a popular blog that combines parenting advice, travel tips, and a love for all things Disney. As a trusted Disney influencer and passionate storyteller, Jessi’s authentic insights and relatable content resonate with readers worldwide.