Scientific and technical advances allow producing a wide range of infant milk for kids. There are formulas based on cow and goat milk, organic formula, food made for those suffering from allergies, other digestive issues, etc. But how to choose the best one for a newborn to ensure a balanced supply and absorption of nutrients?
The organic formula of almost all EU brands has a mandatory standard set of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins by the age norm. The content usually includes probiotics and prebiotics to enhance beneficial bacterial flora, establish comfortable digestion, and stimulate immunity. Besides, nucleotides, DHA, and lutein are added to the content for the development of immunity, brain, and vision.
What Does Organic Baby Formula Mean?
As the name suggests, organic is a product made from natural ingredients, free of pesticides, chemical additives, etc. It means that even animal feed should not contain any harmful substances.
Still, there are some differences in the organic formula depending on the country’s manufacturer. For example, it’s forbidden to add sugar or syrup solids according to European regulation, while these elements can be found in some US organic formula. What’s even more, at least 30% of calories should be extracted from lactose in the EU baby food. As we all know, lactose is the main energy source present in breast milk.
The other good sign for organic formula is Demeter certification. If you notice the Demeter label on the package you can be sure that the company takes care of farming and creating humane conditions for the cows and there are no harmful or non-organic products. The only European brand that is Demeter certified is Holle.
How to Choose the Right Organic Formula for Your Little One?
As usual, the first thing to pay attention to while choosing baby feeding is age. Each package has the corresponding mark at what age formula can be included in the child’s diet. The younger a kid, the more adapted content should be.
The second important criterion is the presence of allergy or other digestive issues. Even though the risk of allergy and other digestive issues is significantly decreased if a baby is fed with organic formula still there are cases when a kid requires a specific type of diet. There are several main types of organic baby formula:
- Milk-based. It is made either from cow or goat milk. The difference is that it closely resembles breast milk and provides the right balance of nutrients for infants.
- Partially or fully hydrolyzed. Milk proteins are fully or partially broken down so that it’s easy for kids to absorb such food.
Before starting any new menu, visit a pediatrician who has experience with many baby food on the market so that a doctor may help you to make a choice. To make sure the formula you need is organic, look for the corresponding label on the package. When you define the age, and the brand and consult with a doctor, you can select the food for a baby with such ingredients as DHA, ARA, and lutein. And make sure there are pro- and prebiotics in the content.
What to Avoid in Organic Formula Content?
As was mentioned before, the content of organic formula might be different according to the country of the manufacturer. So some brands may include harmful elements in the content. Below are the elements you should avoid in the content:
- Processed Refined Sugars
- Carrageenan
- Synthetic Nutrients
- Palm Oil
- Soy Oil
The above ingredients can be found in some US organic brands while the EU strictly forbids their usage of them in baby food.
