Pediatricians recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after labor, but that is not an option for many parents. Baby formulas replace breast milk for babies whose mothers cannot breastfeed, but caregivers must make the right choice to meet a baby’s needs. Which formula is better – conventional or organic? Do organic baby formulas mean to replace breast milk? Let’s get the answers.
What Does Breast Milk Contain?
Online stores say that HiPP Combiotic Stage 3 can easily replace breast milk due to their similar compositions. Is that really so? Breast milk contains the following ingredients:
- water
- vitamins
- minerals
- macronutrients
- enzymes
- antibodies to some diseases
Unfortunately, one cannot find at least one formula that can 100% substitute breast milk. A mother’s body produces baby food that meets the needs of a baby at a concrete moment of its life. It is impossible to predict the requirements of a baby at a specific moment of its development. Nevertheless, many brands try to replicate the content of breast milk in their formulas.
What Does Organic Baby Formula Contain?
Many websites promote organic baby foods as the best sources of macronutrients and micronutrients. Most of them compare breast milk and organic baby formulas. Are they that similar?
Organic formula | Breast milk |
250-315 calories | 250-280 calories |
1.2-1.95 grams of protein | 1.3 grams of protein |
2.1-4.2 grams of fat | 4.2 grams of fat |
4.6-9.1 grams of carbs | 7 grams of carbs |
0.65-1.68 mg of Vitamin D | 0.01 mg of Vitamin D |
Both meals contain other vitamins and minerals, though their amount varies. To conclude, organic baby formula can be a decent substitute for breast milk because their compositions are similar.
Naturally, there are distinctive features, and some of them are in baby formula or breast milk flavor.
First, baby formula has more vitamin D. Many scientific journals and magazines describe rickets connected with this vitamin deficit. As a result, pediatricians prescribe pharmacological drops to let babies stay healthy. Usually, babies take it during the first 6 months. Afterward, health experts test their blood and decide whether to continue the supplement intake.
Second, many babies suffer from colics, bloating, and indigestion. Mothers often don’t want to refuse gassy products, alcohol, nicotine, and sweets while breastfeeding. Consequently, babies may acquire health problems and addiction to harmful substances while eating breast milk. So, baby formula might be a safer alternative.
Of course, the baby formula doesn’t contain antibodies to some diseases. Moreover, the fat milk content of breast milk changes, adapting to the baby’s needs, while baby formula remains stable and nobody knows how many macronutrients your baby needs today.
Why Is Organic Baby Formula Better Than Its Classical Variant?
Organic baby formulas are trendy today because 95% of their ingredients are natural. European brands like Holle, HiPP, Kendamil, and others never use artificial components to make their formulas. You will never find the following artificial ingredients in organic baby formulas:
- GMOs
- pesticides
- hormones
- flavors
- colorants
- preservatives
- stabilizers
- sugar and other sweeteners
Conventional formulas may contain the ingredients from the list. Consequently, babies can suffer from health diseases such as obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, indigestion, and allergy. A baby develops wrong eating habits because its organism consumes too much sugar and chemicals from the first days.
In other words, organic baby formula is a better alternative to breast milk than classical formula. Moreover, European food-control organizations have strict requirements for organic goods, and not every company can get the required certification to produce natural products with the “organic” label. Organic baby formula lacks taste enhancers, so kids get used to the natural food taste and become less dependent on fast carbs, just like in the case of breast milk eating.
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