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What’s the best infant formula?

By on October 8, 2013

Pediatrics all over the world say breastfeeding is best  for babies.  If that is not an option, pediatrics recommend a formula that closely mimics breast milk. With a wide range of infant formulas available in the market, parents should look for the most essential features:

Iron   Standard cow’s milk formula contains more iron than breast milk’s. That’s because iron in breast milk is more easily absorbed.  Babies need iron to help brains and body grow and boost red blood cells that supply oxygen.

Choline   Infants need more choline to support rapid brain growth.  Standard formulas contain 81 mg per liter with special formulas for premature babies containing more.

DHA/ARA   A standard daily dose of 0.3 percent DHA (or Omega 3) and an equal or greater amount of ARA (Omega 6) is needed according to a 2009 study.

Cow’s milk   The 2008 American Academy of Pediatrics study claims that protein found in soy-based formulas do not contain lactose, which is known to help absorption and is present in breast milk.  Cow’s milk formula therefore proves to be medically beneficial unless there is a compelling reason to switch to soy milk formula sold in Japan.

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