Holle Hipp and other Organic Baby Formula Ingredients

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) belong to the group of prebiotics. Prebiotics are defined as nondigestible food ingredients that helps to cultivate healthy bowel flora, particularly bifidobacteria. These good bacterias are some of the first microbes to take up residence in the sterile gastrointestinal (GI) tract of newborns and they dominate the intestines in breastfed babies.

Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. Because whey contains lactose, it should be avoided by babies who are lactose intolerant. Whey proteins consist of α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, serum albumin, immunoglobulins, and proteose-peptones. Dried whey contains between 65-75% lactose and approximately 11% protein.

Lactose is the main carbohydrate (sugar) found in breastmilk. Cow milk has a much lower amount of lactose. In order to approximate breastmilk, the sweetener of choice for baby formulas is lactose. Some babies have trouble digesting lactose in their young stomachs, this is known as a lactose intolerance.

Maltodextrin is a plant-based sweetener. The primary characteristics of maltodextrin is its high solubility, easy and rapid digestibility (high glycemic index), and low sweetness. These characteristics work well in baby formula. High solubility means that the powdered formula will dissolve quickly and smoothly, which makes the formula easier for a baby to drink.

Starch is a type of complex carbohydrate and is a major source of energy for children and adults alike. It is an odorless, tasteless, white substance occurring widely in plant tissue and obtained chiefly from cereals and potatoes. Starch is a carbohydrate and tends to fill a baby’s growing stomach more, which is why a few formula brands have the addition of starch at the 6+ months stage. It is an important constituent of the human diet.

Palm oil is a fat that is high in palmitic acid as well as a source of oleic acid. Human breast milk contains palmitic acid, or hexadecanoic acid, the most common saturated fatty acid found in animals, plants and microorganisms. Many formulas contain palm oil to try to replicate this nutrient. Palm oil is one of the few vegetable oils that’s naturally rich in saturated fat. Most other vegetable oils are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. By combining palm oil with rapeseed oil and sunflower oil, the mixture provides a good fatty acid profile that meets nutritional requirements for infants.

DHA and ALA are omega-3 fatty acids. DHA fatty acids include fish oil, egg oil, squid oil and krill oil. ALA fatty acid include walnuts, edible seeds, clary sage seed oil, algal oil, flaxseed oil, and hemp oil. DHA is a component for brain and eye tissue development. But the DHA and ALA added to most brands of infant formula is not identical in structure to the fatty acids found in breastmilk. There have been no studies that have found a benefit to adding DHA to formula. Several published studies all conclude that adding DHA and ALA “had no proven benefit regarding vision, cognition, or physical growth.” Both breast milk and Organic formulas contain essential fatty oils for brain health.

Omega-6 fatty acids are essential fatty acids. Most omega-6 fatty acids come from vegetable oils, such as linoleic acid (LA). Linoleic acid is converted to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in the body. It can then break down further to arachidonic acid (AA). Omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function to help maintain bone health and regulate metabolism.

Soy Lecithin is a byproduct of soybean oil and most commonly used as a food emulsifier to keep water and fats from separating. For the first 6 months of a baby’s life, you should try to avoid soy whenever possible. Not only is soy considered a top allergen, but it is also a source of phytoestrogens which may have the potential to disrupt a baby’s hormonal system.