Which Formula Is Best For Your Baby?
- Normal- Comfortably passes gas
- Some extra gas- Seems to strain when passing gas at times, seems to be constantly passing gas
- Excessive gas-Uncomfortable, screaming in pain while pooping, very colicky/crying all time
The best organic baby formula that comes from Europe uses one of two different carbohydrates in their ingredients: lactose and maltodextrin. Both are sourced from organic farming. One comes from milk and one comes from plants. One is more controversial than others.
Maltodextrin is derived from plants such as corn, rice, or potatoes. It is a starch derived from these foods. When it is broken down further through a hydrolyzing process, it is a complex carbohydrate that gives energy and thickens foods. Maltodextrin is made up of small-chain molecules that are easy to digest. Even though it is a carbohydrate, it is essentially tasteless.
Holle and Lebenswert are two organic baby formula companies that use organic maltodextrin in their formulas. One of the good reasons to use maltodextrin when using a sugar carbohydrate (such as lactose) is to balance the sweetness. Lactose is naturally sweet and comes from milk. It is the main carbohydrate found in breast milk. Baby formula companies such as Holle and Lebenswert found a way to use maltodextrin with the Demeter-quality milk without making it too sweet. The balance of the milk and maltodextrin delicious but not overly sweet.
Maltodextrin provides balance of sweetness, energy, and thickness in baby formula such as Holle and Lebenswert. Its slow-release energy means that babies are satisfied for longer periods of time. The amount of maltodextrin used in baby formula is small enough to be beneficial to your baby's nutritional needs. There is no other carbohydrate that shares the same components of maltodextrin.
#2: Tolerability. Goat milk is often said to be an ‘hypoallergenic’ alternative to cow’s milk because many families report that it’s less likely to be troublesome for their babies who are sensitive to cow’s milk proteins. Additionally:
- Goat milk doesn’t contain the type of casein protein, alpha-S1, that can be problematic in cow milk – which gives it a leg up here.
- Goat milk protein generally forms a smaller, softer, and looser curd in the gut than cow milk (which makes it
gentler). And, goat milk protein curds are broken down (degraded) faster than those from cow milk protein. - This makes goat milk naturally easier to digest and, for some children, better tolerated!
- Note: If your baby has a diagnosed dairy allergy (confirmed cow milk protein allergy), goat milk may trigger an allergic reaction in the same way that cow’s milk would!
Given all of these factors, goat milk formula can be a good option for babies who are having trouble digesting cow’s milk formula.
