The number one thing parents look for in a formula is a recipe that's easy on tummies. Which makes complete sense! But which ingredients actually support digestion and gut health? Below are four ingredients to look for on ingredient labels.
PSA: In this article we're discussing routine infant formulas based on cow's milk, which work great for most babies. "Gentle" formulas use partially hydrolyzed proteins, which means the milk proteins have been broken down. Some babies have a milk protein allergy and need to avoid dairy altogether. Both of these cases should be discussed with your pediatrician.
1. Organic Prebiotics
Prebiotics aren't required in U.S. infant formula, but they support digestion and help with soft poops,1,2 so they're an important ingredient in our book. Look for organic GOS (Galactooligosaccharide), which is derived from organic lactose.3
GOS supports the growth of beneficial (“good”) bacteria like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, reduces the growth of harmful bacteria (similar to breastfed babies), and helps promote soft poops. (This is the organic prebiotic we chose for Nara Organics.)
2. Organic Whole Milk
Most formulas include skim milk, but milk fat from whole milk is shown to support gut health. Milk fat provides short chain fatty acids, plus palmitic acid in the sn-2 position (in vegetable oils, the majority of palmitic acid is in the sn-1 or sn-3 position, which is harder to digest). Both have been demonstrated to be important for the gut microbiome.4,5,6
3. Organic Lactose
Lactose acts as a natural prebiotic to support healthy bacteria in your baby’s gut.7 Ideally, you want organic lactose to be the major carbohydrate in your formula — just like breastmilk. Watch out for other carbs in baby formula that might be replacing lactose (i.e. corn syrup solids, maltodextrin, or sucrose).
4. 60/40 Whey/Casein Ratio
A 60/40 whey/casein ration is an easy-on-tummies protein blend patterned after mature breastmilk. Some formulas use different ratios (like 80/20, modeled after colostrum), but at Nara we chose 60/40 because it's known to be an easy-to-digest protein ratio.
At Nara, we were very intentional about ingredients and nutrients for infant gut health. If you have questions about your baby's nutrition and feeding needs, always talk to your pediatrician. We're also here for you at hello@nara.com.
