When a newborn arrives, the primary responsibility of the parents is to provide the proper nutrition. This is often achieved through breastfeeding for at least 6 months and can last until 18 months (ideally). Yet, mothers do not always have milk, or they cannot feed their babies with it because of various health conditions. So, the best solution is to buy, prepare, and give baby formulas. They contain the necessary ingredients to nourish all the systems in the developing bodies. Many of these formulas closely replicate the composition of breast milk.
For example, parents prefer organic baby formula due to its high quality and outstanding purity. This is one of the brands that make a difference in the modern market. Yet, there are many discoveries parents should be aware of. We will focus on the baby formula market revolution to highlight the latest advances in infant nutrition.
What Is Baby Formula?
First, let’s clarify what baby formula for infants is. This is a special substitution for the breastmilk of a mother. Available in both organic and non-organic varieties, these formulas are designed to provide the required amounts of healthy nutrients that nourish the body and its systems to help babies grow fast and avoid various kinds of health deviations. Organic analogs are safer and more effective because they are closer to breast milk, and they have a more similar formula.
Following Plain Guidelines
Today, the popularity of EU-made baby formulas is probably the most remarkable among other countries. Even parents from the USA eagerly buy those formulas. While many factors hamper the US baby formula market growth, the EU market does not have such limits. It has developed clear and effective guidelines that help to produce the purest, highest-quality nutrition products for babies.
They include even control over the pre-stages of manufacturing. What do we mean? They check the soil where plants are grown and the conditions under which animals are bred. Furthermore, a special commission checks the extraction methods and how various ingredients are blended. The way all is put together and even simply labeled is under strict supervision. This approach helps to bring infant nutrition to a new quality level.
The Use of Goat Milk
One of the latest trends in baby formulas is the incorporation of goat milk. While not an entirely new concept, goat milk-based formulas have recently surged in popularity. There are many reasons why it’s preferred by so many parents. Here are some of them:
- Suitable for children with digestion problems
- A minimal risk of having an allergy
- A higher level of protection against infection
- Rich in protein and calcium
- Easy to digest
These properties were proved by many trials and post-sales. The results are satisfactory and show that goat milk hugely benefits baby formulas. Thus, the EU manufacturers add it to their products more frequently.
Adding Vital Nutrients
Modern baby formula makers manage to retrieve the most important elements from the nutrients they add to the products for babies. These are as follows:
- Probiotics and prebiotics
- Vitamins A, D, E, and C
- Fatty acids (omega-3 and 6)
- Protein
- Calcium
- Zinc
- Iron, etc.
As you can see, all these and some other nutrients play a decisive role in the overall development of every baby. For example, fatty acids have a huge impact on the development of the brain and its functions. They can improve sleep, concentration, thinking, memory, and so on. Calcium helps to strengthen the bone system. Protein and iron ensure higher levels of energy.
Stage Division
The EU manufacturers divide their products into logical categories according to age. The division starts with 0-6 months and ends at 12–36 months. Every stage has its peculiarities. While starting small, the dosage and number of ingredients steadily increase. This gradation is carefully refined to be sure an infant receives all the necessary vitamins and minerals at all stages of development. They are all required to provide the growing bodies with all they may need to develop rapidly and avoid a lot of potential health issues. It’s very convenient to give toddlers ready-to-consume mixtures.
No Harmful Components
Another advancement that sets EU baby formula apart, is the composition of baby formulas. Even in the US market, where the baby nutrition industry is powerful, the manufacturers add many nutrients that are debatable because of possible health issues they may induce. These are glucose, gluten, starch, pesticides, GMOs, and similar ones. The EU manufacturers refuse to use these nutrients at all stages, even when children are 3 years old.
Their formulas are pure and safe. They are highly effective for infants and sustain them in the right ways. Perhaps other industries will implement various advancements from the European Union and thus will make their products safer and highly effective for infants.
Drawing the Final Line
The popularity of baby formulas has been on the rise for many decades because they are the best solution for mothers who have no possibility of feeding their babies with breast milk. While there are some concerns about the safety of these formulas, one can find a lot of reliable brands that provide newborns with anything they may need. The latest advancements in infant nutrition prove that parents can freely give the most famous EU brands to their babies without any fear of inducing adverse reactions of any sort.
Featured image provided by Vika Glitter; Pexels; Thanks!