Cow Milk-Based Organic Baby Foods: Pros and Cons
Organic baby formulas with cow milk as a main ingredient are widespread on the baby food market of Europe. Cow milk is believed to be the most used nutrient alternative to in cases of breastfeeding not being an option.
Cow milk is probably the most similar to breast milk in regard to its nutritional value. It helps to maintain the balance of fats, carbohydrates and proteins on the necessary level. However, the complex proteins of the whole cow milk might be too hard to digest for a weak stomach of a newborn child. Cow milk-based baby formulas also usually contain much more fat than their less commonly used analogues (such as goat milk-based or non-organic baby formulas). It makes the digestion process even more complicated.
Cow milk may also cause allergic reactions. They are especially common among children aged 6-10 months. In this case parents should be even more attentive and responsible in choosing a baby formula to nourish their children. The parents have to choose only the products specifically marked as hypoallergenic. A pediatric consultation is required in this case.
So, using the whole cow milk-based nutrients is good to maintain the proper nutritional balance for the infant’s growth, but it can cause a range of side effects.
That is why many parents seek alternatives to formulas on cow milk. For example, there are goat milk-based formulas on the market. But is it possible to keep all the advantages of cow milk for the baby’s nutrition without putting your baby’s health at risk? Of course, there is such an option. Let us observe it in more detail.
What Makes a Cow Milk-Based Formula Comfortable for a Baby?
Special milk comfort formula uses cow milk as the main ingredient. But what differs it from a regular whole milk-based formula? The difference is that the proteins in the special milk comfort formula are subjected to a partial hydrolyzation. Paraphrasing in simple words, the proteins of cow milk in this type of formula are partly broken, which makes them much easier to digest.
So, even the babies with the weakest and the most sensitive stomachs can enjoy the cow milk without any risk of colic, reflux, allergies and constipations – the most common negative consequences among babies that consume formulas on the basis of the whole cow milk.
One of the best examples of a special milk comfort formula on the baby food market nowadays is HiPP HA Stage 2 Hypoallergenic Combiotic Formula. The main advantages of the given product are the following:
- The marking HA stands for “hypoallergenic,” so it is possible not to be concerned about the allergy occurrence. This nutrient does not contain such common allergens as peanut, soy, gluten and eggs. The product’s ability to prevent allergic reactions has been repeatedly proven by scientific tests throughout its 25-year-long history on the organic baby formula market. However, the manufacturers still emphasize that you should ask your doctor for advice on choosing such a nutrient for your baby. Especially in cases when the baby is confirmed to have a cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) or when the doctor suspects such a diagnosis.
- The proteins in the HiPP HA Stage 2 Hypoallergenic Combiotic Formula are broken down to their simplest form. Hydrolyzation helps to get rid of the complex casein proteins, the whey proteins, which are smaller and gentler, remain. Such a procedure is performed in order to make the nutrient easily digestible, and it also helps to prevent allergic reactions.
- The word “Combiotic” in the name of the product refers to prebiotics and probiotics included in it. These probiotic cultures, as well as lactic acids, are taken from the real breast milk in order to perfectly meet the child’s nutritional needs. Lactose is a basic carbohydrate in this product.
- The product does not contain genetically modified organisms, artificial sweeteners are excluded as well. It is rich in fatty acids DHA and ARA. The fatty acids are strongly recommended for the infants’ physical and mental development.
The Stage 2 marking refers to the baby’s age and it means that the product is designed for children aged 6+ months. However, the Stage 1 formula (0-6 months) of the same kind is also represented by the brand.
To sum up, organic baby formulas based on cow milk are the most common on the market because of their compositional similarity to breast milk. However, the complex proteins of the cow milk are hard to digest, and they also increase the risk of allergic reactions. One of the possible ways to avoid such side effects is choosing a hypoallergenic formula based on cow milk with hydrolyzed (broken) proteins. A perfect example of such a formula represented on the European organic baby formula market is HiPP HA Stage 2 Hypoallergenic Combiotic Formula.
