Your Comprehensive Guide to Choosing the Best Baby Formula
There you are, standing in the “baby formula” section at the supermarket, and a wave of dread washes over you. There are so many to choose from. How do you know which is best?
Before I dive into answering this question, I first want to say I understand how huge decisions are around feeding your baby.
You want to do everything right for your child, especially when it comes to their nutrition.
That’s why I’m here to provide some guidance!
In this article, I’m going to share important information and tips to help you navigate baby formulas, including a list of brands to consider and the pros and cons of each one.
My hope is that this acts as a valuable resource, so you can feel empowered while making the best decision for your baby!
How to Choose the Best Baby Formula.
The truth is, there’s no such thing as the perfect baby formula. There’s only the best formula for YOUR child.
This means what’s best for your little one may be different from what’s best for your sister’s baby, or even your doctor’s baby, so I encourage you to put your blinders on and trust yourself through this process.
Most formulas on the market have flaws, and infants usually need to try a couple different types before finding one that doesn’t cause tummy upset, skin issues, or other symptoms.
To narrow down your options during this process, the first thing you want to do is look at the ingredients list.
What is in Baby Formula?
Baby formula is primarily made up of three things: protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Different baby formulas use different sources for each. How your babe digests them, particularly the protein source, plays a large role in determining whether or not the formula is right for them.
Protein
Common protein sources in baby formula include:
Cow’s milk
Goat’s milk
Milk Protein Powder
Pea (Plant) Protein Powder
Soy
Generally speaking, it’s best to avoid soy-based formulas (which I’ll dig into in a bit later) and goat’s milk tends to be easiest for infants to digest.
But again, I want to emphasize that every baby’s needs are different. You may need to play around with this to see what works best for your child.
Carbohydrates
Baby formulas often use lactose as the primary carbohydrate source. This is also the main source found in breastmilk. Most infants can actually digest lactose very well, but a small percentage have an intolerance, or just have more trouble digesting it in its processed form. [1]
Some signs your baby could be intolerant include:
Diarrhea
Bloating after feeding
Irritability after feeding [2]
If you notice these signs, speak with your doctor. It may be a good idea to explore a different baby formula.
The downside here is that lactose-free formulas often use artificial syrups and sweeteners (like brown rice syrup and corn syrup) as its main carbohydrate source.
This is not ideal, but again, we’re not going for perfection here. We’re assessing the pros and cons of each formula to find one that’s most beneficial for your child.
Fat
Companies often use highly processed vegetable and seed oils in baby formula to meet the FDN requirements of total calories from fat.
It’s frustrating to see this, but at the end of the day, the most important thing is that your baby is getting the nutrients they need.
Ingredients to Avoid in Baby Formula.
Here are ingredients I recommend avoiding, or at least minimizing, the best you can.
❌Synthetic nutrients
The FDA requires that all baby formulas sold in the U.S. meet certain nutrient requirements. Unfortunately, to cut costs, many of these companies fill formulas with cheaper synthetic nutrients, which are toxic and can be laced with chemicals. [3]
Common synthetic nutrients to look out for on the label include:
Folic acid (B vitamins)
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
Lycopene (beta-carotene)
L-methionine (essential amino acid)
If you’re unsure whether or not these nutrients are synthetic or natural, try reaching out to the company and ask where their ingredients are sourced.
❌Soy
Soy-based baby formulas should be avoided, as soy can disrupt the endocrine system and affect your child’s hormones. [4] Soy is also more likely to contain heavy metals – particularly cadmium (Cd), which has been found in baby formulas. [5] [6] Babies are especially vulnerable to the negative effects of heavy metals because they’re still developing.
❌Chemicals
Try choosing brands that are organic OR tested by a third party to avoid chemicals (in addition to heavy metals) that could be lingering inside baby formula.
❌Processed sugars
Check to see where processed sugars, like corn syrup, fall on the ingredients list – the farther it is down the list, the better. Added sugar is almost unavoidable in most baby formulas. But we really want to minimize this when we can, as too much sugar, especially at such a young age, can lead to serious health problems down the road. [7]
Better Ingredients to Look Out For.
Look out for these ingredients below to guide you in choosing a better baby formula.
✅Organic
Buying organic baby formula can help you avoid, or at least minimize, toxic chemicals and heavy metals, giving you greater peace of mind that you’re buying a safe product.
✅Goat’s Milk
Goat’s milk is often a better choice for babies. As I mentioned, it’s easier to digest, and it also contains slightly more gut-loving prebiotics than cow’s milk, which is a huge win! [8]
✅DHA
Some brands add DHA to their formula, which is an essential fatty acid naturally found in breastmilk that is critical for healthy development in children. [9] This is a HUGE benefit!
Different Types of Baby Formula to Consider.
You will likely need to test out a few different baby formulas before finding the best one for your child.
Here are a few brands to consider:
Nature’s One Baby’s Only Organic Formula (suggested age varies by formula)
Protein Source:
This company offers a variety of different formulas depending on your baby’s needs:
“Regular” formula that uses organic cow’s milk
“Gentle” formula that uses organic whey protein
“Sensitive” formula that is also based on organic cow’s milk, but has gone through a special enzyme process to reduce the lactose content
Organic goat’s milk formula
Organic pea protein formula
Pros:
Certified Organic ingredients
Soy-free
DHA and ARA (extracted from eggs)
Easily accessible in the U.S.
No palm oil or corn syrup
Non-GMO ingredients
No processing chemicals
Cons:
Some products use brown rice syrup
Suggested age varies – visit the website and check “suggested age and use” for each product, and always consult with your healthcare provider.
Bobbie Organic Infant Formula (intended for babies 0-12 months)
Protein Source:
Organic non-fat cow’s milk
Organic whey protein
Pros:
Certified Organic ingredients
Milk is grass-fed organic
No palm oil or corn syrup
DHA
Extensive safety & quality testing
Pesticide-free
Cons:
Non-fat milk
Contains soy (soybean oil)
Contains synthetic nutrients (ascorbic acid and folic acid)
Contains sunflower or safflower oil
Happy Baby Organics Infant Formula (different formulas intended for babies 0-12 months and 6-12 months)
Protein Source:
Organic cow’s milk
Pros:
Certified Organic ingredients
DHA and ARA (extracted from algae)
Prebiotics
Pesticide-free
GMO-free
Offers a “sensitive” formula option for babies sensitive to lactose
Competitive pricing
Cons:
Non-fat milk
Contains palm oil
Contains soy (soybean oil)
Contains a synthetic nutrient (folic acid)
Serenity Kids A2 Whole Milk Toddler Formula (intended for toddlers – chat with your healthcare provider to determine the proper dose for your infant)
Protein Source:
Organic A2 whole cow’s milk
Pros:
A2 milk is most similar to human milk, and it’s easier to digest than A1 milk
Milk is grass-fed organic
DHA and ARA
Full-fat milk
GMO-free
Pesticide-free
No soy
No inflammatory seed oils
Cons:
Contains palm oil
Contains a synthetic nutrient (L-Methylfolate)
Organic Holle Goat Milk Formula (intended for infants 0-6 months)
Protein Source:
Organic goat’s milk powder
Pros:
Organic ingredients (EU Organic)
Goat’s milk is easier to digest
Full-fat milk
DHA (extracted from algae)
GMO-free
No soy
Cons:
Contains vegetable oils (rapeseed oil and sunflower oil)
Uses a synthetic nutrient (folic acid)
Less accessible in the U.S. (EU company, but ships worldwide)
**I’m not affiliated with these brands. These are simply baby formulas I’ve researched, and I mostly like what I see. I encourage you to use this guide to help you find the best formula for YOUR child!
What About Home-Made Baby Formula?
If you feel comfortable in the kitchen and can muster up the time and energy, you can also make your own baby formula at home!
Benefits of making baby formula at home:
You have total control over the ingredients used
You can avoid toxic ingredients found in commercial baby formulas
Downfalls of making baby formula at home:
It takes a lot more energy and time to prepare
You need to be careful to choose a recipe that gets your babe all the essential nutrients they need.
I recommend consulting with your trusted healthcare provider if you choose to go this route.
Mt. Capra offers a kit that's available for purchase and makes the process of creating home-made baby formula so much easier!
Want More Support Raising a Healthy Baby?
I know feeding your baby can feel overwhelming. But always remember that fed is best here, friend.
Sometimes, the best thing you can do as a mother is let go of perfection and allow your own experience to be enough.
If you’d like more support leaning into your “mama intuition” so you can raise a healthy family with less stress and more ease, check out our group program, Healthy Families Collective.
We’d love to have you inside!
Resources:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6893676/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27670346/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5646220/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9271943/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7759547/
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3738999/
