Can You Add Flavor to Baby Formula?
Have you ever thought if your baby wanted to have some extra flavor to infant formula? There can be consequences for this.
All baby formula has a composition of milk or soy, some kind of sweetener, vitamins and minerals. Some formula smells better than others. A frequent complaint comes from those who have babies that need hypoallergenic, hydrolyzing formulas for milk protein allergies.
Resist the Urge to Sweeten Baby Formula
Baby formula already contains sweetener. The type of sweetener varies from manufacturers and type of formula. Common sweeteners include:
- corn maltodextrin
- sucrose
- lactose
- corn syrup or corn syrup solids
Babies need carbohydrates, and these kinds of sugars are easy to digest. Sweeteners like lactose are already found naturally in breast milk. It can also mask the strange taste that comes from hydrolyzed formula.
It is important not to add more sugar to it. For one thing, your little one can only digest so much sugar at once. The extra sugar can increase your baby’s cravings for sweet things. This can lead to overeating problems and childhood obesity issues. This is one of the main reasons why the European Union prohibited the addition of sugar like table sugar in formula.
Proceed with Caution When Adding Flavor to Baby Formula
Your baby’s taste buds are still developing during the first year of life, so they are typically not particular to what they are eating.
If your baby still does not like the flavor of what’s in the bottle, check with your pediatrician. Some may recommend non-alcoholic cooking flavors like imitation vanilla. Since it is concentrated, you do not need a lot to make a difference.
Other options include fruit juice or fruit puree. While these still have sugars like fructose, it is an option as your baby gets older. It is important to make sure that you do not introduce anything in formula that your baby has not tried on its own. Also, too much of these ingredients can still add sugar to your baby’s diet.
The Sweet Benefits of Organic Baby Formula
Organic baby formula such as those from Hipp, Holle, and Lebenswert use natural, organic sweeteners that are the right balance for your baby’s sensitive digestive system. The smell and taste of these products are more tolerable than the most harsh aromas of hydrolyzed baby formulas. In other words, additional flavors are not necessary.
