Is Palm Oil Bad for Babies?
Palm oil is one of the ingredients found in baby formula. While it seems natural enough, is it good enough for your baby?
All baby formula needs fat. As adults we know there is a difference between good fats and bad fats. The same is true when it comes to your baby’s diet. Some parents and experts question the addition of palm oil in baby formula.
Why is Palm Oil in Baby Formula?
Baby formula manufacturers choose palm oil because of its nutritional similarities to palmitic acid, a nutrient found in breast milk.
Palm oil has a number of benefits as it contains vitamin E and beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is connected with vision development. Palm oil may also prevent vitamin A deficiency. As a natural fat, it brings balance into the cardiovascular system with its combination of good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. A diet with palm oil is a diet high in vitamin K. This is good for bone health and helps blood coagulate.
What is Wrong with Palm Oil in Baby Formula?
The biggest concern about palm oil in baby formula is that it does not absorb as well in infants. One of the health concerns has to do with decreased bone density.
Does Organic Baby Formula Contain Palm Oil?
A number of organic baby formulas have palm oil. HiPP baby formulas have a combination of organic palm oil, rapeseed oil, and sunflower oil. Holle as well as Lebenswert also contain palm oil.
Is There an Alternative to Palm Oil?
Loulouka has eliminated palm oil in all of their formula stages. In its place, the company chose coconut oil for better calcium and fat absorption.
Conclusion:
Considering the different types of fats found in all of the baby formulas on the market, the benefits of palm oil are better compared to processed ingredients such as corn syrup and glucose syrup solids. Organic baby formulas provide better alternatives. If you don’t want palm oil in your baby’s diet, there are options such as Loulouka.
Edited and reposted from March 2018
Other resources: