Organic milk helps prevent antibiotic resistance, is safe to consume, and is free from allergens.

Infants need milk to grow stronger, and a new mom’s instinct is to feed their little one with breast milk. However, not every mom or infant can breastfeed for various reasons—latching problems, medical concerns, and not producing enough milk.

When breastfeeding isn’t an option, formula milk takes the lead. With the abundance of formulas in the market, it becomes important to know the essential milk nutrients for your little one. You might also ask if you should switch from infant to toddler milk when your little one hits one year old. What could be the difference?

The main difference between infant milk and toddler milk is that the latter contains greater amounts of calcium and phosphorus. If you want to feed and transition from breastfeeding to formula milk, always look for DHA, an essential omega-3 fatty acid found in breastmilk and formula milk.

As long as young ones are getting enough nutrients, formula milk can be an option. However, some kids develop allergies. If that’s the case, organic milk is going to be your kid’s best friend as it allows them to get the nutrients they need free from allergens.

What makes organic different?

How is organic milk made? What is it composed of? And more importantly, how would you know which organic milk is best for your infant?

At it is natural, organic milk is produced by cows free from antibiotics, not injected by hormones for growth or reproduction, grazing on organic pasture at least 120 days in a year, and fed 30% from its pasture diet. The strict compliance for producing organic milk makes it twice as expensive as its standard counterparts.

What is it composed of? Most contain nutrients like DHA, ARA, prebiotics, probiotics, and even whey protein.

There’s a common and shocking misconception about going organic, though: it’s not all-natural. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires certain nutrients and preservatives that can only be synthetically created, such as lutein, lycopene, nucleotides, taurine, and L-Carnitine.

With tons of organic milk out there, how would you know which is the better option for your kid? The trick? Look for their origin. According to parents.com, the aforementioned nutrients and preservatives are generally accepted in the United States but banned in the European Union.

The exclusion of synthetic ingredients brings out the nutritional value in European organic milk brands, making it a favorable choice among discerning parents.

Here are some things to know about organic milk

1. What to look for and what to avoid in organic baby milk formula

The nutritional value a baby gets from milk is vital for growth and development.

When checking organic milk formulas, experts recommend looking for the following: prebiotics for good gut health, omega-3 for the brain, eye, and nervous system, and omega-6 for brain development and strengthening the immune system.

Equally important to look for are certain ingredients that should never appear in organic formula milk:

• Processed Refined Sugars (syrup, syrup solids) – corn syrup (glucose syrup solids), maltodextrin, sugar, or brown rice syrup
• Oils extracted using hexane – while certain types of DHA and ARA are processed with hexane, they don’t need the latter if the origin is algae or fungus. Oils certified as organic by EU formula do not use hexane for extraction.
• Carrageenan – this stabilizer is linked to intestinal inflammation.
• Synthetic Nutrients – lutein, lycopene, nucleotides, taurine, L-Carnitine, L-Methionine. These ingredients are extracted using chemical solvents immediately removed after processing.
• Palm Oil – manufacturers add palm oil to mirror the effects of palmitic acid found in breastmilk. However, it does not act the same way as palmitic acid; instead, it reacts with calcium and causes “soap” formation in the baby’s intestines.
• Soy Oil – Soy protein and soy0based formulas are not recommended for nursing infants, especially girls, because of their phytoestrogen content, which is associated with menstrual cramps later in life.

2. Organic milk has more omega-3 than regular milk

In research conducted by Dr. Richard Dewhurst at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, organic cows are fed with a higher quantity of red clover, which contains omega 3. Regular intake of omega-3 helps reduce the chances of having heart disease, inflammation in the skin, cancer, and arthritis.

3. Organic milk can last up to two months

Organic milk has a longer shelf life due to the way it’s sterilized. While regular milk is sterilized 165°F or lower, organic milk is sterilized at 280°F.

4. Consuming organic milk prevents antibiotic resistance

An organic cow’s diet excludes antibiotics, pesticides, and GMOs, helping prevent antibiotic resistance. The milk is safe to consume and free from allergens. Using antibiotics may lead to antibiotic-resistant infections that can be passed from animals to humans.

According to a dairy report by Organic Center, human antibiotics are also used in livestock production. Antibiotic resistance buildup occurs when the residue of antibiotics remains in consumable products.

Raising organic farming standards to use a holistic approach and management of dairy cows is one solution to prevent antibiotic resistance, which is a pressing human health concern at present.

Only the best organic for your child

Finding the perfect organic milk formula in the market should boil down to one thing: supplementing your baby’s nutritional needs. When it comes to feeding your little one, the goal is to always spot the nutrients that closely resemble breast milk. Choosing the right organic milk brand makes your kid grow happy and healthy.