New generation baby formula has long since stopped using sugar in its pure form to give the product a sweet taste. It is replaced by lactose, maltodextrin, which is a carbohydrate, glucose, or fructose. If the baby is not allergic to lactose, parents can safely buy infant milk formula. In case of lactose intolerance exists, however, the lactose-free formula should be considered.
For many parents, infant formula looks like a mix of ingredients that are not always obvious. On the one hand, depending on how your baby tolerates a particular formula, it can be a great helper in the baby’s growth and development. And on the other hand, it can be a “poison,” which brings discontent and stress to family life.
Despite all the variety of baby formulas, the principle is the same. Put fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, add vitamins and minerals and taste additional ingredients (prebiotics, probiotics, and other additives). The main difference in formulas is the sources of protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
Let’s focus on carbohydrates in this case and figure out what’s best to take and what’s best left on the shelf.
Sugar in baby formula
Sugar is a carbohydrate, which is why you can find sugar in some formulas. And since a baby needs to digest carbohydrates quickly and easily, sugar is a fast carbohydrate, logically used for this purpose.
Glucose, Galactose, and Fructose are the basis of all sugars used in baby food.
Lactose
Most of the carbohydrates found in breast milk are lactose, a residue of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of galactose (disaccharide). Lactose is easy to digest and is a breeding ground for beneficial bacteria in the digestive system, and does not raise blood sugar as much as other sugars.
Lactose has a glycemic index (the index shows how much a food raises blood sugar) of 45. Pure glucose has an index of 100. Also, lactose is not particularly sweet. On a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 is white sugar, it is in the 16th position.
Sucrose
Sucrose is also quite common in baby formulas. It is actually sugar from your table that you add to your coffee or tea. Sucrose is the remains of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose linked together.
Sucrose has a glycemic index of 65. And it is much sweeter than lactose.
It is often found in soy milk or lactose-free formula. It is strongly discouraged to use a formula with only sucrose as a carbohydrate. In the baby’s stomach, sucrose is broken down into glucose and fructose. This means that 50% of all carbohydrates come from fructose, which is contraindicated in children from 1 to 3 years of age.
Corn syrup (Hydrolyzed corn starch, glucose syrup, hydrolyzed starch)
Also a common type of carbohydrate in baby food. It is a chain of glucose molecules bound together. Depending on the degree of processing, it can be from 23 to 40 units of sweetness.
The glycemic index is 100, which means a rapid rise in blood sugar.
Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is also often derived from corn starch but is also produced from other starches (potato starch, for example). It is slightly less sweet than corn syrup. Approximately 6-21 units and has a glycemic index of 100.
So why is sugar in baby formula?
- A source of easily digestible carbohydrates.
- Corn syrups are cheap.
- Some sugars (maltodextrin) also serve to create a thicker consistency.
- In the case of partially hydrolyzed proteins in formulas, corn syrups are added to get rid of the unpleasant smell and taste.
How to choose baby formula?
- Look for a baby formula with lactose in it.
- If the formula has partially hydrolyzed proteins, there will definitely be other sugars instead of lactose.
The best baby formula is the one without sugar, corn syrup, maltodextrin, and glucose syrup, so don’t forget to study its composition carefully. High glycemic index and high blood sugar are unhealthy for babies. Hipp Combiotic 1 is recommended for feeding infants from the first days of life. Probiotics in Hipp Combiotic 1 are close to those in breast milk. Polyunsaturated fatty acids favorably influence the brain and visual system.
Please note: Sugar and sugar substitutes are not contained in this milk formula only in stage 1.