Choosing milk powder is the only way for many new parents. But in the face of overwhelming milk powder advertisements, as well as the recommendations of relatives and friends with different mouths, parents must be full of confusion: which milk powder is better in the end? In fact, the answer is written on the milk powder ingredient list! Today, let's read the milk powder ingredient list together.
<h1>1. The ingredient list is complicated? These are nothing more than these seven categories</h1>
Basic raw materials
Skimmed milk powder/milk, whole milk powder/cow's milk, etc. (if it is goat milk powder, goat milk powder/goat milk)
- Full milk has a complete structure and good taste, but because the fat of cow/goat's milk is not suitable for babies and there is a certain risk of allergies, most milk powders are prepared with skim milk. For the sake of insurance, moms can give priority to formula made from skim milk for their babies, but if the baby's gastrointestinal acceptance is good, full formula can also be considered.
- "Milk powder" or "milk", reflecting the difference in formula preparation processes. Milk powder is dry, milk is wet, and the simultaneous appearance of two raw materials indicates that the dry and wet mixing method is used.
Carbohydrates
Lactose, galacto-oligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, maltodextrin, corn/glucose syrup, sucrose, white sugar, etc
- The National Standard for Food Safety Infant Formula (GB10765-2010) stipulates that for milk-based infant formula, the preferred carbohydrates should be lactose, lactose and glucose polymers. Only pre-gelatinized starch can be added to infant formula and fructose should not be used. (Note: Infants refer to people aged 0-12 months)
-The main component of white sugar is sucrose, which can be broken down into glucose and fructose, so the addition of sucrose is prohibited in the formula of the first stage, and the addition of the 2nd and 3rd milk powder can be added in limited quantities. However, sucrose is high in sweetness and calories, and eating too much can easily lead to obesity, which should be avoided as much as possible.
-Maltodextrin, corn syrup, glucose syrup are similar, and the nutritional value is not high, compared to full lactose milk powder will be better. However, if milk powder is for a baby who is lactose intolerant, it is usually necessary to replace lactose with maltodextrin or glucose polymer to reduce diarrhea in the baby.
-Oligosaccharides promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestine and regulate the balance of intestinal microecology - prebiotics and bifid factors are functional oligosaccharides. Polyfructose is an excellent water-soluble dietary fiber that, when ingested, can help prevent constipation.
Proteins
Whey protein, whey powder, desalted whey powder, (concentrated) whey protein powder, whey protein isolate, partially hydrolyzed whey protein powder, taurine, etc
-The protein composition in cow's milk is different from that of breast milk, and the proportion of whey protein is low, so whey protein needs to be added to formula. Whey protein can be derived from whey powder or desalted whey powder, etc., but it is best to derive from whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate due to the higher purity of whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate.
Grease
Vegetable oil, palm (liquid) oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, 1,3-dioleic acid 2-palmitate triglyceride, LA (linoleic acid), ALA (linolenic acid), CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), etc
-Milk fat is not suitable for babies, and it is often defatted to prepare milk powder, and vegetable oil is added to adjust the fat content. However, vegetable oil is divided into palm oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, etc. (most milk powder will not be specified in detail in the tank), palm oil, and palm oil refined from palm oil, which is easy to combine with calcium when digested, forming insoluble calcium soap, resulting in excessive feces.
-However, moms don't have to worry, although some milk powder uses palm oil, it will also add ingredients such as probiotics or prebiotics to help the gastrointestinal movement and achieve the effect of relieving constipation. If your baby has a bad stomach and is prone to constipation, moms can prefer milk powder that is clearly labeled as free of palm oil, or milk powder that contains OPO structural fat (1,3-dioleic acid 2-palmitate triglyceride).
Minerals
Magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, ferrous sulfate, potassium citrate, calcium oxide, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, etc
- Minerals are often found in the form of inorganic salts, the specific content can be referred to the nutrition facts table, and special attention should be paid to fluoride. Because although fluoride can prevent caries, excessive intake can lead to fluorosis. Europe belongs to low-fluoride areas, and local milk powder will add fluoride in an appropriate amount, but formula milk powder sold through formal channels in China is fluorine-free.
Vitamins
L-Ascorbic acid (vitamin C), dl-α-tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), retinyl acetate (vitamin A), thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1), cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12), biliaryl tartrate, inositol, niacinamide, cholecalciferol, D-biotin, calcium D-pantothenate, folic acid, niacin, β-carotene, vitamin D3, choline, riboflavin, etc
- Vitamins have very strange names, and the specific amounts can be found in the nutrition facts list. Pay special attention to vitamin D, if parents want to supplement the baby's VD alone, remember to add the dose calculation in the milk powder to prevent overdose from causing poisoning.
Other
Vanillin, vanilla fragrance, vanilla bean extract, phospholipids, calcium hydroxide, monoglyceryl stearate, ascorbyl palmitate, etc
- According to China's "Standard for the Use of Food Additives" (GB2760-2011), infant formula food shall not add flavors and fragrances, but larger infant and young children's formula can be added with a limited amount of vanillin/ ethyl vanillin / vanillin bean extract. Although flavors and fragrances can improve the flavor of milk powder, it will also affect the development of the baby's taste buds, and try to avoid it when purchasing milk powder.
☆ Key Memory:
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), AA (arachidonic acid oil), L-carnitine (L-carnitine tartar), nucleotides, lactoferrin, trans fats, lutein, probiotics, etc
- This kind of ingredient is often mentioned by people (some like it and some black), and parents can know more about it. For example, DHA and AA can promote brain development, according to China's relevant regulations, if DHA is added to 1 stage of milk powder, at least the same amount of AA should be added, while 2 and 3 stages of milk powder do not have this provision.
<h1>The amount of ingredients added, just look at the ordering</h1>
Don't think that the ordering of the ingredient list is random, in fact, it hides an important information: the amount of ingredients added. The "National Standard for Food Safety And General Principles for Labeling Prepackaged Food" stipulates: "All kinds of ingredients in the ingredient list should be arranged one by one in the order of decreasing the amount added when manufacturing or processing food, and the ingredients added to no more than 2% may not be arranged in descending order." ”
Suppose there are now two brands that say that lactose suitable for babies is added, do parents know how to judge who is more authentic? That's right, just look at the sorting of the ingredient list!