The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. Thereafter, infants should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond.1
When breastfeeding is not possible, the next best alternative is formula milk. If you’re worried about tummy troubles or allergies, goat’s milk formula is recommended over most dairy-based infant formula as it is less allergenic and more easily digestible. Goat’s milk is also associated with a wealth of impressive health benefits that make it the preferred choice amongst parents.
The Nutritional Advantage of Goat’s Milk Formula For Children
Milk allergy is often triggered by the presence of allergenic casein protein, ∝s1-casein, and goat’s milk is known to be ‘gentler on the tummy’ as it naturally contains lower levels of ∝s1-casein. This unique property in goat’s milk is the secret to being naturally easier to digest. The casein micelles in goat’s milk are also 40% larger than those from cow’s milk, creating more porous curds for efficient digestion and giving goat’s milk formula a digestive edge over other dairy-based formulas. 2
Among the many valuable properties of goat’s milk is the natural richness of nucleotides – building blocks of DNA essential for the development of immune function, gastrointestinal development and metabolism in babies and toddlers. Formulas using whole goat’s milk have 40-50% higher naturally-occurring levels of nucleotides than other dairy-based formulas.3
Goat’s milk also has an abundance of free amino acids which are essential for the early growth and development. A particular amino acid, Taurine, is especially rich in goat’s milk, amounting to 20 times more than that of cow’s milk.4 Taurine has an important role in supporting brain development and muscular functions in children, and since babies do not produce it naturally, it has to be obtained from breast milk or formula.
Iron is an important mineral for toddlers and children to support their rapid growth and brain development. All babies have enough iron stored in their bodies to last for the first six months. Beyond that, an adequate supply of iron is required which cannot be obtained from breast milk alone, and the AAP recommends iron-fortified infant formulas for all infants who are not breastfed or who are partially breastfed up to the age of 1.5
Goat’s milk formula is the preferred choice for children as it is rich in iron bioavailability – meaning it can be absorbed and utilised by the body. Research has also shown that iron present in goat’s milk is absorbed at similar levels to that of breast milk and is thus a better source of iron for infants than cow’s milk.6
Goat’s milk formula gains the upper hand over other dairy-based infant formulas when it comes to natural nutrition as it is a nutrient-dense food – children do not need to consume a lot of it to meet their daily nutrient requirements. Goat’s milk also contains three times more bio-actives than cow’s milk, reducing the need to add synthetic supplementation.
Strong tummies rely heavily on the presence of “good” bacteria like probiotics to boost your child’s gut health, and prebiotics are the food for probiotics in the gut. A healthy presence of prebiotics can also help babies absorb more water from their gut, preventing constipation and bloating.
Prebiotics occur naturally in breast milk and foods like bananas, onions and garlic. Goat’s milk is also particularly rich in prebiotic oligosaccharides and contains six times the amount of oligosaccharides as compared to cow’s milk.7 Regular consumption of goat’s milk formula can help boost your child’s prebiotic intake to eases tummy troubles and strengthen gut health.
Preferred Goat’s Milk Formula For Your Little Ones
If you are looking to introduce goat’s milk into your child’s diet, powdered goat’s milk formula is the preferred choice for toddlers and children as it contains natural ingredients like MCFA, Sn2-PA and vitamins (A, D, E, K). To preserve its natural nutrients and benefits, fresh goat’s milk is spray-dried at a low temperature to reduce damage to nutrients. Karihome® goat’s milk also undergoes a single heating phase production to retain its natural nutrition, differentiating it from other traditional productions that undergo the heating process multiple times.
New Zealand’s Karihome® Goat Milk Formula is a preferred choice as their infant formulas are made with 100% whole goat’s milk, sourced from 72 dedicated farms around New Zealand and processed in an ISO 9001 certified factory. Additionally, their formula milk is enriched with DHA, EPA, AA and other minerals and vitamins that are formulated to meet the nutritional needs of growing toddlers and young children.
Natural Nutrition For All Ages
Karihome® also carries a whole range of formulas that have been specially fortified with added nutrients to meet the nutritional needs of infants, toddlers and children, so you won’t have to worry about transitioning between brands when your child reaches a certain age. Supplementing your child’s diet with Karihome® Goat Milk Formula gives you peace of mind knowing that your little one is getting a wholesome blend of essential nutrients without the side effects of a milk protein sensitivity.
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References:
1WHO recommendations for Breastfeeding
2Comparative Protein Composition Analysis of Goat Milk
3Naturally high content of nucleotides in goat milk based infant formula
4Taurine a valuable component of goat milk
5American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) recommendations for breastfeeding
6The Milky Way: The implications of using animal milk products in infant feeding
7Goats’ Milk Is More Beneficial To Health Than Cows’ Milk, Study Suggests
