7 Reasons American Parents Prefer European Baby Formula

Becoming a new mom or dad is one of the most joyful experiences you will ever have. It’s also a time of critical decision-making for the health and well-being of your little one.

One of them will be whether you will choose to breastfeed or bottle-feed. Sometimes, bottle-feeding is a personal choice while for others it is a necessity for the health of a baby.

You may be among the 54% of mothers who do not breastfeed before a baby is three months or the 75% who transition to bottles at the six-month-period. Perhaps you're just curious about this European baby formula subject.

Regardless of which category you fall into, here are seven reasons American parents prefer European baby formula.

Is European formula better than American? That’s the million-dollar question for many parents. Luckily, we’ve done our research and have the answer.

Simply put, E.U. baby formula makers are held to the highest ingredient, production, and manufacturing standards. You’ll know what your infant or toddler is consuming and trust what you read on a European label.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the baby formula industry the same as the European Union. It does provide basic guidelines for formula manufacturers regarding nutrients.

In comparison, European baby formula makers undergo extensive government oversight regarding their ingredient usage, nutrients, composition, and labeling of every infant and follow-on baby formula.

Did you know that American baby formula makers tend to use products like dextrose, glucose, sucrose, syrups (starch), and fructose? These ingredients are typically used as caloric sweeteners in many American foods and beverages.

They are highly controversial with health professionals because of the high sugar and carbohydrate intake. In a healthier America, more consumers are paying attention to labels and restricting sugar that babies and toddlers have access to.

Since American formula manufacturers use many harmful ingredients, we chose European formula instead because of the use of lactose to naturally sweeten formulas. Lactose is present in breastmilk. That is why many parents recommend E.U. formula as the best substitute for breastmilk.

The difference between American and E.U. formulas are vast. The FDA merely regulates minimal nutrient specifications that baby formulas must have, including 29 nutrients in which nine must meet maximum amounts.

It does not approve or disapprove formulas before they enter the market with added ingredients outside of these standards. That leaves American infants and toddlers in danger of consuming additives that are not fit for consumption.

The FDA also exempts some infant formulas from these requirements when they are born with metabolism issues, low birth weight, or dietary complications.

In comparison, the E.U. baby formulas have requirements for carbohydrates, energy, fat, minerals, protein, and vitamins, including minimal and maximum composition levels. This includes all baby and follow-on formulas.

E.U. manufacturing standards are more advanced than American formula makers. There has been a growing concern over the number of toxic pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides showing up in American products, including well-known baby formula brands.

The FDA also found an overwhelming level of these toxins in most American agricultural products, which affects soy-based formulas. It is also important to note the FDA recently found a banned substance called DDT in product samples as well as chlorpyrifos, glyphosate, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.

These substances can cause breast cancer, infertility issues (including miscarriages), and neurodevelopmental medical problems in younger children. The E.U. recommended banning Chlorpyrifos for some time now.

The E.U. is completely on top of their manufacturing guidelines. The Commission Directive dictates that all infant and follow-on formula makers must ensure there are no detectable levels (equates to less than 0.01 milligrams per kilogram).

The same directive also oversees hygiene, food additives, contaminants, and any product that comes into contact with formula ingredients.

It’s not unusual to see additives like carrageenan, lecithin, and mono or diglycerides in American baby formulas as it is used as a thickener and a stabilizer to extend the formula’s shelf-life.

These ingredients have been found to cause health concerns such as digestive disorders like inflammation and ulcers. This could lead to both short and long-term medical issues.

The E.U. banned the use of carrageenan in baby formulas. Instead, they use ingredients such as locust bean gum and guar gum, which is natural and more nutritious for infants and babies.

The E.U. baby formula makers tend to shy away from soy lecithin, although some of the organic-friendly companies do use it in their lactose-free or reduced lactose formulas. We list every ingredient on our website, so you can easily check for ingredients that concern you.

We’ve written before about Europe’s Biodynamic Organic Farming baby formula standards. Regardless of which side of the pond you are on, you want what is best for your little ones.

We want what's best as well, which is why we highly recommend E.U. baby formula to others. Europeans have higher organic farming and manufacturing standards that create quality-grade products.

As you read our blog, you likely know our daughter has a gluten intolerance. If you have a fussy baby who suffers from digestive issues, you know that it can be an incredibly difficult issue to diagnose in infants and small children.

When a baby is fussy, gassy, and upset, the most common thing parents do is turn to sensitive formulas. E.U.'s baby formulas deliver the best results.

So, what formula is easiest on a baby’s stomach? This is where the soy-based versus lactose-based baby formulas enter the discussion. As noted in this article, lactose-based formulas are closer to breastmilk composition.

Soy, on the other hand, is lactose-free. It is a protein derived from soybeans, which FDA research shows it has a much higher rate of pesticide and herbicide exposure. Soy formulas have high aluminum levels and have been linked to medical issues such as endometriosis and menorrhagia.

Soy formula also uses an unusual amount of sugar to sweeten the soy flavor. For example, Nestle Good Start Soy has 44 grams of sugar per every 100 grams. Enfamil Gentlease has 57 grams. PBM Products have 56 grams.

In contrast, E.U. formula makers don’t use sugar. This is why we absolutely recommend sensitive formulas like HiPP HA formula, HiPP Comfort, and Holle Goat.

Many new parents start with research to find the best baby formulas in the world. As the founders of My Organic Company, it’s the same place we began after learning that our daughter was diagnosed with gluten intolerance.

It’s what led us to learn more about European baby formulas. We were impressed with their environmentally-friendly manufacturing and packaging standards.

Parents hail HiPP as exceptional baby formula. It has earned its reputation as the go-to European brand for babies or toddlers who have allergies or digestive tract disorders.

The makers of HiPP organic formula have also implemented stricter manufacturing standards to create a quality product - free of substances that could affect the health and well-being of your baby or toddler.

HiPP baby formula does use ingredients like palm oil. Instead of using a sugar sweetener, HiPP uses lactose that is similar to what is found in cow, goat, and breastmilk.

HiPP also carries lactose-reduced and lactose-hydrolyzed (broken down) baby formulas for sensitive stomachs. Overall, HiPP is a well-rounded company that strives to excel by using the best ingredients with nutritional value.

If you are a parent who wants your baby to consume the world’s best organic ingredients, then Holle is the company for you. Holle baby formula is either cow or goat-based baby formula and perfect for babies and toddlers.

Holle formula also uses ingredients created on Demeter farms, which create great baby formulas with exceptional environmentally-friendly manufacturing standards.

For parents who want a baby formula much like breastmilk, Holle baby formula might be the best choice. Here’s why. Holle baby formula has a blend of breastmilk friendly nutrients and fatty acids that babies need.

If you intend to breast and bottle-feed, this is the type of formula you want. It also does not add a sugary sweetener. Added bonus, Holle goat milk formula is ideal for babies with cow-based allergies.

American parents love to buy Kendamil because they use natural, organic ingredients. All Kendamil products are created with UK farming sources.

Kendamil labels also have the Red Tractor logo that certifies a product is a part of the UK's farm to packaging program. The company doesn’t use fish oil, palm oil, soy, or ingredients that are bad for your little one.

One of the best parts about Kendamil formula is that they use whole milk. This allows babies to consume natural prebiotics as well as natural occurring MFGM (milk fat globule membrane) content from the fat of the cow's milk.

Kendamil organic is also a sub-company of Kendal Nutricare, which is a pharmaceutical research business. This means Kendamil has their own research and development team that is constantly researching and improving their formula!

This association hits home for American parents who have kids that need nutrient-friendly products or have food allergies. It’s also a benefit because Kendamil’s makers know exactly what nutrients a growing infant or toddler needs in a baby or follow-on formula.

American parents love Lebenswert formula because its makers use clean, nutritious, and healthy ingredients that support growth indicators and developmental milestones. Lebesnwert bio is all about using exceptional ingredients from farms that do not use synthetics or chemicals.

Instead, babies are going to get all the essential nourishment they need from Lebenswert formula. It is lactose based, so it sweetens the Lebenswert baby formula naturally. If you are looking for the go-to baby formula that mimics breastmilk, this one might be just right for your baby.

If you are a mother anticipating returning to work and want a baby formula that is going to make the transition easy, Lebenswert is most ideal. It also makes stages from birth to follow-on, including organic baby formula.

Lebenswert is free of GMOs, and its milk sources come directly from Bioland farming techniques that use organically grown grass to feed their cows when grazing.

Loulouka baby formula comes from Netherland-based organic farming practices, so you are getting a balanced, clean baby formula for your little one. There are also three stages from birth to year one.

Loulouka formula is developed especially for parents who want babies to meet those critical mind and body growth milestones. Ingredient usage is also something that parents tend to focus on when choosing the right formula.

Loulouka is EU certified as an organic baby formula as it sources organic milk. Loulouka also does not use GMOs, sweeteners, preservatives, coloring, soy, eggs, nuts, or palm oil, which makes it better for babies with allergies or easily upset digestive systems.

One of the things we looked for was how ingredients compared between American and European baby formulas. This article covered some of the most critical elements we found doing our research.

Besides the organic farming practices, the manufacturing standards created wholesome, nutritious baby formulas that promote health and wellness. E.U. formula copies breastmilk composition as closely as possible, so it delivers a natural texture, smell, and taste.

They also make cow milk based baby formula, goat milk formula, organic, and baby formula for sensitive stomachs, so they have a wide-ranging product availability regardless of your baby or toddler’s needs.

We highly recommend European baby formulas to parents who care about the soy or lactose argument. Lactose is natural, but soy is commercially created. Your growing baby needs fats, but soybeans are not the best answer.

Another element to this argument is that American formulas have hidden ingredients, but Europeans demand everything to be labeled clearly. This is a main concern for parents.

Much like American formula makers, there’s a lot of different brands and types. What makes European baby formulas different is they start with organic farming practices that produce the cleanest products.

These brands also produce the best baby formulas to help your baby receive the critical nutrients required to develop healthily without the harmful substances. It’s what we at My Organic Company care about, too.

We want to ensure we continue to meet our customers’ needs, so we want to hear your feedback on this subject. We invite you to leave us product feedback or reply to this article with your questions.

You can read our FAQ page to learn more about European baby formulas, check out our blog articles, or you can send us a more detailed inquiry at customercare@myorganiccompany.store for personal customer care.