The 10 Best Organic Baby Formulas

Baby formula comes in handy when the mother cannot exclusively breastfeed a newborn for one or more reasons. Whatever circumstances make it impossible to breastfeed, you need a safe alternative for your baby. The organic formula gives you a great substitute when breast milk is not available. And finally, we hope that the question What is the Best Organic Baby Formula will be answered!

Although primarily organic formula should not have toxins and synthetic ingredients, not all brands are the same. In the US, for instance, baby formula companies may add synthetic nutrients to ensure the formula meets set standards. Some people go for organic formula brands from Europe as these have all organic ingredients. 

Nevertheless, most companies use healthier ingredients, such as coconut oil and lactose, instead of canola oil and sugar. Below is a guide on how to pick the best organic baby formulas. 

Top 3 Organic Baby Formulas

What are the Benefits of the Best Organic Baby Formulas?

The organic formula provides the same nutrients as the non-organic formula. However, the organic formula is free from pesticides and growth hormones, and other impurities that can affect your baby's health. In addition, the recipe comes with an "organic label" from USDA or any other organization that standardizes organic products. 

Parents and so many other people worldwide have concerns about the effects of pesticides and growth hormones. Some people believe pesticides cause cancer. So feed your baby with a formula that doesn't have any chemicals to be safe. 

Like non-organic formula, the organic formula contains nutrients to meet the regulations set by the FDA. The recipe should also meet specific safety and hygienic standards. These regulations ensure the baby is safe and their growth and development are guaranteed. 

What Makes the Best Organic Baby Formula?

Although all organic baby formulas have different compositions, they have similar nutrients to facilitate the growth and development of your baby. In addition, manufacturers add vitamins and minerals to make the formula digestible while still providing the needed nutrients. 

Below are some of the main ingredients in the formula:

• Protein Source – Manufacturers use either cow milk or soy. Both options are lactose-free and are hydrolyzed. Soy or cow milk provides different proteins and broken-down proteins to make them easy to digest. Although soy is the only option for babies intolerant to dairy, soy is primarily available as GMO. In Europe, organic foods do not have soy as it has to mix with –methionine to meet set nutritional requirements. Soy may also have aluminum sucked from the soil during growth. 
• Carbohydrate Source – Breastmilk provides babies with lactose alongside some vitamins and minerals. The vitamins and minerals make it easier for the baby to digest the lactose. At first, babies have a challenge digesting lactose. As such, the formula has to be lactose-free or lactose-reduced. Manufacturers may add sugar, glucose syrup, brown rice syrup, corn syrup, Maltodextrin, sucrose, or natural lactose. Unless the baby is lactose intolerant, the organic formula should have lactose as a carb source. 
• Fat Source – Most brands now use organic coconut oil as a source of fat. Avoid canola oil and palm oil. There are controversies surrounding palm oil, so it is best to avoid it. 

Ingredients to Avoid in the Best Organic Baby Formulas

An organic formula should be safe without any impurities or chemicals. However, some brands touted as organic may contain heavy metals, such as mercury, which can significantly affect the growth and development of your infant. In addition, some of these metals can cause significant and lasting effects on your child's brain. 

Some of the substances that should not be in the infant formula include:

• Oils extracted from hexane – High levels of hexane can affect the brain, causing dizziness, slight nausea, giddiness, and headache. According to the US EPA, long-term exposure to this chemical can lead to muscular weakness and blurred vision, among other effects. 
• Palm oil – The process of farming and harvesting palm oil is not sustainable. Again, palm oil doesn't match the natural palmitic acid present in breast milk. Coconut oil better mimics the natural oil in breastmilk. Some organic formula manufacturers blend palm oil with other vegetable oils they process using enzymes to make the formula more beneficial. 
• Milk from cows injected with growth hormones and antibiotics – The hormones and antibiotics are linked to cancer. Manufacturers should not use milk from such farms to protect the baby. 
• Milk from farms that use herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides, among other chemicals – Most consumers link the chemicals to cancer development. Research shows that most pesticides are carcinogenic, so it is fair that manufacturers should avoid farms using these chemicals. 

Which Other Ingredients Should You Avoid in Organic Baby Formula?

Are Aluminum, Carrageenan, and BPA Safe for the Baby?

You should also avoid these three substances in organic baby formula. 

• Aluminum – To avoid aluminum in organic baby formula, avoid soy-based recipes. Soy absorbs a lot of aluminum from the soil, which can cause issues when it comes to the baby's health. You should also avoid products treated with aluminum, such as powdered milk. You can also pick a brand that uses third-party testing services to ensure that its formula is safe for use by infants. During the formula preparation, use filtered water as unfiltered water may have aluminum and other substances that may affect the baby's health. 
• Carrageenan – Carrageenan is common in several foods and drinks in the US but not in organic formulas from Europe. The substance is extracted from seaweed, and it helps stabilize liquid formulas. According to research, it can cause inflammation in a baby's gut, which is why it should not be in a Baby's formula. Although more research shows carrageenan is safe, you should avoid it until enough evidence shows how secure the substance is. 
• BPA – In the US, formula cans are free of BPA. This substance is a common endocrine disruptor. If you import formula from Europe, ensure that the can is safe for your baby. If you choose to import the formula, you need to get a reputable brand to buy from, which can be challenging. 

How to Pick the Best Organic Baby Formula 

When shopping for organic baby formula, consider the following:

• Organic certification – USDA and Kosher certifications guarantee that the formula is safe for your baby. Look for the organic label – which tells you the formula is free from chemicals that can harm the baby and do not occur naturally. 
• Sustainable production and packaging – As you go organic, buy from a brand committed to sustainability and helping the local communities. 
• Third-party testing – Organic brands that use third-party testing are better. The tests help weed out heavy metals and any traces of chemicals that may have entered the food during production or processes. 
• Ingredients – The formula should be well balanced and free of the abovementioned substances. 
• Baby formula stage – The baby formula is available for babies of different ages. Most brands produce one-size-fit-for-all formula in the US, but some brands now make the formula for different ages. Formula imported from Europe is available for different stages. Pre-stage is for babies born prematurely, stage 1 for babies younger than 6 months, stage 2 and 3 for babies between 6 and 12 months, and stage 4 is for toddlers older than a year. 
• Form – The baby formula is available in powder (most common), liquid, or ready-to-feed. Powder formula is easy to prepare. However, it loses some of its qualities during processing. The liquid form is healthier because it is sterile. The ready-to-feed formula comes pre-mixed. All you need to do is start feeding the baby. 

Is European Baby Formula Better than American Brands?

Organic baby formula brands are different. For example, baby formula brands from America produce a very different formula from what Europeans offer. This is because Europe has stricter standards for manufacturing and processing baby formula than America. Also, here are some of the rules that make European brands superior:

• According to EU standards, the baby formula should be free of sucrose (table sugar) for the stage 1 formula. The formula may have small amounts of sucrose for premature recipes and babies with allergies. 
• The formula should contain at least 30% of the calories coming from lactose. This is not a requirement in the US.
• Some European brands bear Demeter and Bioland certifications. Besides, these certifications check for factors beyond what the EU organic standards require. For instance, Demeter certification checks that a baby formula company commits to the welfare of animals, preservation of the environment, and sustainability. 

The standards in Europe may be stricter but American companies also produce the great organic formula. Some, such as Kabrita USA, follow the EU standards to make organic formula for the American market. 

Types of Organic Formula for your Baby

• Cow's Milk – Manufacturers use skimmed cow milk. They mix this with a blend of vegetable oils to create a fatty acid profile similar to breast milk. Some brands, such as Holle, use whole milk in their formulas. The use of whole milk ensures that the formula contains the entire milk cream, suitable for your baby's cognitive development. Besides the milk, manufacturers add the necessary vitamins and minerals for the baby's growth. 
• Goat's Milk – Goat milk is easier to digest. Brands such as Holle Goat and Kabrita USA use goat milk. The formula has the same ingredients as cow's milk formula, but goat milk is ideal for babies with intolerance to milk protein. Feed them on goat milk formula if a baby develops rashes and eczema after taking cow milk-based formula. 
• Soy-Based Formula – This is a formula for lactose-intolerant babies. If a baby has several allergies when they take dairy, this formula will be good. The challenge with these formulas is that soy and corn sources in the US are GMOs. It is challenging to find a soy-based organic formula that is non-GMO. Again, these plant-based formulas go through processing, making it less like breastmilk. 
• Specialty Formula – This formula is ideal for infants who have challenges digesting nutrients in the formula. Moreover, if a child has an immature digestive system, they will have bloating, colic, constipation, acid reflux, spit-up, and gassiness. Finally, the formula may have reduced lactose content and hydrolyzed proteins. 
• Hypoallergenic Formula – For babies who suffer from severe allergies, this formula comes with particular protein sources or hydrolyzed nutrients to reduce these reactions.

The 10 Best Organic Baby Formulas

There are so many factors to consider when buying organic baby formula. As such, you have to take your time and research. We have created a list of the ten best organic baby formulas to make your work easier. Here they are:

Final Thoughts

Picking the best organic baby formula is a challenge for caregivers. There are many brands to choose from, some of which only claim to be organic but are not. As such, you need to take your time to understand a brand before you buy from them. Some brands are better than all others. Also, we highly recommend you to check out our review of Best Organic Baby Diapers.

You do not have to try each of the brands above. Instead, pick one or a few brands that stand out and run with it. Our favorite is LouLouka, thanks to its outstanding balance of ingredients and how closely it mimics natural breastmilk.