By: Suzanne Renee' - April 26, 2024 - 8 Minute Read
At The Milky Box, we take pride in being a family-run business providing clean, organic formula and baby food from Europe. Our priority is to offer healthier options for parents looking for the best nutrition for their little ones.
As a trustworthy retailer, we take pride in being a community of health-conscious parents who share genuine product recommendations through our blog. We aim to provide the most recent information and research to support your baby’s healthiest development during the crucial first three years of life.
We work closely with nutritional experts and medical providers worldwide to ensure that we provide the best possible recommendations. We investigate scientific studies and analyze ingredient lists to offer trustworthy and reliable recommendations based on the latest scientific knowledge.
Our commitment to your baby's health and well-being is at the heart of everything we do at The Milky Box. We believe that providing clean, organic nutrition is the cornerstone of a happy and healthy childhood, and we are proud to be a part of your journey toward optimal health for your little one.
We started The Milky Box while searching for the best nutrition for our growing family. We discovered that European Baby Formulas are held to the highest quality and safety standards and wanted to ensure that your family could also benefit from our extensive research.
Our brands have the best reputation, top-notch quality, organic nutritional content, and unmatched safety during growth and manufacturing.
We guide our research using information credited to reliable health organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and The National Institutes of Health (NIH). We provide citations for all the latest scientific references in each article.
Dr. Eric Wood, a licensed naturopathic doctor with fifteen years of experience as an educator, clinician, author, and consultant, reviews each article.
Our commitment to ensuring the health and safety of babies is reflected in the thorough evaluation process we use for every baby formula and food. We assess each product based on specific evidence-backed performance points to ensure comprehensive and unbiased product reviews.
Our evaluation process is designed to award 1 milky drop to each category, with a maximum potential of 10 milky drops. We consider various factors such as nutritional value, ingredient quality, safety, and taste. We evaluate each product using a combination of scientific research, expert opinions, and user feedback.
Our team has worked closely with medical experts and specialists in infant nutrition to conduct thorough research on the subject. Our research has identified crucial components necessary for healthy growth and development in babies during their early stages.
Based on our findings, we developed a system that awards "milky drops" for each baby formula based on ten critical areas. These areas have been carefully selected based on our extensive research to ensure that all our baby formulas provide the essential nutrients for healthy growth and development.
🍼 European Organic:
Organic production standards promote ecological balance, conserve biodiversity, and foster resource cycling. Prohibited practices include synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering.
🍼 Non-GMO:
Young children are especially susceptible to environmental toxins. Even small amounts of long-lasting exposure can significantly impact their physical and mental development. Genetically modified ingredients are under scrutiny for increasing use of pesticides.
🍼 Lactose is the primary carbohydrate:
It is also known as milk sugar, and it is the main source of carbohydrate nutrition in human breast milk. Therefore, when it comes to baby formula, lactose should be the first ingredient, especially in cow's and goat's milk formula.
🍼 No added sugars:
Non-lactose sugars in baby formula have been associated with higher risks of obesity, changes in the microbiome, and the formulation of biofilms on teeth.
🍼 ARA and DHA:
Two primary long-chain omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for cognitive growth, as well as visual and immune development.
We have been collecting feedback from families to understand their needs and preferences better. Based on this feedback, we have identified certain areas that are important to parents when choosing products for their infants.
To meet this demand, we will be introducing "milky drops" for brands that show exceptional care and attention to detail in their formulations. Our aim is to offer parents a carefully selected range of products that meet their high standards.
🍼 Prebiotics:
Infant formulas often contain certain ingredients that are also present in breast milk. These ingredients are added to improve the stool consistency, frequency, and pH of the infant's stool.
Additionally, the concentration of bifidobacteria in the infant's intestine increases when they are on a supplemented formula, compared to a non-supplemented standard formula.
🍼 Probiotics:
In formula-fed babies, probiotics promote a balance of bacteria in your baby's intestines and offset the growth of "unfriendly" organisms that could cause infections and inflammation. Increasingly, parents can find probiotic supplements outside of formula, including for breastfed infants.
🍼 Vegetarian-Friendly:
The DHA in vegetarian baby formulas comes from plant-based sources, such as algae oil and marine algae. One of the benefits of using these sources is that they are free from common allergens found in fish oil. This makes vegetarian baby formulas a great choice for babies who may be sensitive to allergens.
🍼 No Maltodextrin:
Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate derived from starch and is frequently utilized in infant formula as a thickener, stabilizer, or an alternative to lactose. For babies who are lactose intolerant, this can be an essential ingredient to maintain a balanced diet.
However, maltodextrin is more heavily processed than lactose, which may not be the ideal choice for families who prefer natural ingredients.
🍼 No Starch:
Starch is a carbohydrate made up of many sugar molecules bonded together. Due to its complex structure, it takes a while for a little one's digestive system to mature enough to break it down efficiently in their tummy.
While it can be a satisfying energy source for older babies, it may not be the gentlest option for newborns or those with sensitive stomachs. In such cases, it may cause discomfort, leading to possible fussiness, bloating, or gas.
As a parent, introducing solid foods to your infant is a significant milestone that requires careful consideration. It is crucial to continue supporting their cognitive and physical growth by offering them the best possible nutrition. This means choosing organic and whole ingredients that provide the necessary nutrients for their development.
We understand that every family has unique preferences and dietary requirements. We have developed a system that considers these factors to help you choose the most suitable cereals, porridges, and first foods for your infants.
We believe feeding your infant should be a joyous experience, and we are committed to helping you make informed decisions about your child's nutrition. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing you with the best possible advice and support so you can feel confident in your choices.
The Milky Box families work closely with European formula manufacturers, distributors, medical researchers, and nutritional experts to guarantee that your baby gets the finest clean and organic ingredients.
We are dedicated to assisting you with every aspect of your baby's nutrition. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions about our products or any information in our articles. We are always here to help!
Disclaimer:
Please be aware that this information is based on general trends in babies, and it is not medical advice. Your doctor should be your first source of information and advice when considering any changes to your child’s formula and when choosing your child’s formula. Always consult your pediatrician before making any decisions about your child’s diet or if you notice any changes in your child.
Breastfeeding is the best nutrition for your baby because breast milk provides your child with all the essential nutrients they need for growth and development. Please consult your pediatrician if your child requires supplemental feeding.
Suzanne Renee' is an accomplished professional with extensive expertise in the area of infant nutrition, dedicated to promoting the health and wellbeing of children. She started this journey as a foster parent. Suzanne has emerged as a strong proponent of the European baby formula and has become a full time writer of the subject. In her free time, she enjoys camping, hiking and going to church.
Reviewed by Dr. Maria Cerino, MD
Dr. Maria Cerino is a medical doctor and a researcher from Mexico, her works being published in prestigious journals like the American Journal of Human Biology, among others.
As a medical writer, Dr. Cerino focuses on infant nutrition and healthy neurological development in infants and children.
In her free time, she enjoys going on walks, watching indie films, and cooking at home.
