One of the taglines you may see on baby formula is DHA or ARA. What is it, and is it in your Lebenswert formula?
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is one of the long chain fatty acids that is linked to brain, neural, and eye development. This omega-3 is found in breast milk and can be increased based on a mother's diet of fish. When it comes to formula-fed babies, they would have to get their DHA from the bottle. This means that fish oil would be added to formula.
Do Babies Need DHA?
Despite the connection of DHA in infant formula, there is no definitive answer to this question. Some research shows that it can benefit some babies in a category such as preemies, while others find no direct benefit of DHA. Any long-term benefits are just not available yet.
DHA is not required in infant formula, however many companies choose to add it because of the potential benefits to babies. Also, baby food companies want to create formula that is close to breast milk as possible. While it is not essential, some people want it because it is found in breast milk and babies may not be able to make enough of it on their own.
Why Do Some Parents Not Want DHA in Baby Formula?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of hexane to extract oils from different foods. Hexane is a petroleum derivative used to get DHA and ARA fatty acids from its source, typically fermented algae and fungus. The problem is that hexane is also a solvent used in gasoline, glue, and degreasers. Because it is a neurotoxin, parents look to organic baby formula to ensure that hexane is not used in the formula production.
Not all DHA and ARA fatty acids are extracted by hexane. Baby formula companies such as Hipp use more organic practices by finding it derived from fish oil.
Some parents follow a vegetarian lifestyle. While algae extract is more suitable for vegetarian eaters, they may want to avoid the risk of hexane. However, fish oil does not allow them to be completely vegetarian, and may avoid DHA for that reason.
Does Lebenswert Contain DHA?
Lebenswert is one of the organic European baby formulas that do not have any omega oil supplements or lab-created DHA that has been contaminated with hexane. For that reason, it is ideal for babies and gives parents the piece of mind they want when choosing baby formula.
