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Infant formula

  • 29 Apr 2012 1:56 AM
    Message # 905516
    Deleted user
    I've noticed that a number of brands of infant formula contain something called "long chain polyfructose". Can anyone tell me what this is and whether it should be avoided?
  • 07 May 2012 6:01 AM
    Reply # 913515 on 905516
    Deleted user

    Long Chain Polyfructose is a prebiotic added to some infant formulas. Adding prebiotics has not shown to be harmful for healthy infants, it also doesn't have any good evidence that I am aware of so show any benefit to the infant.  Sucrose / Fructose are not permitted in any infant formula sold in Australia (this is certainly not the case in other countries such as the US).

    In going fructose free I give a lot of attention to "nature's packaging", and maybe we should think along the same lines for what we feed our babies.

    Infant formula, regardless of how they modify and adapt it will never replace what nature gave us. We haven't even begun to understand all of the components of human breastmilk and how they all function and the ratios those components need to be at for optimal benefit.

    I recall some research being presented at a conference about long chain fatty acids being added to infant formula, in reality all it achieved was upsetting the absorption of other essential fatty acids becuase the ratios needed to be quite precise and we have just not been able to replicate nature.

    Last modified: 07 May 2012 6:04 AM | Deleted user
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